My dogs right ear looks like a balloon. Its not huge or anything but it looks and feels like a small balloon. It doesnt hurt him when Touched or even squeezed. We have tried heat and antibiotics. But it does not seem to be going down or growing. Please dont advise me to take him to a vet. (I already know that) I was just wondering if anyone has seen anything simular and knows a cure. Thank you for looking.
2007-02-13 11:34:21 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
It's quite possibly a hematoma - a very large blood blister. Usually caused by excessive head shaking often as a result of an ear infection. Sometimes first noticed after a grooming session when hair has been shaved from the ear and the dog shakes his head either due to the odd feeling of being clipped or from abovementioned ear infection.
Sometimes they will resolve on their own, but more likely your dog will require some minor surgery to relieve the pressure.
2007-02-13 11:51:33 · answer #1 · answered by CS 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This has happened to 2 of my labs at different times. It is a hematoma - like a a very very bad bruise or a blood blister.
Both of these dogs were prone to ear infections. When their ears would bother them, they'd shake their heads and scratch their ears. They'd burst a blood vessel in their ear.
Because the skin in their ears are so thin, it would very rapidly fill with blood and swell up. The only way to fix this was a simple surgery.
The vet would split the ear and drain the blood, fix the vessel, then, he basically quilted the ear with stitches to keep it from refilling.
It's pretty painful for the dog until it's fixed. I'm VERY careful to watch my dogs ears now. This has happened once with 2 different dogs over my lifetime and the treatment was exactly the same.
I hope this helps. Your pup's ear does hurt so he does need to get it fixed. The blood has to be drained and the vessel fixed otherwise it will just fill again. Sorry it sounds so gross.
2007-02-13 19:52:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be a cyst, or an ear hematoma, or something else. Have your vet check it. If your vet says it is a hematoma, then there is probably an ear infection that needs to be treated. The vet can then drain the hematoma. However, most hematomas come back if not surgically corrected - so if your vet says it is a hematoma, the best way to take care of it is heal any ear infection that is present. Then, anesthetize, and suture (stitch) the ear flap closed so that it cannot fill up with blood again. If it is not properly treated, the ear flap can scar up and end up having a cauliflower appearance.
2007-02-13 19:45:14 · answer #3 · answered by mochalatteinacup 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is probably a hemotoma. The only way to fix it without serious damage and disfigurement to the ear is to have a veterinarian place a drain in the eat, but since it is small it may go away on its own. I would wait about a week (as long as it is not bothering the dog at all) and see what it does. If it gets bigger you need to take him to the vet, but if it shrinks or stays the same I would just wait. It may take up to 3 weeks to go away, but if it has not shrunk at all I would take him to the vet. It is best to take the dog to the vet and get it fixed though because there may be some sort of ear infection that is causing trauma to the ear that does need to be fixed.
2007-02-13 19:41:00 · answer #4 · answered by iluvmyfrenchbulldogs 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Look around on it for a sign of a bite of some sort. When my cousin's dog was bitten by a rattlesnake, the dog didn't die, but her face swelled up really big...
A snake or spider bite is all I can think of for this... also, is it warm or hot to the touch? Since you've already taken him to a vet, as you said you've administered antibiotics, I can't imagine why the vet didn't feel the need to lance the lump and at least let it drain... The only other thing that comes to mind is a tumor. If it's soft, then it would be a benign tumor, likely. If it's rock-hard, however, that could be cancerous.
2007-02-13 19:42:54 · answer #5 · answered by scruffycat 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I have seen something similar, it was a cyst that needed to be removed, just behind my labs ear.
If you've tried antibiotics, I take it you've seen the vet about this? Either that, or you just gave them to the dog yourself, which is VERY dangerous.
The dog needs veterinary care, it's pretty plain and simple. They will first try to lance it and drain fluid from it and if it's solid, they will remove it and do a biopsy to make sure it's not malignant.
2007-02-13 19:40:33 · answer #6 · answered by Yo LO! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A Friend of mine has a blk lab and her ear did this it had filled with blood and the vet had to drain it they try a lot of other things first but ended up xraying it and that's what it was it didn't hurt her so something to think about good luck
2007-02-13 21:38:49 · answer #7 · answered by mjaynor 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that if it is not painful to the dog when pressure is applied , then is more than likely a cyst. You may laugh, but pigs get this a lot and the fix is very simple and painless to the animal.
The hardest part is getting your dog to swallow antibiotics.
Obviously go to the vets though please.
2007-02-13 19:45:59 · answer #8 · answered by hairyegg25 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would guess it is an abscess. Your antibiotic might be just not that specific enough. There is not much feeling in a dog's ear.
Same with other animals like goats, rabbits etc.
good luck.
2007-02-13 19:45:37 · answer #9 · answered by jimmiv 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He may have gotten bit on the ear and there is blood in between it.I used to work with hogs and they would bite eacr other and there ears would do that ... we just cut corner of ear off so it could drain and put antibiotics in it so it would not get infected...
2007-02-13 19:45:58 · answer #10 · answered by Dixie 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋