What Are the Causes of Ear Hematomas on Dogs?

Ear or aural hematomas are pockets of blood that form between the skin tissues of the ear flap. Caused by trauma to the ear, these blood-filled, raised swollen areas can feel firm to the touch and cause considerable discomfort for your dog. The first noticeable symptoms may be scratching of the ear or a constant shaking of the head in an attempt to provide pain relief. Veterinary care is required to treat ear hematomas.

  1. Self-Inflicted Trauma

    • Keeping your dog's ears clean can help them avoid self-inflicted trauma.

      In its simplest form, a hematoma can be formed when a dog shakes his head or scratches at his ear hard enough to rupture small blood vessels in the ear flap. The dog may exhibit these behaviors in attempts to rid himself of an itch or diminish pain. When a hematoma is found to have this type of cause, it is most often due to untreated or chronic ear infections, parasitic infestations, or the presence of dirt or foreign bodies that the dog is trying to remove from its ear.

    Bite Wounds

    • Ear hematomas can be caused by bite wounds to the ear flap.

      Puncture bite wounds caused during a fight or exceedingly rough play with another animal or dog is another common cause of an ear hematoma. When puncture wounds are not kept open and clean, or antibiotics are not quickly administered once the puncture wound closes, bodily fluids, pus and blood can fill the ear tissues causing a hematoma near the bite wound.

    Foreign Body

    • Hunting dogs are susceptible to hematomas caused by plant matter.

      Foreign bodies that manage to work their way into the skin of the ear flap can cause a hematoma to form. Typical causes of these hematomas originate from plant matter that feature sharp points such as foxtails and cacti. Other foreign bodies like slivers of glass or wood splinters can be considered as causes. The hematoma forms when the foreign body is not completely removed, or in cases when the foreign body has been removed but the entrance wound is not properly treated. Hematomas caused by foreign bodies are very common in dogs that regularly run or hunt in areas of heavy brush.