A hematoma occurs in a dog's ear when there is an accumulation of blood within the layers of the ear. The ear appears to be swollen and filled with fluid. While home care will be beneficial in recovery, it is important that your dog be seen by a veterinarian. If a hematoma is not treated correctly, the dog can have a permanent ear deformity that can cause additional medical issues. Often, treatment for a hematoma requires surgery.
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Causes
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Hematomas are generally associated with conditions that cause the dog to shake his head or scratch his ears. This might include an ear infection, ear mites, skin allergy, sting or bite or a foreign object in the ear canal. Hematomas in the ears are most common in dogs with floppy ears, such as hounds, spaniels and setters. They are less common in breeds with ears that stand erect.
As the dog paws at the ear, small blood vessels within the ear swell and leak fluids. If the dog shakes her head violently, the small blood vessels may burst. This leads to the swelling of the ear and a hematoma forming.
Symptoms
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A hematoma is a dog's ear often causes pain to the dog if you touch it. The dog will likely shake her head, and you will notice the pointed or floppy part of her ear is swollen, if she is developing a hematoma.
While the swelling may eventually go away on its own, it can leave the dog with "cauliflower ear" if it is not treated properly. "Cauliflower ear," which is a wrinkled deformity of the ear, can lead to more frequent ear infections and difficulty treating them.
Diagnosis
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You veterinarian will examine the dog's ear and will determine if he has an ear infection or a foreign object in his ear. The doctor may do X-rays to determine if the dog has external or middle-ear disease. The veterinarian will also check to see if the ear has bacteria, yeast or mites inside it. And the doctor may also do some laboratory tests.
Treatment
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The cause of the ear disease must be treated first, whether that is an ear infection, an infestation of ear mites or some other illness. The veterinarian will also do a needle aspiration of the hematoma to resolve the dog's discomfort temporarily.
Surgery
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Most likely, surgery will be needed to stop the hematoma from recurring. The surgery, performed under general anesthesia, generally involves an S-shaped incision on the surface of the ear, over the area where the hematoma occurred. The blood and clots from within the hematoma are removed. While there will be sutures in your dog's ear following surgery, the incision will not be closed. It will gap some to allow the hematoma to drain. Some veterinarians place a rubber drain in the ear for about two weeks following surgery.
Home Care
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Once you take your dog home, check her ears frequently for signs of irritation, inflammation, swelling or pain. If she begins shaking her head or scratching her ears again, make her an appointment to be seen by the veterinarian immediately.
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