Ear Hematoma - surgery, other treatment, or leave alone?

In the case of aural hematoma, a lot of vets will suggest surgery. Some vets suggest a nonsurgical approach that may or may not involve lancing and pressure. Some suggest just leaving it alone, and the worst consequence is cauliflower ear.

What do you all think? Leave it, surgery or other treatment?

 

I had this happen to my Sparky bitch last year. Its a real pain in the ass to have to deal with, both ears had done it from her shaking her head too hard. You can do the surgery but it's not very cheap and there is no guarentee that it wont happen again. I just left it alone. The ear will cauliflour...

Lancing it wont work either as it will just refill. Found that one out the hard way. I did that one for about a month every day and sure as shit the next day she had the hematoma right back again. I'd just leave it be if it were me.

 

I had one lanced and while some blood did return afterwards, by keeping the dog crated with an Elizabethan collar on, and taping the ear to the head, it didn't take long before the remaining blood reabsorbed. He still shakes his head due to reoccurring ear infections, and the ear has held up perfectly.

 

I guess sometimes it will work and other times not so well. Glad yours worked out BD, mine didn't and i did the same things you stated. I like her ears now anyways though lol, they've grown on me. She reminds me of Wardogs ears lmao, anyone who knows him knows what i mean..... :lol:

 

First off how big is it? That can determine treatment.

If small drain it with a syringe and needle. Injecting a small amount of dex can help. May need to drain a few times.

If large needs surgery. And down here it isn't that expensive. Around $200.

Leaving it alone depending on how big is uncomfortable. And like AGK said will def cauliflower. I have seen some on dogs the are as big as their entire ear.

The problem is the body doesn't like empty space. So it will continue to fill. That why vets drain and tack down. kinda like this but there are other ways as well.




I worked at a vet in FL that would use a cannula and leave it it for it to continue to drain. And then the ear would scar it. Not cauliflower.

Yes there is always a risk of cauliflower. But when repaired and tacked down I haven't seen it. Now the ear will have scar tissue that you can feel. But not cauliflower.

 

Cynthia, are there buttons sewn onto the other side of the ear to keep it from deforming? My vet does that with buttons on both sides. That would have been the next step if lancing it alone didn't work.

AGK, if the ear was securely taped to the head and your dog could not scratch it because they were wearing a collar, how did they cause additional trauma? Another thing you can do if tape doesn't hold is get some fabric glue, it will stick to the hair but wont harm the skin, and it's plenty strong.

 

I didn't tape her just the e collar and the crate. By the time I did that I had drained it daily, every day, like cynthia said it just filled back Up. Did that for about 2 weeks maybe. I took her to my vet and he explained what was going on and actually talked me out of the surgery. Said there's no guarantee and more than likely she'd do it again. Put her on I want to say predisone and some antibiotic? It didn't really help much. I ended up just leaving it alone and her ears just kind of got hard and rigid. I didn't tape the ear down though I must have missed you saying that part. Just did the collar and crate. Never dealt with it before and haven't since. Here ears are fine just real hard when you touch them. Kind of looks like your hands do when they been in a water too long.