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Cure Dog Ear Hematoma
Dog ear hematoma is most common in big-eared breeds after a
little rough-housing, an accidental bump while shaking their head or
an ear infection. All of a sudden, the ear swells up and seems to be
full of liquid. A hemorrhage produced by the injury of a blood
tissue in the ear, although the skin itself is intact, is usually
the cause. There is really not much danger to the dog, but it is
unpleasant. If the dog is not taken to the vet for treatment, his
ear might end up looking deformed. The ear will be painful and will
eventually scar down similar in appearance to a cauliflower ear.
The symptoms of a hematoma are obvious. Depending on how severe the
problem is there will be swelling and sometimes it will be
extensive. Almost every dog will be holding the head to one side or
either shaking and pawing at the affected side.
To cure dog ear hematoma the vet will first remove the fluid and
inject cortisone into the ear. To completely cure dog ear hematoma
the dog will also go home with oral medication to be used for 10
days. This treatment is usually repeated in one week, although some
cases are healed after the first week of therapy. If the cause of
the hematoma is determined to be an infection of the ear, the
infection will be treated at the same time.
Dogs that don't heal after the second treatment will need surgical
correction to cure dog ear hematoma. Also, some hematomas are too
large or involved to attempt medical treatment first. The surgery is
done under general anesthesia. The first step in the surgical
procedure is draining of the fluid in the ear. An incision is made
with a scalpel blade and the bloody fluid is drained. The bandage
and sutures are removed in 7-10 days. Healing progresses rapidly and
the ear returns to normal in no time.
Once a dog has a hematoma it is possible for it to recur. The dog's
ears should be checked daily for any recurrence, and they should be
frequently cleaned.
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