Indian River Animal Hospital

 

April Newsletter

 

 

“What is that bubble on my pets ear ?????”

 

It seems like everything comes in 2’s and 3’s.  This was the week for ear hematomas. 

 

This condition presents as a swelling on the ear caused by an insect sting , allergies, tumors, or a broken blood vessel forming a  pocket of blood.  Often, the broken blood vessel is a self-inflicted injury.  Here’s what happens…   Ear infections can cause the pet’s ear to itch, resulting in a lot of head shaking.  When the flapping ear hits a hard object a blood vessel can rupture, causing a pocket of blood to form under the skin.

 

Surgery is usually indicated in order to drain the blood.  Bandages are applied to the ear promoting scar tissue (fibrin) to fill in the ear pocket.  The bandages need to be changed about every 3-4 days and healing results in about two weeks.

 

If you talk to nine different veterinarians, you’ll get nine different approaches to the treatment of ear hematomas, but basically the treatment is to drain the blood pocket.  In the cases where the underlying cause is an ear infection, that condition must be treated.

 

Occasionally, the ear infection has been a chronic condition that may have been on going for several months.  A culture and sensitivity test is usually indicated.   A sample of the ear exudate is taken and sent to an outside laboratory.   There the offending bug is grown on a culture and an appropriate antibiotic sensitive to that specific infection is determined.  

 

This information is faxed back to the clinic where we dispense the recommended antibiotic.  

 

Have a Happy Easter and visit our website:  www.irahinc.com