Swollen ear. Possible abcess.

[Amanderrr]

My 11 year old SBT has a swelling in his ear roughly the size of a golf ball.

I noticed it last night but I'm not sure how long it's been there. I'm sure I would have noticed it if it had been slowly growing so I'm more inclined to think it's an abcess or reaction to a bite rather than anything too serious and that it hasn't been there long.

I couldn't get him into the vet today so he has an appointment for tomorrow. I Googled "abcess in ear" and read about a dog who'd had an abcess in his ear lanced but the site had filled with pus again and the owner asked if there was anything he could do himself as he didn't want the dog to have another "operation."

If the vet wanted to lance my dogs ear what would be involved?

It is almost certainly an aural haematoma rather than an abscess - a collection of blood and fluid that can build up. Some of these may be treated by drainage with a needle and syringe but they can refill quickly and in a high % of cases repeated drainage is required on several occasions. If this is happening more than 2-3 times most vets would then consider surgical drainage under anaesthetic where a hole is made that is left open to drain until everything heals up. Meanwhile the vet should in any case be checking inside the ears to find out why it happened. Often there is an ear infection deeper down that caused head shaking that led to the haematoma forming. This should obviously then be treated concurrently.
If the haematoma is just left it will actually resolve on its own in the long term, but the ear flap will become mis-shapen as this happens and leads to a "cauliflower ear" type appearance that can not be sorted longer term.

Thanks for your reply BeautifulGirls.

It does feel like there's liquid in there rather than a hard lump but he runs off when we touch it so it's difficult to get a really good look. It feels very hot and it's quite red but I can't see any scabs or scratches so, as you say, it's probably not an abcess. He and our DDB are always rolling around play fighting so I thought that may have been the cause or a bite or sting from an insect.

I hope it does just need draining as, due to his age, I really don't want him to have an operation if we can avoid it.

I'll update you once we've seen the vet later and thank you again for your help.

How is he?

Hi again,

Thanks for asking how he is. I did want to reply last night but didn't get a chance what with one thing and another.

Anyway, as you suspected, it's an aural haematoma. He came home with ear drops and has another appointment for next Thursday with instructions to bring him back if it gets bigger before then.

If it's no smaller by next Thursday the vet will operate and put lots of stitches in to stop it re-filling.

I don't really want him to have an operation but the vet said even if it goes away itself this time they usually reappear which will mean eventually he'll have to operate anyway.

Well, tonight he didn't want to go for his walk but obviously he had to go so we said it would just be a quick walk down the road and back (Didn't mind as it's pouring) but he struggled all the way and managed to get off his lead and run home.

Had a look at his ear and the aural haematoma is looking larger, also, he has peed (spelling?) in the house twice recently. He hasn't done that since he was a puppy. He usually scratches at the French doors when he wants to go out but yesterday he just stood in the kitchen and cocked his leg against a cupboard. Shouted "No, stop" when I saw what he was doing but to no avail. There was a damp patch on the hall carpet the day before but as we have four dogs I wasn't sure who was responsible but I think we can safely say that was him too.

I'm taking him back to the vet tomorrow morning. He has an appointment for Thursday but the vet did say to bring him in earlier if it gets bigger. Worried about the peeing too as it's just not like him.

Hope they get him sorted - no obvious reason why the two problems should be linked that I can think of - unless maybe he has some tablets of some sort that are making him behave like that?

Hi again,

He went in this morning for the operation. He's really not coping well with the lampshade he has to wear to stop him scratching his ear. He keeps whimpering and is restless and I don't know what to do to help him.

He had a pain killer before we brought him home as the nurse said he was yelping and that ought to see him through until the morning so I don't think he's in any real pain. I think he's just a bit confused as to what's happened to him today.

It's so upsetting to see him like this. He's always been such a strong happy dog. I suppose his age doesn't help. He was knocked down by a car a few years ago and just jumped up and ran. He did end up staying at the Vets for a few nights as he had internal brusing and fluid on the lungs but even then he wasn't as upset as he is today.

Hopefully he'll have a good nights sleep and be cheerier tomorrow morning.

Meant to add, Dp took him to the Vet this morning on his way to work but didn't see the Vet so couldn't ask about the weeing in the house. I was going to ask this evening when we picked him up but completely forgot what with him looking so sorry for himself.

He did it again last night so there's definitely something up. He's back to see the Vet next Wednesday so I shall ask about it then if it carries on.

He'll probably feel a bit better once the anaesthetic drugs wear off a bit more - often they cry because they just feel "wierd" still. If you are still worried he might be sore in the morning then call the vet. Hope he is better soon.