The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
I recently put my German Shorthair through the hematoma surgery. He has had to wear a cone the entire time and I've returned to the vet 4 times for bandage changes and to have his stitches removed. He had the stitches removed yesterday and the hematoma is back already!! It hasn't even been 2 weeks since the surgery and I'm out over $500! What do I do now?!
Posted by Auralsplint (Justin, Texas Usa) on 08/06/2015
The first line of action once you notice your dog has an aural hematoma: Perform a hypodermic needle aspiration to remove the fresh fluids before a clot is formed.
Second: Use an 'Auralsplint' to correct the broken artery causing the hematoma and keep the ear from shriveling. Do not have the archaic and gruesome surgery which does not attempt to correct the broken artery, but instead allows the continued blood flow into the cavity and out either a drain or an open wound. The cost of surgery is mostly prohibitive and rather not needed now that the Auralsplint is in use.
Until you are able to perform the auralsplint treatment, make sure to aspirate on a four to five day schedule to keep a clot from forming. For more information visit Auralsplint.org.
Posted by Shelley (Charleston, South Carolina) on 07/27/2015
Dear Sun,
I am sorry for your loss. My dog is a part of me and I would give my life for my dog. I don't have $ to pay for the surgery so I don't know what to do... I wish a Dr. could help me. I mean if veterinary loves animals than what I don't get is why a vet won't help me.
Hi my dog has a small aural hematoma & I'd like to first try herbal treatment. Can you let me know how you made the yunnan b powder into a paste, did you use an oil or just a little water & how long did you leave it on? Should it stay moist or dry while on? Thanks!
Posted by Daniel (Justin, Texas Usa) on 06/23/2015
The use of the Auralsplint to correct the hematoma is in case studies at present and will be made available this year. In order to use the auralsplint, first the hematoma must be drained within 7 days of onset, or sooner. Thereafter or until time of the auralsplint treatment is applied, no longer than 5 days should pass without a needle aspiration to remove the fluids and keep a blood clot from forming in the hematoma cavity. As long as most of the fluid can be aspirated, the auralsplint treatment can be effective, corrective, and help keep the ear from shriveling.
Please tell me how to treat Hematoma with this Arnica oil..? How to apply this ..? Will this treat the Hematoma without a surgery ..? Please help me my pet is suffering with this from past 3 weeks.
Hi, my 12 year old kitty has an aural hematoma. We have been using the arnica gel for a couple days. Do you think the oil would be better? Any feedback would be much appreciated!!! :-)
Posted by Terry ( Tallahassee Florida 32308) on 04/16/2015
My dog's ear flap is full. I can't afford to go to the vet as I recently lost my job. I'm trying to sell my furniture to take her. She doesn't act like it's bothering her but I don't want her to suffer. She's 10. How long can I leave it and is there anything I can do. Please give me some suggestions. Thank you.
Posted by Jennifer (Montgomery, Alabama) on 03/16/2015
Hello, I was wondering how many times you had to drain it on your animals? My cat has one on his ear and we've drained it two or three times now but it keeps swelling back up, I was unaware that he had mites in his ears until it was to late so now I was just wondering how often you have to drain it? We also bought the arnica oil and are applying that to it. Thank you in advance for any help.
Hello I just saw your reply about your dog and swollen ear.. I know it's been a while since you wrote this, but my cat has same thing and I'm just struggling to know if I should take him to vet. He seems fine, it's just realy swollen and hangs front.. So my question is you didn't do anything? Didn't drain it either just left it alone?
Just wondering how big some of the hematoma were and what they felt like? Did they ever get firm at all. We're dealing with the 2nd for our pup. Went 11 years with none and now 2 in one year :( last time we had a canula put in and it let the ear keep draining. It was a mess!! With a toddler and in our new smaller space we just can't go through that again. Looking for a better option than surgery!
I just spent $1100 on my mastiff's hematoma for the surgical lance and stitch option that this new vet (I just moved here) threw out there as the only option. Welp, now he had one on his other ear yesterday. I chose the non surgical drain option this time and guess what? When I got him from the vet yesterday the growth is back full force in the previous $1100 ear! Ugh :-/
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Hi, I find dried arnica in the herb section of a Mexican market. We mix it with olive oil in a bottle and keep to rub on sore muscles and joint aches. Also available online, but only $1-2 in store. Might find it in hispanic or herb section of large supermarket also.
Up-date from July 2014 Dog's neck hematoma.(size of baseball)
It was successfully treated with bentonite clay applied on hematoma, turmeric and garlic internally. It drained 3 times on its own when bentonite clay was applied and left on area. Healing time was approx 6 weeks.
Posted by Kilihunebabe (Tacoma, Wa) on 12/01/2014 ★★★★★
I just recently cured my dog's aural hematoma after only one week using:
1. turmeric in food (light sprinkle, ~1/8 tsp)
2. Chinese Herb Yunnan Baiyao, made into a paste and applied topically 2x/day (but can also be given internally - I just didn't have the time to figure out how best to do so because it is BITTER gross nasty)
3. Arnica tablets 30c, 2 crushed tablets 4x/day on day 1, then cut back to only three times a day.
Hi Lois....I just came home from vet and my 11 yr old boston has a hematoma. Surgery is not an option as we don't think she would survive. Can you tell me what type of arnica oil you used and how much? I would really like to try this while it is small. Thanks bunches!
Arnica oil is amazing. Our baby is almost 13 years old. He got a hematoma in his ear. We took him to the vet, she drained it, a month later it came back, bigger than ever. My husband put the arnica oil on it. Within one week the blood has diminished and so far no cauliflouring. We use the Arnica at least once a day and keep his ears clean. No vet and no pain for my baby....yay
Hi Lisa, I just read your post about the huge hematoma in your dog. My dog also had a huge hematoma in his left ear, as you might have read in my other posts. Even though it looked like he was not in pain, the vet assured me it was very painful for him. The amount of pressure on the ear is intense as there is nowhere for the blood to go. I wasted a week treating the hematoma with ice, arnica, etc., and needle injections, which I later regretted. The drainage tube the vet added was a pain I must admit, but it was the best decision. It was about half the price as an ear flap surgery. He has had no more problems in that particular ear since last April, thankfully. Unfortunately he does have a cauliflower ear from the build up of scar tissue.
My beloved dog has had multiple, smaller hematomas in his other ear since the first big one (and an insipid skin infection that I will write about in another post). I left the first 2 hematomas alone with the vet's agreement, but every time he scratched, he managed to swell up his right ear and cause another hematoma. So the "leave it alone" method hasn't worked well for my boy dog at all.
About a month ago, I started seeing a new holistic vet who told me about a third method of treating hematomas with low dose prednisone. The treatment tapers off slowly in the 2nd week. This method has worked very well I am happy to say! Swelling went down after 1 week and the area is healing nicely.
Good luck! Let us know how your furry friend is doing!
Posted by Lisa (Brisbane, Australia ) on 11/17/2014
Hi,
Just wanted to say thank you all for posting! My Maremma has a huge aural hematoma but is NOT in pain. He's eating and drinking and wanting to run around and play. His ear is so swollen it looks like a giant samosa :( I took him to the vet who immediately said he needs surgery ($800). But he's nearly 10 so I don't really want to do that.
I am going to bite the bullet and leave it, using arnica cream, and see how we go. I iced it last night which seemed to help, so will try the arnica and tape it to his head (gently) so he can't shake it. Wish me luck! I will post results here. Thanks again. xx
Hi! I'm having this same issue... I took my dog to the vet and they drained her ear twice... Second time it was ok for awhile then it became really swollen... She's almost 15 and I don't want to put her through surgery...
I find this really helpful. I have three dogs, and my middle dog has recently gotten hematoma in her left ear. I was worried because her ear began to droop and I didn't know if it was serious or not. We also can't afford to take her to the vet because my oldest dog has come down with a nail infection and she is actually experiencing some pain, so she needs treatment and we can't afford treatment for both of them. After some research though, it seems like she'll be just fine if it's left alone since the bulge isn't large, painful, or bloody. I think if the bulge in her ear gets worse and does not cease to get better I will take her to the vet, but if it stays the same, my baby will be just fine :)
Hi Lizzy....I'm so glad that you chose to wait and see what happens instead of running to the vet and have them cause so much pain to your dog and on top of that pay them for that as well...after I read about the draining etc. after the surgery, I chose to just wait it out and now my dog is happy....are you going to wait this one out as well? I am thinking since it's small you should, but then, that's up to you......if you don't mind, can you give me the name of the medicine for the ear? Let us know the outcome....take care...
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I like Zymox for itchy, sore, yeasty ears - but as you know, keeping them clean in the first place heads off issues and is key.
Another thing that may help is the addition of Borax [unscented laundry booster/sodium borate] added to the drinking water. Consider one quarter teaspoon into one liter as his regular drinking water. This will help combat an internal/systemic yeast infection [manifesting in the ears].
Hi Lorraine! So glad to hear the ear healed - yahoo!! My dog's right ear also healed beautifully after leaving it alone for a month. However (sigh), I was away all last week and didn't ask my husband to clean his ears out once a week like I usually do. So he started scratching his ear again a few nights ago and guess what... another small hematoma formed in the same right ear! I can't believe it! Lesson: We need to stay on top of keeping the ears clean to control yeast overgrowth/severe itchiness. I use a great pet ear solution that I got from the vet, by the way. It stops the itchiness fast and I only have to use it once a week. I also smell his ears frequently to see how much yeast is building up. When they get really smelly is the time to clean the ears. Best, Lizzy
Yes Theresa...I was stunned that this worked.... I saw a vet on youtube encouraging people to just wait it out and insisted that most of the time it would heal on its own and it did....of course there are exceptions, that's why you have to closely observe while you are waiting....
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Thanks for the follow up! How nice to know that you CAN take the 'do nothing' approach in this situation and simply allow the ear to heal in it's own good time!
Posted by Loraine (Orlando, FL) on 07/20/2014 ★★★★★
Hey EC....How is everybody doing? A few months ago, I had wrote in to EC asking for help when my cockapoo came down with hematoma in one of his ears....well I had promised to let you guys know what worked for me so here I am.....hopefully this can help someone out there. After much research and some wonderful advice from you guys...I decided not to go ahead with the surgery which was costing me $400.00 plus my dog was going to be in a lot of pain as well, and just wait this thing out as was suggested by this one lady whose name I can't remember.....sorry....anyways, after six weeks, my dog's ear is back to normal...can't believe it even now..all I did was just leave it alone although sometimes, I would put some ice on it and rub a little arnica cream on it but other than that I pretty much leave it as is....a lot of people had said that the one ear would be kinda deformed....not this one...I am so grateful, this dog is my big baby...lol....hopefully, this can save someone's dog from surgery, a lot of pain and some money.....thanks for listening...
Just wanted to give an up-date on my dogâ€TMs hematoma. After the last post I made the hematoma returned 2 times. I kept using the garlic and turmeric and applied bentonite clay when it filled. The hematoma drained within 2 days of applying the benonite clay and the fluid was clear. It filled again with in 3 days and bentonite clay was reapplied. Again it ruptured with blood and continued to drain. This time I kept the bentonite clay on the opening which was much bigger on the last rupture. It healed over and the fur has grown back. They area has a bit of a cauliflower feel to it however because of the location it is not noticeable. It has been over a week and has not refilled.
Hi Terry --- this was indeed a fascinating account. It shows, that all the intuitive answers are within when forms of love are the motivation. Congratulations. What a great experience. Namaste, Om
My lab had an accident with a stick. It cut her tongue and she was in severe pain We used Arnica for trauma and took her to the emergency vet which really did not accomplish anything accept trying to give 4 different types of medication ad offered to clean the area out but there was no guarantee that they would get everything. I flushed her mouth with lugo'ls iodine and hydrogen peroxide for the next 2 days. Fast forward dog recovered nicely with arnica and 2 cloves of garlic daily.
About 10 days later a lump started to grow on her neck. It was the size of a golf ball and hard. I massaged it and it moved to the front of her neck and continued to get bigger. (the size of a tennis ball). I took her to a holistic vet and it was diagnosed as a hematoma after a needle aspiration. I was given 2 homeopathic remedies and was told it would take time to heal. The vet believed it was caused by the stick accident and would resolve on its own. I continued with the garlic and added turmeric powder 1 tsp 2 times daily. In about 6 days the lump became soft and the hair around the lump fell off but the size did not decrease.
She had scratched it so I decided to apply benonite clay in the morning of the 14 day after seeing the vet. In that same evening I noticed a black round patch under the scratch. It was wet to touch. I took my dog into the bathroom and laid her on a towel. With her lying on her side I squeezed the black spot softly and bingo, it started to drain. It took 4 hours. What amazed me was that splinters came out with the blood. It was blood with no pus and no smell. For the next 2 days it continued to seep and was hard to keep gauze on because of the position of the where the small hole was draining.
Two days later I have applied bentonite clay 3 times a day and rinsing it with lugols iodine mixed with distilled water. It is not filling up and looks like it is starting to heal. I believe the bentonite clay helped pull what had been lodged somewhere in her mouth area and had worked its way down her throat. I would have thought first hand that this would have been an abscess, however there was never any fever and no pus or discharge. I feel that the turmeric, bentonite clay and garlic were key to this hematoma rupturing on its own without surgical intervention.
Hi Raquel, sounds like you have a best case scenario if it's the size of a silver dollar and I wouldn't be too concerned about it if I were you! Yea! Glad I was able to help.
The hematoma will probably start to shrink in about 2 weeks. My dog's smaller hematoma has been going down slowly and we're now on week 6. It will end up looking a lot better than the other ear, which had major scarring. But now I know in the case of hematomas, scarring is a good thing and will likely prevent another hematoma from happening in the future.
Hi Lizzy...you are truly a saviour....thank you so much for that detailed response. You will never know how grateful I am. I am keeping a really close eye on him as you suggested but thankfully, his does not take over the whole ear flap.....its the size of a dollar coin......I am hoping that it would go down and I don't have to do surgery....I feel so bad for him, he is the sweetest dog ever.....anyways, thank you again Lizzy...I am now feeling hopeful.....take care and be blessed.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Hi Raquel, I just went through this with one of my dogs. You can see my post on the aural hematoma page of this site. He got a huge hematoma the size of his ear flap on his left ear and then a smaller one the size of a silver dollar on his right ear as soon as the first one had healed. I couldn't believe it!!!
It was a LONG ordeal to heal the big hematoma, but thankfully a much easier time for the smaller one. If the hematoma is large and putting too much pressure on your dog's ear opening, I suggest you do the small surgery ASAP and get a drainage cap put in. Don't let your dog suffer with the intense heat and pressure from the blood building up in the ear. Don't do the other surgery where they stitch the ear, which is an older procedure most vets don't perform anymore. What my vet did was insert a drainage cap at the top of the ear flap. A very easy procedure. Just know that you will be emptying a small drainage cap twice a day and gently pushing the fluid up from the ear and out and it smells awful. Have paper towels ready!
If you get this drainage cap in, don't take it out until you are sure there is no more fluid coming out, which can take about 3-4 weeks. We pulled out the drainage cap too soon (after 20 days) and had to have another one put in 2 days later because the ear swelled back up. We had to wait until enough scar tissue built up in the ear and then the fluid/blood finally stopped. But it took 6 weeks total and he had to wear a soft fabric Elizabethean collar for all of it (though I took it off for his walks).
If the hematoma is only in one section of the ear flap, watch it to make sure it doesn't keep getting any bigger. If it doesn't grow, leave it alone. Don't even have the vet drain it (which is very painful for the dog) and it will heal in a few week's time without any intervention.
My vet told me she's been treating more hematomas this year in dogs than in years past, and she's not quite sure why. Let me know if you have any questions about this and good luck!
Hi EC....I need you guys opinion urgently on a problem I have with my dog....it seems like out of nowhere, his one ear suddenly started swelling to the size of a quarter. I rushed him to the vet thinking the worst of course and he was diagnosed with hemathoma (not sure if I spelt it correctly)anyways, what it is is a ruptured blood vessel in the inner ear that is caused by some type of trauma to the ear. He recommended surgery asap but I told him I need to think about it because of the cost but most importantly I am worried about my dog....he is my best friend....any response would be greatly appreciated...thank you guys...
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Thank you for sharing your journey, and your emphasis to follow your gut instinct in taking your pet to the vet if you feel strongly something is wrong. You are so right; internet advice only goes so far, especially when one cannot look at a case *real time* to see for themselves the symptoms without them being translated via keyboard into the written word.
I have to say, however, that unless you had your dog necropsied [autopsy] that your guess of "death by aural hematoma" is wild speculation. Its very possible your dog did indeed die from a brain or cerebral aneurysm - but such a thing is not caused from an aural hematoma.
An aneurysm is: a localized, pathological, blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel caused by a disease or weakening of the vessel's wall
A hematoma is: a swelling caused by a ruptured blood vessel after bleeding has occurred inside a tissue.
Aural hematoma occurs when a blood vessel within the ear flap breaks, and the ear flap swells with blood. The swelling can be partial or complete and in severe conditions may even block the ear canal totally. The ear flap can fluctuate, appear like a balloon and result in a significant change in the carriage of the ear.
Untreated hematomas may heal without any treatment over a period of time. However, this option is preferred only in cases where the dog cannot be given an anesthesia. Left alone, an aural hematoma can disfigure the ears giving them a shape that is commonly known as ‘cauliflower' ears.
I cannot find in any research that aural hematomas are life threatening. Aneurysms, however, are indeed life threatening. Common locations for aneurysms include:
The major artery from the heart (the aorta)
The brain (cerebral aneurysm)
In the leg behind the knee popliteal artery aneurysm)
Intestine (mesenteric artery aneurysm)
An artery in the spleen (splenic artery aneurysm)
If you step back and re-read your post it makes more sense to consider that your dog had a life threatening condition that existed in the first place [i.e brain tumor which very likely could result in a cerebral aneurysm], causing your dog to shake her head to the point of rupturing blood vessels in her ears resulting in the aural hematomas in both ears. The dual aural hematomas were the symptom of a bigger issue, and not the issue that caused her death.
Again, I am very sorry for the loss of your girl, and I wish you peace in her absence.
Hi, I'm writing today because my dog was suffering a second haematoma on the opposite ear last week, the first ear cost us over $1000 in surgery. At the time of the initial surgery the vet was quite blaze about it, it made me blaze this time around and before doing anything thought I would look up online about it. This was one of the sites I came to. I did ring the vet last Friday, two or three days after the haematoma appeared. I had her scheduled for surgery yesterday morning, being Monday. I am a psychic and Friday night spirit was badgering me and telling me I would have to take her to the vet on the Saturday morn. I accepted that even tho we live in the country and there is a lot of travel involved, 3 hours of driving alone. I rang the vet and said I was concerned, she assured me she would be fine for her surgery on Monday, she was in no pain, a little discomfort, that was all. I still felt so unsure and asked if I could send some photo's which I did, they came back to say a second time, no she be fine till her scheduled surgery on Monday morning. Spirit woke me at 3.30 am Monday morn badgering me to go and have a cigarette, they hate me smoking and I had to get up early to take the dog. I got up anyway, had my smoke, saw our dogs feet sticking out from the underneath of our bar area, one of her favourite spots. They said call her, I did, nothing, she didn't get up. That's weird, I'm thinking, call again, same. I got up and went over to her started calling her name and shaking her, nothing..... I then stopped still for a minute to see breathing, no breathing, she was dead. We were then faced with burying our dog at 3.30 in the morn and it's safe to say the vet has copped it as well as myself for not listening to spirit in preference to a university degree.
Now, this is what no-one discusses here. If as a human you had that much blood near your brain, you would be hospitilised for fear of an aneurism or stroke, true. I feel my dog died of an aneurism, it could have been a large amount of blood in her ear or a tiny little clot but it found it's way to her brain and killed her. She died in her sleep, we had no idea anything was happening out of the ordinary for those last hours of her life.
Don't listen to everyone on here, don't even listen to vets that say it is not a serious medical condition, my dog was 6 years old, too young to die.
Listen to self and your animal, rely on your intuitive feelings. How can anyone say that would not be hurting, it's just stupid, if our ear was blown up like that full of blood, it would fricking hurt, it's just a load of bs.
Take a tip from someone who knows, get off forums on the internet telling you this and that and take your animal to the vet.
I wanted to give everyone an update on my dog's aural hematoma. As I mentioned, I took him to the Emergency Vet 2 weeks ago and got the hematoma drained. It came back 24 hours later as they said it would. I then looked up remedies on the internet and found a woman who dissolved a hematoma on her dog's ear by massaging it with a tiny amount of castor oil, so I tried massaging his ear twice a day (very gently). It did nothing and in fact, I think may have made it worse. I took him to my regular vet 4 days later who looked at me incredulously when I told her I tried to massage his ear. She explained that a burst capillary is very small and that there is NOWHERE for the blood to go and that I should not be trying to increase blood flow to the ear right now! She wanted to do a quick surgical procedure where they insert a cap that you empty twice a day. This is what vets are mostly doing these days instead of stitching up the ear flap. But I opted to get it drained one more time hoping it would hold this second time since I had been treating his ear with antibiotic drops for 5 days at this point. Okay, so no, it didn't work and within 24 hours later, it filled up with blood again. Sigh. The weekend came and went and I took him back to get the surgery at the beginning of last week. Cost $600, but he is doing so much better now. I take off the cap twice a day and push liquid up and out through it. It actually oozes now and then around the cap. He is wearing the Elizabethean cone except on walks, which my husband trimmed down on all but the left side so that he can eat and drink without an issue and not smash into furniture. I will take him back to the vet in 10 days.
So basically, for those deciding what to do with an aural hematoma, I would suggest you NOT waste your money getting the ear drained (unless it's a small hematoma, unlike my dog's, which was the size of his entire ear flap) and opt instead for immediately getting the cap surgery. It would have taken forever for the blood to dissolve back into his body if we had done nothing, and I know he was in quite a bit of pain from having so much pressure build up in his earflap. I hope this helps people. I do regret waiting it out before getting this quick and easy surgery.
If I have any more news, I will write again! Lizzy
This made me think. A few years back I missed a step and fell onto my knee . Later this became a large swelling; apparently fluid in the knee.
The chemical doctor said I should never kneel again and the fluid should be removed.! I declined. Went home and warmed up a quantity of pure sesame oil, dunked a cotton cloth into it and wound around the knee, finishing up with a woolen cloth. I kept my knee up on a chair for the treatment till the oil cooled down. I think I repeated it once or so. The result was NO fluid, the knee perfect and I could continue my yoga classes without problems.
The fluid around the knee is the body's protection and it is vital to keep it in the body. Removing it would result in a lot of ensuing troubles.
I would do the same to the dog's ear except one would have to stay for about twenty minutes for the warm oil to have a beneficial effect. However, I endorse Theresa's posting. That is what I do and what people in Europe have done for a long time. The doctor's advice was amazing, to say the least. Namaste, Om
Thank you Theresa for responding to my post! I will check out the homeopathic remedies as you suggest. Yes, I will definitely stay on top of keeping his ears clean and gunk free. The hematoma came back today... my poor boy looks very uncomfortable. Giving him antibiotics ear drops from the vet and making sure he's not itchy. Gave him a couple of tramadol pills last night for pain that the vet gave me, but would like to avoid them if possible. Tough to see the ear flap ballooned like that. I will let you know how it goes, but thank you again for taking the time to respond.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
The way to prevent another aural hematoma is to remove the cause of your dog's need to shake his head, ie you need to be on top of those itchy, yeasty ears. This may mean cleaning his ears every other day [or weekly or ???] whether it looks to you as if he needs it or not.
One simple solution for cleaning ears that are NOT infected is 1 part isopropyl rubbing alcohol, 1 part ACV and 2 parts water - warm before using to flush out your dog's ears.
Consider these homeopathic remedies and herbs for treating aural hematomas in pets:
I am at the emergency Vet with my dog who has a hematoma in his left ear. The whole ear flap is swollen. They are going to drain it and give me antibiotic drops, but the vet tells me that the hematoma will come back the next time he shakes his head. The next option is surgery but I declined that. While waiting for them to check out my dog, I am reading about a vet on YouTube who just lets the hematoma heal on its own after a few weeks. Says this is better than surgery as surgery forms scar tissue and doesn't prevent more hematomas. Does anyone have any suggestions how to prevent another hematoma from forming once this is drained. Oh, I also read about arnica helping to heal a dog's hematoma.
I ran out of probiotics last week and I think that upset his yeast.. then he got ear irritation and itchiness and started shaking his head last night, which is when I think the hematoma formed. Thank you so much in advance for any suggestions.
Theresa from Minneapolis, MN. I got the Yunnan Baiyao, although it's expired. I put it on his ear, using the paste to put on the outside of his ear because it is expired. We'll see what happens now. I'm going to go to another Chinese grocery store and get some more that isn't expired, to give him it internally. He was really good, let me put it right on him!
Thank you so much for all your information! He definitely has an aural hematoma. I can't see taking him to the vet, he's kind of old, and I know how that goes. The information you included on Yunnan Baiyao looks real promising. I'm going to go get some of that and I'll let you know how it goes. Thank you again!
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
This sounds like a veterinary visit is in order to determine if your cat has an aural hematoma or an abcess. Treatment will vary depending on the diagnosis.
Now, was your cat scratching like crazy at his ear and caused an aural hematoma? Or did he get into a fight and the swollen ear is an abcess resulting from a bite wound?
I personally have no experience with an aural hematoma and can only recommend you seek your vet's advice. However if this were my cat, and if I knew I was dealing with an abcess, I would find the scab from the wound and pull it off, and then use some pressure to pop the abcess like a giant pimple to allow it to drain. I would flush the abcess with 3% hydrogen peroxide and then keep doing the same until it healed up [I have actually done this many times when I and an outdoor tom cat.]
If this is an aural hematoma some would attempt to treat this at home -and the links may supply some ideas for you. Also check out the use of leeches from a post on Earth Clinic's page.
Also check this out for herbs and homeopathic remedies for aural hematomas in cats:
My 15 year old cat has a swollen ear. It's really bad, looks like it's about to burst, but hasn't. He's perfectly fine, yells at me everytime I come into the room! What can I do about this?
Posted by Bpaisley (Chicago, Il, Usa) on 12/12/2012
I recently noticed a hematoma developing on my chocolate lab pup (10yrs old) and monitored it. I have been giving her Belladonna (30c) to no avail. Today I started with an oil blend of cypress and lemon which seems to help. I also switched her remedy to phosphorus 30c - waiting on the outcome. The ideal oil is Helichrysum, however I do not have this yet. I ordered four medical leeches and will try this approach when they arrive. It is uncomfortable to the touch so I am quite careful when applying the oils. I also started her on vitamin C in her breakfast. If the leeches are unsuccessful, I will put her on a Chinese herbal formula. I will let you know how it goes. Fingers crossed! I have ruled out surgery as I do not see this as a necessary means to the end.
Posted by Christina (Grass Valley, Ca, Usa) on 07/28/2012
My dog had this a few years ago and the vet took care of it, but couldn't find a cause, no ear infection or mites or anything. The only time I had noticed her shaking her head was when she was shaking her floppy toys so I sadly took away her favorite toys and left her with the more compact variety and she has not had a recurrence.
Posted by Ruth Foster (Wetwang, England) on 05/18/2009
I was very encouraged to see the info about the haematoma and wondered how Lynda's Beligum sheppard's ear is a my dog has the same problewm and the same types of ears as a belgium sheppard. My other dog had the same, he had surgery which I would like to avoid if possible as it was very distressing for him.
Posted by Lynda (Mar Del Plata, Arrgentina) on 01/16/2009
i am so relieved to have read leeches and your kind visitors comments.......she let nature take its course.....im gong through the same problem with max my beautiful belgian shepherd even though he is being medicated at the moment the vet is pressing me to have him operated on as soon as possible and now from reading this article im going to wait.......here in argentina vet procedures arevery expensive and local vets are anxious to inflate their pockets!!!!!!!!!!!!.....again thanks for being on internet.........lynda
Posted by Linda (Pitt Meadows, BC Canada) on 08/14/2008 ★★★★★
My lab cross had 2 aural haematomas the first one occured in April 2008. It was quite large the size of a fat sausage and we were concerned but the more research I did on the internet the more I discovered that the haematomas bother the owner more than the pet and if there is no obvious discomfort just leave it. Early May my dog got a second haematoma closer to her ear canal. I became worried and did more research and tried leeches...yes leeches ordered 8 of them from Niagra Ontario. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined but really wasn't the right treatment as although it caused no harm to my dog it would not and could not resolve the problem as the balloons of blood were not isolated but part of her regular flowing system so as you removed the blood more filled it's place and the leeches really only remove about a tsp each. It is now mid August 2008 and I am happy to report that my dogs ear looks as good as the day before she had the problem. There has been no cauliflowering or mishealing and she is happy not to have had surgery and face further complications that stictches etc. can provide. If she had another one I would leave it to heal again I think sometimes its best not to try and treat everything. Too quickly someone wants to take your money for an unnecessarry procedure. My dogs ear was very swollen and without any surgery is perfectly fine today. That was my experience.
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