Pet Tips Ear Hematoma On occasion we are presented with a pet that has a swollen ear. The swelling is due to blood vessels that have ruptured inside the ear flap, between the inside and outside layer of cartilage. This causes the ear to fill up with bloody fluid and after a period of time the blood in the ear clots and there is a firm swelling. If left untreated the ear will be painful and will eventually scar down similar in appearance to a cauliflower ear. This is called a hematoma and is usually caused by ear inflammation that leads to aggressive head shaking resulting in a ruptured blood vessel. Correcting this problem requires routine help from your vet. The doctor will give an injection for quick relief from pain and head shaking, plus dispense medications to correct the ear inflammation. On rare occasions, it's necessary to tape the ears together to allow the ears to dry to prevent additional flap trauma. To actually correct the hematoma most times require a surgical cut over the hematoma and then suturing - without surgery, most ears eventually scar, leaving an ear flap that looks much like potato chip. The best way to avoid this whole ordeal is to keep your pet's ears clean and dry.
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