Out big male yellow lab, Budweiser, has a hematoma (swollen lump in his ear flap that is full of blood). The vet said it was from batting it because of ear mites. We had it lanced, and quite a bit did drain out. Medicine has been given to all pets (4 other dogs and 5 cats). The hole the vet cut closes up and the thing swells again. He said just keep draining it and it will eventually heal up. Been 5 days now. We get about 6 cc's of fluid out everytime we drain it.

Anybody had any experience with these things???

Oh, yes, it is quite fun trying to put ear medicine in a cats ear. After day two, they know why your coming, and it gets harder........ The three new kittens are a easy, its them grown up ones that you have to sneak up on!

-- Rickstir (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), January 17, 2002

Answers

I'd say to follow the vet's advice about the hematoma and perhaps clean it with hydrogen peroxide after draining it. I would give the cats a treat after using the medicine on their ears. Also, after the ear mites are gone, try to put a couple of drops of vinegar in each ear once a week. I hear that keeps the mites away.

-- Ardie /WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), January 17, 2002.

Have the vet give you a small anount of injectable Gentamyacin and instill that into the area that swells up. If you can get it in the same hole that has been swelling up, it should do the trick, I have excellent results with Gentamyacin for such things.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 17, 2002.

My Lab has now lived with this problem for about 6 or 7 years now. Both of her ears filled with blood at about the same time some 6 or 7 years ago and a vet that I saw about this problem at that time suggested not doing anything. She was right. Outside of the ears shrivelling up a bit, and my dog's increased sensitivity to her ears, nothing partcularly bad has resulted.

-- Orest Solonynka (greyjayca@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.

What we do with our cat is drop his favourite meat in the food then grab him for the medicine, he will endure just about anything knowing that as soon as it is through he gets the food.

-- johnhill (john@cnd.co.nz), January 17, 2002.

My old Border Collie, Ben, had a hematoma in his ear for the same reason your dog did. The vet lanced it and then put the ear between two pieces of a nylon wire mesh with foam on the ear side, which were tacked together.I think thats how I remember it. Anyway it kept the ear flat and from refilling with fluid and when it healed the foam mesh was removed. Ask your vet about this. I didn't have it done with another dog and her ears became very lumpy and she lost a lot of her hearing. All this is a good reason to treat a dog for mites early in the season.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), January 18, 2002.

The vet I worked for always made several holes in the inside layer of the ear with a surgical tool - about the size of a pencil eraser. Then he stitched the ear flat and taped it securely against the head. The ear would not fill back up and healed quickly. Also, there is injectable ear mite medicine for cats (and dogs). Ask your vet about using Ivomectin injectable. It can be a lot easier and a lot more effective than the stuff you pour into the ear. Hope any of this helps!

-- Darcy in NW WA (gatecity@cows.com), January 18, 2002.

You've had some good advice already Rickstir, it is beneficial once the hematoma is lanced to suture, staple or whatever,the ear together. To make the ear flat and leave no room for blood to refill it again. We used cut up pieces of used x ray film for years and just stapled them on, putting the staples close together and then bandaging the ear up over the head. Lots of methods work, the secret is to make the fastenings close together until all is healed and of course correcting the problem that started the whole thing. Needless to say we are talking putting the dog out for this. Good luck , it is hard I know. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), January 19, 2002.