Aural Hematoma

jfishjoan · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:51 am Post subject: Aural Hematoma

Last post to this site was in March when our Heidi was having hip issues. After 3 visits to 3 different Vets and one Ortho. Vet the conclusion was that she probably splayed her legs chasing a rabbit, squirrel or cat. 8 weeks of recovery, no play time, on a leash at all times for the duration. She has fully recovered. Now back to the Vet tomorrow, this is the 3rd aural hematoma she has had in the past 18 months. Is anyone on this site familiar with this. Any type of insight on this would be appreciated.

Weimwayz · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 7:25 pm Post subject:

Does she have recurrent ear infections too?? Aural hematomas can be caused by allergies too so if the vet does not treat the ear infection as well the hematoma will keep coming back. At our clinic we place all our recurrent hematomas with a hypoallergenic food. Sometimes it can be caused by a food allergy as well. However, there are some dogs that it will just keep coming back no matter what you do. who does your vet repair them? Ours uses a biopsy bunch and puts a few holes in the inner ear flap (not all the way through to the other side, just enough to let the fluid drain than he uses suture material and makes many individual stitches to bring the 2 layers of the ear together. we have found that if the sutures are removed earlier than 14 days the hematoma comes back 70% of the time. we leave the sutures in for 14-21 days!!! We have had a lot of success doing things like that. Hope you get down to the bottom of this issue

hoochmamas · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:11 am Post subject:

sorry to hear about this.. don't know anything about it.. just posting for support..

krisnkaipo · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:20 pm Post subject:

Has the ear fully healed in between each?

Personally I feel that it heals better if they insert a drain. Not sure why vets LOVE that biopsy punch and the "pillow trick" with the sutures.

There is also a type of mesh material that they can insert to allow the ear to heal and continue to drain.

An aural hematoma is the result of a dog repeatedly shaking it's head and rupturing little blood vessels in the ear, usually because of an ear infection. Have they diagnosed an ear infection and if yes successfully treated it?

Food allergies can lead to ear infections.

I would be concerned because left untreated it can result in a cauliflower ear.

jfishjoan · Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 11:51 am Post subject: Aural Hematoma

Sorry I am late responding to your responses, it has been quite a week with Heidi. She had her ear surgery on Monday, yes the punch method and stitch. Her little ear now looks like a quilt to match the other one. Vet says a mild ear infection she is on Baytril to clear that up. Yes, past ear infections she is currently on a strict allergy diet and has been for 6 months. I don't know if the food issue is the culprit or the allergies she has to many of the grasses in the yard. The vet wants to try cortizone once the ear heals. Any advise on the cortizone would be helpful. Also while she was at the Vet they found a lump up near her shoulder. I don't know how we missed this, our hands are all over her daily. Vet pulled cells which she said looked very suspicious. We elected to have the lump removed and this is being sent off to the University of Georgia. We are very concerned and worried over this now. The chemistry they did on her the ALKP came in at 295 which the vet said was high. All other chemistry's were in the normal range. Again any help and suggestions would be appreciated.

momofZaneandWyatt · Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 12:17 pm Post subject:

Please give Heidi some hugs for us, and we hope they can figure out what is going on. Not knowing exactly what is happening to our furkids is the worst feeling ever.

Our prayers and thoughts are with Heidi and your family Heart

Shannon, Bill and Wyatt
RIP our sweet boy Zane

Weim · Puppy Joined: 19 Jul 2008 Posts: 49

Been looking for this thread for days as when I tried to respond it went to cyberspace!

Aural Haematomas can often be resolved easily with Homeopathy Very Happy

A few tablets and they're gone.

My first weim had one that came back a couple of times in her last months. She had Reiki only and it went away each time, took a few days but it went.

Second weim had one when she had a severe allergic reaction and spent most of the night climbing the walls and shaking her ears. We went to vet in morning for anti-inflammatory but I wouldn't let the vet touch her ears, I then went to the chemist and got Homeopathic Hammamellis and gave her one three times that day and a couple next day and it was gone!

This dog has had one come up perhaps three times in her first few months with me - again I gave her Hammamellis and it went. When I spotted it starting I gave her one right away and that was all it took, one tiny tablet Very Happy

You can bathe the ear with witch hazel too.

Other possible rems are Homeopathic Arnica, Silicea, Apis Mel, Cantharis depending on symptoms.

I hope Heidi is well, Reiki if she wants it.

jfishjoan · Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject: Aural Hematoma

First off:

Shannon & Bill:

My sincere condolences on the loss of your Zane. He fought such a great battle. My heart goes out to both of you. And I appreciate the concern for Heidi.

I am not really familiar with Homeopathy, but I will do some research on the Hammamellis, at this point with her allergies we are afraid to give her anything. Is the Witch Hazel used as an astringent for the ears? How often is this used? We are currently using Oti-Soothe.

Weim · Puppy Joined: 19 Jul 2008 Posts: 49

If she's having problems with allergies, a Homeopathic Vet would be able to help - usually much more so than an allopathic one. They would look for the root cause of the allergies and fix it rather than just alleviating symptoms for a while which allopathy does and they usually come back worse having driven the dis-ease deeper. A Homeopathic Vet has to first train in allopathic medicine, so they actually have more knowledge. If you can find one near you that would be great, but many will help over the phone or online.

The Witch Hazel is just used topically to bathe the flap. I don't know how often, a few times a day is what I did, I don't recall, it was a long time ago.

oh, just remembered, I rubbed arnica cream in to my first's ears when they were up.

If she has allergy problems, of course I understand that you could be wary of using anything on her skin. Homeopathic Tablets are highly unlikely to set up an allergic response.

Happy reading Smile

Hopefully it won't happen again, but if it does, you may be prepared. If you want I could scan and email the page from my book.