lump on ear flap

[fixit211]

Hi, I am new here, but I really need help. I am concerned because yesterday I found an area on my labradors left ear flap that is about the size of a quarter and appears to have fluid in it. I applied ice to it for awhile. It does not appear to bother her, unless I am messing with it. Today it is still there. It is New Years Day, and the vet is closed, I am broke anyway and don't know of any vet who does anything for free. I am upset because all the web sites I have visited so far for "free" vet help all want credit card information. I do not have a credit card, and shame on them all for trying to get money from worried pet owners. Does anyone here know what this is on my dogs ear flap? can anyone here help me? Thank you in advance if you can, and shame on you if this is just another one of those scam web sights. Sincerly, fixit211

[ginger899]

babyrose,
Did you write your message from your home computer? Or do you have a cell phone that is pretty up to date?
In which case these are both sale-able items. Do you have a car? Another sale-able item -quicker sale if you take it to a used-car dealer. You won't get what the car/or anything else is worth of course -but you will probably make enough cash to take your dog to the vet for starters.

As for any on going treatment he will probably need, then you are going to have to do some thinking about providing for his medical needs in future.

I know you love him. But sometime or other every single creature -gets sick. And there are no free vets.

Do you have friends/family/neighbours you get along with? I so, get people together and do some brain-storming about fundraising ideas -from garage sales/bake sales, to sponsored events. Make a big thing of it, let all your friends know. Use pictures of your dog, and clear slogans saying you are fundraising for his vet treatment. Be passionate, get their support. When people know it's for your dog, it's amazing how kind people can often be. Most people will drop something in the collection pot.

Then there is Care credit, and other help available. I am unused to those things now, as data I saved on my computer about it is probably WAY out of date. I am hoping others here may be able to help with those things.

You will have to ask the vet if you can possibly set up any kind of payment plan with them. Some refuse flat-out. Some will agree. It depends.

But do get him some vet care.

[babyrose95]

^ He might have water in his ears he loves water u can't keep him out of it ever. Or that he has ear mites or even both I don't know n I'd love to take him to a vet n find out all that's wrong but I can't afford it

[babyrose95]

I think my lab mix had this I'm not for sure I can not afford to take him to a vet we babe only had him a few months he's an old dog he had belonged to a friend n they could no longer keep him he's my everything as my family says he's my boyfriend. I love him to death he goes about everywhere with me if he can. Is there anything I can do. He has problems now he is allergic to his summer fur n has bad dry skin so he its at him self. The bump is on his ear which he shakes his head a lot n scratches a lot. His old owners think he has water in his ears because

[wtdz1993]

Hoping this finds lucy well. I had a 16 year old pit who developed same like symptoms. I took him to the vet & was told it was where he would shake his head causing a pocket of blood to form in his ear flap. The vet lanced it & out a drain tube in. Just like you Konan was just like one of my kids. We lost him last October & it was extremely hard on my whole family. We had him cremated & keep his ashes with his pictures on our fireplace mantle. I swore I would never have another dog but a few moths ago I got my husband a pug puppy, he has brought so much joy to our home, Good luck with Lucy...

[bobandtilly]

My beagle has a lump/hematoma and the vet just bandaged his ears to the top of his head.  He said that gravity would cause the blood to pool more so putting the ears up made it easier for the fluid to drain naturally.  It still cost over $200 for the visit and the antibiotic.  Has anyone one had the "ears up" method work?

[bobandtilly]

My beagle has a lump/hematoma and the vet just bandaged his ears to the top of his head.  He said that gravity would cause the blood to pool more so putting the ears up made it easier for the fluid to drain naturally.  It still cost over $200 for the visit and the antibiotic.  Has anyone one had the "ears up" method work?

[bigpaws]

I have a great dane and this is the 4th time she has had the lumps, twice in each ear, 3 times now they put her under and just drain it then bandage her ear to the top of her head, its not working, so cranky, as I told them while she under put a drain in, do you think the vet should operate for free, as it has not worked before, its has cost me thousands, not that matters as would pay anything, but is it reasonable to ask them

[bigpaws]

I have a great dane and this is the 4th time she has had the lumps, twice in each ear, 3 times now they put her under and just drain it then bandage her ear to the top of her head, its not working, so cranky, as I told them while she under put a drain in, do you think the vet should operate for free, as it has not worked before, its has cost me thousands, not that matters as would pay anything, but is it reasonable to ask them

[Dapper731]

hello, i am josef, i am 14 and i love my golden retriever, he is having the same ear bulge, he does have ear canal irritation which is small little scabs, worried for him, i pick them off, he does not like it :(. i and my family don't have enough money to take him to a vet, he does scratch at his ear and shake his hear vigorously. i am scared to death if it going to do any harm to him and i want to know how how to get rid of it, if worst comes to worst, he may need to get his ear lanced D: can you please provide me with some information? he happens to be a pure bred, does that have anything to do with it?

[boboluv]

Hi, i would like to know how Lucy i doing as well, i hope shes ok now. I just found a quarter size on my deebos ear as well. he shakes his head alot 2. i know it wasnt there yest morn cause he gets his morning "bellyrubs" & massage (spoiled rotten 9 yr old arthritic pit/rott). I hope it goes away on its own cause i'm disabled & have $11 left after bills. if anyone knows of a program in arkansas 2 help with vet bills please post! He's my #1 baby & hate 2 c him in pain. my vet wont take payments either. I will use my next months rent if i have 2!! thanks 2 all, time 2 go howl at the hootowls! lol

[JC105]

Hello everyone, Thanks JayBay for all your great info and thank you also Fixit, I just found out my dog CoCo also has a subdural hematoma in her ear as well. (everything you discribed was right on the mark)She is a cocker spaniel and I am always cleaning her ears, (every 4 to 5 days at least). And the lump that formed on her ear flap is about the size of a half dollar. Thank god I found it on a routine ear cleaning. But it got big just that fast. I took her to the vet this morning. And tomorrow, they are going to do sugery on her ear. She is my baby, and she gets sick so fast. So, I'm going to take care of this quickly.
But, having more info makes me feel better. So thank you.

[audrey2590]

Just last night I found a hemotoma on my dogs ear.  I went through this a few years ago with the other hear.  Back then it had drained on it's own by the time we had our appointment with the vet.  My question is... can I apply a warm wash cloth with epison salt on it?  Could this be a treatment for a few days before I call the vet?

[cmiller217]

my Lab/BorderCollie has the same thing only she has one at the tip of each ear, it started out as just hard balls the size of a BB which she has a few of on each ear but the two at the very tip/bottom have grown drastically and now instead of being hard they are "squishy" like they are puss filled or something but still firm at the same time, they are now about the size of a quarter - half dollar. Does this sound like what happened with your dog?? I've always been concerened about this but now I'm really worried since they are growing so big so fast.

[cmiller217]

Attitude? Really? Don't think she had a bit of an attitude. However you sounded kind of rude when asking her to drop the attitude.

[beagle737]

Hi fixit, I didn't think you had attitude at all. You were scared and frustrated.
The BS on the internet can do that to you especially when you are frightened for your 4 legged loved one. Thank you for the follow up as my 12 year old beagle has just developed 1 in the last 2 days. She just had a large lump removed from her neck in October. I love her death and would like to have her around to get into my garbage a few more years.
I'm happy your pup is doing fine.

[ginger899]

The most sensible advice I can give you is have this checked out by a vet. If there is a smell, that most likely means there is some infection going on there. Infection that isn't dealt with quickly and efficiently -can spread.
It may be that the hematoma (I presume that's what it is?) will need to be surgically removed. I was at the vet's recently with my dog and saw a lovely young labrador who had a few stitches in his ear. Looked like he's been in a scrap! His owner told me he'd had a large hematoma and it was removed. Now that looked like a neat job to me, and the dog looked fit and well, (though glad to be on his way home of course!)) And within a few weeks the scar would be healed, and new fur would have grown back making it invisible.
I asked about the hematoma, out of interest, and the lady said it just was not going away by any other method. It kept filling up again, and he kept skaking his head, and scratching at it -and spraying blood everywhere! And she had been in and out of the vet's with him a number of times, before finally going for the surgery option.
The vet said this problem is really quite common too.

[bd1996]

ya my puppy just got one and we think shes had it for two weeks shes a mini labordoodle and constantly shakes at her ear it sort of smells too any advice

[Beanie73]

Did you really think that person Fixit had an attitude? Wow!!!!  I think you were the one with the attitude. That was rude. I'm sorry but when I see things like this I have to address it.

[Northcountrygirl63]

Hi!
I read all the comments and need some more help. I have a 7 years old German Sheppard. He had the same problem a few weeks back. The vet did insert a serynge to pull the liquid (which was very difficult considering holding down my 100lbs dog) but only gave me antibiotics ($200). Now, it's back. I read somewhere that one option was to simply wait and the liquid would eventually disperse, even if it took 2-3 month. His ear will never go back straight at this point, it is already broken from the first time. Any danger in waiting?

[ginger899]

Hi, fixit.....I would sell a kidney for my dog too. (don't you go telling anyone what I said now, they would think I was well crazy)
hope your Lucy is ok. I am sure she will be, now that haematoma is getting sorted. You have lots of love for her, and I can see that. That's what counts. But is there any charitable help you could register for, in case any problems with her health come up in the future? It might be good to research if there's any financial help available for people on low income/Welfare/etc. I think there is. Check it out.

Good luck and may there be lots of good times ahead for you and your dog.     ginger.

[Ghilly]

Hematomas on the ear pinnae are fairly common.  Most of the time they go away, however sometimes they recur, and if it becomes something that is going to recur frequently, the vet can put a gridwork of sutures over it to keep it from filling up again, just as fixit said his vet would do.

I am wondering how Lucy is doing.  Fixit, if you're reading the board, would you please post back and let us know how Lucy is doing?

Ghilly

[kit72759701]

My poor lab has the same problem.  I won't be able to take her in until the end of next week.  Do you think she will be ok until than?

[fixit211]

We just brought Lucy back from the vet this afternoon. She was there the whole day. He had to put her under, then he drained the "hematoma" and inserted a tube in that area. I now have to keep milking the ear to prevent the fluid from building up and clotting and plugging up the tube. This REALLY sounds totally gross, but isn't nearly as bad as it sounds. I even showed my girlfriend how to do it in case I am not home to take care of it. If the tube gets plugged up and the area fills up again, or after a week to 10 days it's still draining allot, then we will have no choice but to proceed with the surgery. Lucy is feeling great and is happy to be home. She is not allowed to eat nothing until later this evening. This is killing me because she is hungry and I can't feed her yet. (I did give her a little piece of pizza crust) I am so happy to have her home now, and to see that bulge in her ear gone. I will keep you all posted about her progress. Thanks for caring.
Dan & Lucy

[fixit211]

Today, I took Lucy to her appointment with the doctor. As you have told me, it is a hematoma. Tomorrow he is going to drain it and put a tube in it. He then told me that every day I would need to gently work the fluid out of the ear through the tube. He said he has had a 75% success rate with this. If it does not work, and the area keeps filling back up, then he will need to operate and put a bunch of stitches in the ear to keep it from expanding so much. I sure hope he knows what he's doing. I am a bit worried that I may be putting to much trust in someone I just met. I can only hope for the best and keep my fingers crossed.