What is a hematoma of the ear, and how does it occur?
An aural (ear) hematoma is a collection of blood, serum, or a blood clot within the pinna (ear flap). When present, the pinna will be very thick. The swelling may involve the entire pinna or it may involve only one area. When something irritates the ear canal, the dog responds by scratching or shaking the head. Excessive shaking causes blood vessels to break, resulting in bleeding. An understanding of the ear’s anatomy makes the sequence of events more logical. The ear flap is composed of a layer of skin on each side of a layer of cartilage. The cartilage gives the ear flap its shape. Blood vessels go from side-to-side by passing through the cartilage. Violent shaking causes the vessels to break as the skin slides across the cartilage. How is it treated? There are two approaches used to treat aural hematomas. The first is the conservative approach. A needle is used to withdraw the fluid from within the pinna, and an injection of a corticosteroid is made into the area that contained the
