SOB we have an aural hematoma

Food, Fitness and how to keep them healthy.

Postby Malli » February 27th, 2011, 3:22 pm

iluvk9 wrote:Geez, Mallika, I had to google half your words...and now I know what "locum" and "pinna" mean. :giggle:

Maybe less head shaking will help it become less infected? :sad2:



:woowoo: I'm educating the teacher!

I actually don't think its infected (though obviously can't be sure) :|
I'll see if I can explain why I think it came back... Aural = ear, hematoma = collection of blood in a localized area in the tissues. With aural hematomas in dogs, a blood vessel breaks inside the tissues of the ear and kind of "leaks" out. So, when we drained it, there was an area already sort of all stretched out in there, and since we had no way of stopping the leak in the blood vessel and there was a bit of head shaking to "help" the leak, it has filled back up. :neutral:
Of course, it could be infection, which would most definitely need to be drained and attended to, and the only way (well, if there was a lot of redness, swelling and heat coming from the area of the hematoma would give a strong likelyhood of infection, but that would also have be confirmed with a needle) to know for sure is to aspirate ("poke") with a needle again and see what the fluid that is drawn out looks like; bloody & watery = from the leaky blood vessel, thicker opaque fluid with a lighter tone to it and perhaps a green or yellow tinge would indicate infection, and this could be confirmed by taking some and looking at it under a microscope.

Any techs or vets are welcome to correct if I have something not quite right.
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
User avatar
Malli
E-I-E-I-O!
 
Posts: 6341
Location: CANADA EH?

Postby BigDogBuford » February 27th, 2011, 3:37 pm

Are you thinking they will have to do some mattress sutures? It's been *forever* since I've had to heal with a aural hematoma so I'm not sure what the protocols are now for treatment.....
~Jeanine

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
User avatar
BigDogBuford
I love snipe hunts.
 
Posts: 2053
Location: Lake Stevens, WA

Postby Malli » February 27th, 2011, 4:18 pm

It seems there are many different treatments and methods. The surgical one involves the mattress sutures, I believe, yes, but again that'll probably depend on the vet.
What do you think, Jeanine? Surgical fix on a 10 yr. old dog with small hematoma?
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
User avatar
Malli
E-I-E-I-O!
 
Posts: 6341
Location: CANADA EH?

Postby BigDogBuford » February 27th, 2011, 4:39 pm

Well, you can wait and see if the small hematoma resolves on it's own with no surgery or it might become a chronic issue that you'd have to fix surgically later anyway. My *personal* experience is that once it's an issue it tends to continue to be an issue and you usually end up fixing it surgically anyhoo.
~Jeanine

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
User avatar
BigDogBuford
I love snipe hunts.
 
Posts: 2053
Location: Lake Stevens, WA

Postby iluvk9 » February 27th, 2011, 6:44 pm

My poor Oscar-de-la-Renta. :sad2:
iluvk9
I'm Cougarific!
 
Posts: 14900
Location: New York

Postby Malli » February 28th, 2011, 3:10 pm

Vet appointment for 9 am thurs. Was out with vetty-type people last night and a tech I know mentioned putting a drain hole in and then physically helping it drain myself while it heals, yet another treatment!
And we wait...
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
User avatar
Malli
E-I-E-I-O!
 
Posts: 6341
Location: CANADA EH?

Postby iluvk9 » February 28th, 2011, 7:00 pm

Okay...at least we have time to keep sending good thoughts to him. :)
iluvk9
I'm Cougarific!
 
Posts: 14900
Location: New York

Postby HappyPuppy » February 28th, 2011, 7:06 pm

Dang - I missed the action!! Sending vibes for non-returnal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ruby Underfoot, CGC
User avatar
HappyPuppy
Supremely Bully
 
Posts: 1019
Location: Costa Mesa, CA

Postby call2arms » February 28th, 2011, 8:37 pm

Poor guy.

You can try to have it drained again, but if it didn't work once... Hopefully 2nd time is the charm.

Or, you can ask if the vet will do the surgery quickly with propofol instead of full-on intubated anesthesia. It's pretty safe and it may end up being cheaper? It's also a super quick recovery.
“Your birth is a mistake you'll spend your whole life trying to correct.” Chuck Palahniuk


I love pus but I hate people.

I can say words like undifferentiated gonads now!
User avatar
call2arms
Boys Stink
 
Posts: 2349
Location: sunshine, lollipops and rainbows everywhere...

Postby Malli » March 1st, 2011, 3:55 am

right but hole vs. needle ;) We aspirated and then cauterized with silver nitrite the first time, the second time drain hole = hole punch biopsy ;)
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
User avatar
Malli
E-I-E-I-O!
 
Posts: 6341
Location: CANADA EH?

Postby call2arms » March 2nd, 2011, 1:29 am

Oh, I forgot about the giant hole included in the second surgery.That might up your success rate just a little. lol. How's he doing?
“Your birth is a mistake you'll spend your whole life trying to correct.” Chuck Palahniuk


I love pus but I hate people.

I can say words like undifferentiated gonads now!
User avatar
call2arms
Boys Stink
 
Posts: 2349
Location: sunshine, lollipops and rainbows everywhere...

Postby Malli » March 2nd, 2011, 3:25 am

Hopefully my vet will be up for that, I don't exactly feel like saying "Margo (who he knows is a technician) said we should try this" :lol3:

He is doing ok, it hurts or is uncomfortable or whatever; he ticks the ear if I lightly touch it and if I lift the ear to a prick to look at it more he'll shake his head when I'm done. I notice him head shaking the teeniest, tiniest bit extra. I think it has collected farther along the ear this time, so you can kind of notice it more looking at it. Other then that, normal :|
I think if we do the hole punch it will *likely* (touch wood) heal well because there simply isn't that much head shaking going on :|
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
User avatar
Malli
E-I-E-I-O!
 
Posts: 6341
Location: CANADA EH?

Postby Malli » March 2nd, 2011, 3:27 am

forgot to say, thanks very much to those asking after him, and sending good thoughts. Its much appreciated, even though it is just a little aural hematoma.
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
User avatar
Malli
E-I-E-I-O!
 
Posts: 6341
Location: CANADA EH?

Postby hugapitbull » March 2nd, 2011, 6:27 am

It may JUST be a little aural hematoma, but if it concerns you, it is worth the good thoughts we can send. I know this is stressing you out and I'm very sorry you and he are having to go through it. They really aren't fun.

Better days are ahead. The crazy thing will heal.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble
We beat osteosarcoma - 27 months 20 days cancer free
'Spirit' Trouble departed for the Bridge 3/16/2011 a victim of aging
Visit - http://k9cancer.org

Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain--and most fools do. ~Dale Carnegie
User avatar
hugapitbull
The Better Half
 
Posts: 1570
Location: My heart lives at Rainbow Bridge

Postby iluvk9 » March 2nd, 2011, 6:42 am

Malli wrote:...even though it is just a little aural hematoma.


Oh please. If my dog's fur looks pressed the wrong direction after sleeping on it, and I post it here. :giggle:
iluvk9
I'm Cougarific!
 
Posts: 14900
Location: New York

Postby Malli » March 3rd, 2011, 5:16 pm

we looked at it, he noted it was bigger, put some freezing in, hole punched it, lots of cookies intermingled, we're basically doing abscess or drain home - care, milking out any fluid and trying to keep the hole open to allow drainage....
Vet thinks it'll need surgery. On the upside he said I shouldn't be worried about surgery, he's healthy.
Dog is napping - a bit drained from the stress :neutral: He really was such a good boy. On the upside vet said I shouldn't be worried about surgery, he's healthy.
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
User avatar
Malli
E-I-E-I-O!
 
Posts: 6341
Location: CANADA EH?

Postby iluvk9 » March 4th, 2011, 6:45 am

How is Oscar's attitude over all of this? Poor boy. :sad2:
iluvk9
I'm Cougarific!
 
Posts: 14900
Location: New York

Postby TheRedQueen » March 4th, 2011, 8:14 am

When will you know if he needs surgery?

Poor Oscar...gentle scritches to him...
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
User avatar
TheRedQueen
I thought I lost my Wiener... but then I found him.
 
Posts: 7184
Location: Maryland

Postby Malli » March 4th, 2011, 2:40 pm

Oscar has been an absolute champ, I always forget just how good he is with this stuff. Many dogs will bite if pushed to far (personal experience here), Oscar occaisionally has moments of panic where he needs a "calm down man", but mainly when he is afraid he shakes; he was shaking yesterday, but sat for the vet while I held his head still and the receptionist dangled a treat in front of his nose. I feel badly for him anyway, because even if he is behaving himself, it still freaks him out. He accepted treats the entire time and although the vet isn't a fan of giving them out by the ton, he probably ended up with about 10 of them through the visit, the last few were just "oh well, have another one", so although he disliked what we did(even with topical and injectible freezing), I'm happy to say I think he still views the office in a positive light.
Now he is just irritated he has to wear this thing on his head(I'm trying a compression bandage again) :rolleyes2:

As far as surgery, we'll know if the drain hole seals over and it fills back up, or probably in about 2 weeks (which is what another vet friend suggested I bandage it for).

thanks very much for asking.
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
User avatar
Malli
E-I-E-I-O!
 
Posts: 6341
Location: CANADA EH?

Postby Pit♥bull » March 4th, 2011, 2:46 pm

More :goodthoughts: coming for Oscar :)
Pit♥bull
Supremely Bully
 
Posts: 1207

PreviousNext

Return to Nutrition & Health

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users

cron