The situation where your dog has bleeding from one or both ears should be considered. If you see your dog’s ear bleeding, you have to visit the nearest animal hospital or call your vet for a scheduled visit so the exact reason for the dog’s ear bleeding can be determined like whether the problem is due to fungal or bacterial infections, parasitic infestation or some tumor. To find out the reason and treatment, read the post till last.
Dog ear bleeding
Dog ear bleeding can be due to several causes, the condition may include internal bleeding, puffy tissues, or discharge from within the pup’s ear. The swollen and fluid-filled tissues sometimes can cause ear bleeding in dogs. These are most commonly caused due to past traumas and the problem is more associated with dogs having floppy, long ears.
Potential causes
Though there are many reasons, some of the common causes of ear bleeding are here:
- Fungal or bacterial infections.
- Parasitic infestation includes mites, fleas, ticks, and others.
- Either due to malignant or benign cancer.
- Trauma due to some external source or self-inflicted reason.
In some cases, your pooch may also run into systematic problems:
Hematoma can occur due to shaking and scratching on the head.
Untreated and severe ear infections can lead to perforated eardrum which allows the bacteria entrance into the middle ear and causes systematic complications.
Symptoms of dog ear bleeding
Dog ear bleeding comes with several other symptoms like:
- Resisting the mouth opening.
- Brown or black discharge color or yellow-brown ear wax color.
- Balancing problem.
- Ear and ear canal swelling.
- Pain in the area.
- Unpleasant smell.
- Ear scratching and head shaking.
- Visible bleeding on the ear rim and just inside the ear.
Treating dog ear bleeding
If you see a dog’s ear bleeding, you should make a vet call for a scheduled examination. Several reasons can lead to dog ear bleeding and some of them can be serious. The proper treatment can be done followed by a diagnosis from your vet.
If the dog’s ear bleeding is due to a small external cut, you can stop the bleeding by following a few steps as follows:
Step 1: Keep your pup in a calm and safe area.
Step 2: Seize your pup’s first aid box.
- Styptic powder (flour and cornstarch can also work)
- Bandages
- Antiseptic ointment.
- Cotton balls, gauze, or absorbent pads.
Step 3: On the wound, apply some styptic powder and hold the absorbent pads or cotton balls with firm pressure till the bleeding comes to an end. You have to make a vet call if the ear bleeding does not stop even after 10 minutes.
Step 4: Apply some antiseptic ointment on the area that surrounds the wound. Try avoiding direct application on the wound otherwise, the bleeding can start again.
If the wound is deep because your dog fights with another dog, you have to visit the nearest animal hospital or make a vet call.
What will your vet do for dog ear bleeding
To determine the problem, your vet will perform several examinations. Once the issue is diagnosed, he might plan a treatment schedule.
- Specific treatments for certain diseases.
- To remove any foreign body or its buildup, he might flush and clean the ear canal.
- Surgical drainage of hematomas.
- Steroidal medicines for inflammation.
- Pain medicines.
- For treating the infections, oral or topical antibiotic medications can also be suggested.
Recovery time for dog ear bleeding
If you manage the problem quickly, then the prognosis and recovery time in dogs for war bleeding is very quick. If the reason behind dog ear bleeding is an ongoing condition, your vet will suggest a long-term treatment schedule. Ear bleeding can sometimes be due to chronic ear infections, then your vet will treat each one in a certain time manner to prevent any complications.
When it is an emergency?
No matter what is the reason behind dog ear bleeding, a vet call should be attempted to avoid any complications. some of the serious situations need emergency vet care like:
If bleeding occurs for more than 10 minutes.
If your dog has infection signs and other underlying worsening signs, he needs an emergency vet care.
