BY DR. KAREN ZELINSKI
Columnist
Patient: Lucy is a five-year old female spayed Golden Retriever.
She has a history of allergies and ear infections.
Problem: Lucy was shaking her head often for one week. Lucy’s
owner noticed that her ear was swollen and that she was holding
her head tilted to the side of her swollen ear. Lucy’s owner
promptly made an appointment with her veterinarian because
she seemed very uncomfortable.
Exam: The veterinarian gave Lucy a thorough physical exam. The doctor found that Lucy
had a large amount of foul smelling discharge in both ears and her left pinna (the outer
ear flap) was swollen. Lucy’s left pinna was filled with fluid, most likely blood.
Tests: A sample of the ear discharge was examined under the microscope and a large
number of yeast organisms were found, indicating a yeast infection in the ears. The fluid
from the left pinna was drained and it was confirmed to be blood.
Diagnosis: Lucy had an infection in both ears and her left ear had a hematoma. A
hematoma is a blood filled pocket. An ear hematoma develops when the pinna is
traumatized because of repeated head shaking, secondary to an ear infection. The
shaking of the head causes blood vessels in the ear pinna to break and fill the ear flap
with blood.
Treatment: The ear hematoma was drained and the infected ears were cleaned. Ear
cleaner and ear medication were prescribed to clean the ears at home and treat the
yeast infections.
Lucy’s ear flap filled with blood again two days later. She returned to the veterinarian and
surgery was performed to drain the fluid. Sutures were placed in the ear flap to prevent it
from filling with blood again.
Outcome: During the next two weeks, Lucy’s yeast infections resolved, she stopped
shaking her head and her sutures were removed. After completing the course of
medication, Lucy’s owner continued to clean her ears weekly to keep them free of wax
build-up. Lucy also saw a veterinary dermatologist, who started her on allergy shots for
treatment of her allergies.
Discussion: Ear hematomas often occur secondary to ear infections. They are caused by
excessive head shaking and trauma to the ear pinna. Ear infections cause pain and
irritation inside the ear canal, which can cause a dog to repeatedly shake their head.
It important to treat both the hematoma and the underlying ear infection to provide relief
for the dog. Ear hematomas often recur shortly after drainage. Additional drainage or
surgery may be needed to alleviate the problem in most cases.
Ear infections are common in dogs with allergies. Allergies cause inflammation in the
ear canal, which can trigger an ear infection. Therefore, allergic dogs with ear problems
can benefit from treatment of their allergies in order to help prevent uncomfortable ear
infections from recurring over and over. Allergy treatment may involve medications and
even a visit to a veterinary dermatologist for allergy shots, which helped Lucy.
It is important that dogs with chronic ear infections have the problem evaluated by a
veterinarian regularly because each time the problem flares up, a different organism may
be to blame. Medicine can be chosen accurately by a veterinarian to treat ear infections
based on analysis of ear discharge.
Remember, if your dog is shaking their head repeatedly, you notice an odor from the ears
or you see ear discharge, your dog may have a serious ear problem, and a trip to the
veterinarian is warranted.
First published Nov. 19, 2005 in The Animal Companion.
Columnist
Patient: Lucy is a five-year old female spayed Golden Retriever.
She has a history of allergies and ear infections.
Problem: Lucy was shaking her head often for one week. Lucy’s
owner noticed that her ear was swollen and that she was holding
her head tilted to the side of her swollen ear. Lucy’s owner
promptly made an appointment with her veterinarian because
she seemed very uncomfortable.
Exam: The veterinarian gave Lucy a thorough physical exam. The doctor found that Lucy
had a large amount of foul smelling discharge in both ears and her left pinna (the outer
ear flap) was swollen. Lucy’s left pinna was filled with fluid, most likely blood.
Tests: A sample of the ear discharge was examined under the microscope and a large
number of yeast organisms were found, indicating a yeast infection in the ears. The fluid
from the left pinna was drained and it was confirmed to be blood.
Diagnosis: Lucy had an infection in both ears and her left ear had a hematoma. A
hematoma is a blood filled pocket. An ear hematoma develops when the pinna is
traumatized because of repeated head shaking, secondary to an ear infection. The
shaking of the head causes blood vessels in the ear pinna to break and fill the ear flap
with blood.
Treatment: The ear hematoma was drained and the infected ears were cleaned. Ear
cleaner and ear medication were prescribed to clean the ears at home and treat the
yeast infections.
Lucy’s ear flap filled with blood again two days later. She returned to the veterinarian and
surgery was performed to drain the fluid. Sutures were placed in the ear flap to prevent it
from filling with blood again.
Outcome: During the next two weeks, Lucy’s yeast infections resolved, she stopped
shaking her head and her sutures were removed. After completing the course of
medication, Lucy’s owner continued to clean her ears weekly to keep them free of wax
build-up. Lucy also saw a veterinary dermatologist, who started her on allergy shots for
treatment of her allergies.
Discussion: Ear hematomas often occur secondary to ear infections. They are caused by
excessive head shaking and trauma to the ear pinna. Ear infections cause pain and
irritation inside the ear canal, which can cause a dog to repeatedly shake their head.
It important to treat both the hematoma and the underlying ear infection to provide relief
for the dog. Ear hematomas often recur shortly after drainage. Additional drainage or
surgery may be needed to alleviate the problem in most cases.
Ear infections are common in dogs with allergies. Allergies cause inflammation in the
ear canal, which can trigger an ear infection. Therefore, allergic dogs with ear problems
can benefit from treatment of their allergies in order to help prevent uncomfortable ear
infections from recurring over and over. Allergy treatment may involve medications and
even a visit to a veterinary dermatologist for allergy shots, which helped Lucy.
It is important that dogs with chronic ear infections have the problem evaluated by a
veterinarian regularly because each time the problem flares up, a different organism may
be to blame. Medicine can be chosen accurately by a veterinarian to treat ear infections
based on analysis of ear discharge.
Remember, if your dog is shaking their head repeatedly, you notice an odor from the ears
or you see ear discharge, your dog may have a serious ear problem, and a trip to the
veterinarian is warranted.
First published Nov. 19, 2005 in The Animal Companion.
| Case Study- Dog Shaking Its Head: Could Be An Ear Problem |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Dr. Karen Zelinski works at Animal General Veterinary Hospital at 725 River Road, Edgewater, N.J. She graduated from Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993; she has two Dalmatians and three cats. |