Racquel (Orlando) on 05/14/2014
Replied By Lizzy (Asheville, Nc) on 05/14/2014
It was a LONG ordeal to heal the big hematoma, but thankfully a much easier time for the smaller one. If the hematoma is large and putting too much pressure on your dog's ear opening, I suggest you do the small surgery ASAP and get a drainage cap put in. Don't let your dog suffer with the intense heat and pressure from the blood building up in the ear. Don't do the other surgery where they stitch the ear, which is an older procedure most vets don't perform anymore. What my vet did was insert a drainage cap at the top of the ear flap. A very easy procedure. Just know that you will be emptying a small drainage cap twice a day and gently pushing the fluid up from the ear and out and it smells awful. Have paper towels ready!
If you get this drainage cap in, don't take it out until you are sure there is no more fluid coming out, which can take about 3-4 weeks. We pulled out the drainage cap too soon (after 20 days) and had to have another one put in 2 days later because the ear swelled back up. We had to wait until enough scar tissue built up in the ear and then the fluid/blood finally stopped. But it took 6 weeks total and he had to wear a soft fabric Elizabethean collar for all of it (though I took it off for his walks).
If the hematoma is only in one section of the ear flap, watch it to make sure it doesn't keep getting any bigger. If it doesn't grow, leave it alone. Don't even have the vet drain it (which is very painful for the dog) and it will heal in a few week's time without any intervention.
My vet told me she's been treating more hematomas this year in dogs than in years past, and she's not quite sure why. Let me know if you have any questions about this and good luck!
(Mpls., Mn) on 05/15/2014Theresa
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
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Replied By Racquel (Orlando) on 05/15/2014
Replied By Lizzy (Asheville, Nc) on 05/15/2014
The hematoma will probably start to shrink in about 2 weeks. My dog's smaller hematoma has been going down slowly and we're now on week 6. It will end up looking a lot better than the other ear, which had major scarring. But now I know in the case of hematomas, scarring is a good thing and will likely prevent another hematoma from happening in the future.
Replied By Racquel (Orlando, FL) on 05/16/2014
Replied By Terry (Ontario) on 06/03/2014
About 10 days later a lump started to grow on her neck. It was the size of a golf ball and hard. I massaged it and it moved to the front of her neck and continued to get bigger. (the size of a tennis ball). I took her to a holistic vet and it was diagnosed as a hematoma after a needle aspiration. I was given 2 homeopathic remedies and was told it would take time to heal. The vet believed it was caused by the stick accident and would resolve on its own. I continued with the garlic and added turmeric powder 1 tsp 2 times daily. In about 6 days the lump became soft and the hair around the lump fell off but the size did not decrease.
She had scratched it so I decided to apply benonite clay in the morning of the 14 day after seeing the vet. In that same evening I noticed a black round patch under the scratch. It was wet to touch. I took my dog into the bathroom and laid her on a towel. With her lying on her side I squeezed the black spot softly and bingo, it started to drain. It took 4 hours. What amazed me was that splinters came out with the blood. It was blood with no pus and no smell. For the next 2 days it continued to seep and was hard to keep gauze on because of the position of the where the small hole was draining.
Two days later I have applied bentonite clay 3 times a day and rinsing it with lugols iodine mixed with distilled water. It is not filling up and looks like it is starting to heal. I believe the bentonite clay helped pull what had been lodged somewhere in her mouth area and had worked its way down her throat. I would have thought first hand that this would have been an abscess, however there was never any fever and no pus or discharge. I feel that the turmeric, bentonite clay and garlic were key to this hematoma rupturing on its own without surgical intervention.
Replied By Mama to Many (Tennessee) on 06/03/2014
What a fascinating story! Thanks for sharing. Your did a great job on your dog!
~Mama to Many~
Replied By Om (Hope, Bc. Canada) on 06/03/2014
Replied By Mayan2012 (Ontario) on 07/03/2014
Just wanted to give an up-date on my dogâ€TMs hematoma. After the last post I made the hematoma returned 2 times. I kept using the garlic and turmeric and applied bentonite clay when it filled. The hematoma drained within 2 days of applying the benonite clay and the fluid was clear. It filled again with in 3 days and bentonite clay was reapplied. Again it ruptured with blood and continued to drain. This time I kept the bentonite clay on the opening which was much bigger on the last rupture. It healed over and the fur has grown back. They area has a bit of a cauliflower feel to it however because of the location it is not noticeable. It has been over a week and has not refilled.
Replied By Mayan2012 (Canada) on 12/14/2014
It was successfully treated with bentonite clay applied on hematoma, turmeric and garlic internally. It drained 3 times on its own when bentonite clay was applied and left on area. Healing time was approx 6 weeks.
Replied By Wendi Akers (Texas) on 02/11/2015