# Ear in older dog suddenly floppy



## Thorkim (May 27, 2005)

My almost 10 year old girl has always had ear that stood up at an early age. Tonight, I noticed one ear is flat out floppy. She was fine this morning. There is no odor in the ear, I thought maybe it was an infection. She is not just holding it sidewise, it looks floppy and not straight anymore. Going to have it checked out. She is pawing at it from time to time. Has anyone else had this suddenly happen to an adult dog?


----------



## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

Is the ear swollen in any places? Is it hot or tender? In an adult dog I think of hematoma, a ruptured blood vessel in the cartilage of the ear. This can come from damaging it in play or from scratching due to infection or allergies. The sooner a vet diagnoses and treats hematomas, the better the results will be so a vet visit soon is important.


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I agree. Feel the ear pins and see if you notice any swelling. I am betting there is a hematoma.


----------



## Thorkim (May 27, 2005)

Not sure, but she doesn't like it messed with. We are calling the vet first thing tomorrow. We do have an almost two year old that is naughty and known to play with her when coming in the house, he's bit at her ears before. Maybe that's what happened. It was very sudden. Thank you.


----------



## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

The play bite could be it. Let us know how the vet visit goes. My guy was scratching his ear back in February and started a hematoma at the base. The vet got it stopped while it was small with prednisone tablets and a steroid cream so we did not have to do surgery. His ear looks almost normal, just a slight rotation from facing forward.


----------



## dannix09 (Jun 11, 2018)

This happened to my adult dog last month. My first thought was maybe it was a hematoma, but then he had some facial swelling with it so the vet thought allergic reaction. Vet recommended benadryl twice a day and the swelling went down within 48 hours.


----------



## Thorkim (May 27, 2005)

This is what the diagnosis is, hematoma. Did notice the swelling the other day. She goes in Thursday for surgery.


----------



## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

That sucks! Hope you can get a good cosmetic result. Did the vet suggest icing it? Good luck on Thursday.


----------



## Thorkim (May 27, 2005)

No. In fact, I called them today to see if there should be something we need to put on it or do something until they can operate on Thursday, and they said no.


----------



## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

If it is increasing in size I would try to ice it, if the pupper would put up with it. A couple of ice cubes in a baggie, protected by a thin towel, a few times a day for 10 minutes might give some pain relief and slow the seeping. My vet prescribed gabapentin for a few days for pain relief.


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Thorkim said:


> This is what the diagnosis is, hematoma. Did notice the swelling the other day. She goes in Thursday for surgery.



Are they doing the surgery for pressure release of the hemotama or to make it cosmetically stand?


My Grand-Dog just had this happen. If cosmetic, I would ask what percentage of success they will give you that it will stand again. They gave our son a very low percentage.


Also, going under anesthesia at 10 years old could be risky.
Make sure that they will be using things like:
-Warming blankets
-Blood pressure monitor
-Cardio-respiratory monitoring
-Continuous temperature monitoring


Best of luck and keep us updated
Moms


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

My experience with hematoma --- go ahead and have it "quilted" after it is drained. My vetatthetime discouraged this but I insisted. The ear recovered and stood. So be prepared to face off with your vet if you want a chance for the ear to stand after being drained.


----------



## Thorkim (May 27, 2005)

Ginger came through her surgery just fine. She has a bandage around her head, the unaffected ear is loose. The vet did quilt her ear. We will see how the ear does after the bandage comes off. She is her old self, feisty as ever. We got to take her home the same night, no problems whatsoever. She is on pain pills and antibiotics and was taken care of splendidly by our vet.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Glad to hear the update on Ginger. I'm pulling for that ear to stand.


----------



## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

Great news! Glad she came through it well. She is going to feel much better now. Fingers crossed for a good cosmetic result.


----------



## Thorkim (May 27, 2005)

Took Ginger in post op today. Got her bandage off and will need the cone just through the day, shaking her head after ear surgery, but basically, she is fine now. Her ear appears to be coming up again, vet says in a month or two, we won't be able to tell which ear was operated on. Hope he's right, but she's on the mend from the hematoma.


----------



## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

Glad to hear the results were good!


----------

