Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
#358013 - 03/29/2012 06:07 PM |
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Hello,
It's been a while since I've posted but I owe all of my success with my 4 year old GSD to this forum. The knowledge on this forum is fantastic.
I have a 4 year old GSD whose ears have stood up since he was 12 weeks old. I just notice today that his one ear is slightly floppy. He has a vet appt next week so I'll get his ear checked out but have this happened to anyone? If so, what could be the cause and will his ear stand straight again? This seems so bizarre. I suspect an ear infection but I'm not sure.
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Maisha Butler ]
#358016 - 03/29/2012 06:23 PM |
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Check to see if the leather of the ear is thickened. If so, it is likely a hematoma, a broken blood vessel inside the skin of the ear.
If your dog does have a hematoma, the blood filled skin of the ear has just become too heavy to stand up. If this is the case the blood will have to be removed for the ear to stand again. It's a bit of an emergency for a good cosmetic outcome, so if you want the ear to stand I'd get an appointment asap.
Most often itching at a painful, infected ear is the cause.
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Betty Landercasp ]
#358017 - 03/29/2012 06:34 PM |
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Check to see if the leather of the ear is thickened. If so, it is likely a hematoma, a broken blood vessel inside the skin of the ear.
If your dog does have a hematoma, the blood filled skin of the ear has just become too heavy to stand up. If this is the case the blood will have to be removed for the ear to stand again. It's a bit of an emergency for a good cosmetic outcome, so if you want the ear to stand I'd get an appointment asap.
Most often itching at a painful, infected ear is the cause.
This reminded me of when Will posted about his dog's hematoma:
http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=29192&page=1#319678
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Maisha Butler ]
#358019 - 03/29/2012 06:38 PM |
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I won't be able to get an appt until Saturday. Is this not soon enough? So, Betty, you are saying if I don't get this done asap his ear may never stand straight again? Thanks for the info.
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Maisha Butler ]
#358020 - 03/29/2012 06:51 PM |
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Should I just take him to an emergency vet today? I really want his ear to stand straight again.
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#358031 - 03/29/2012 08:11 PM |
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Thanks Connie,
I do believe it's a hematoma. I read Will's thread. It scared me more. It seems like a long process. He's not acting as if he's in pain. I just hope his ears return to normal. He's not vain but I am.
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Maisha Butler ]
#358036 - 03/29/2012 09:41 PM |
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Regarding timing --I'd call your vet tonite, ask them what they would like to do. In our "country practice" tomorrow morning would have been when I would like to see this dog, unless it is a dog whose appearance is critical, eg. a conformation dog/police dog who can't afford to look "dopey". Tonite would be better but it will cost you a ton extra for the emergency call, and likely you've fed the dog tonite, so anaesthesia would be complicated.
Don't feed the dog in the morning. The dog will be given anaesthesia, the ear slit open, mattress sutures applied. The inner ear can be cleaned well and there will be an inspection to be certain there is not a grass awn or other foreign body deep inside causing irritation. The dog will likely be sent home with an Elizabethan collar, also medication for the infected ear.
If finances make all this impossible, some dogs will resolve spontaneously over time, but a shepherd has a big ear leather--dogs like corgis, ACDs, sometimes heal on their own, shepherds not so much.
In any case the ear infection or foreign body which caused the dog to dig at the ear in the first place has to be dealt with.
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Maisha Butler ]
#358037 - 03/29/2012 09:41 PM |
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Regarding timing --I'd call your vet tonite, ask them what they would like to do. In our "country practice" tomorrow morning would have been when I would like to see this dog, unless it is a dog whose appearance is critical, eg. a conformation dog/police dog who can't afford to look "dopey". Tonite would be better but it will cost you a ton extra for the emergency call, and likely you've fed the dog tonite, so anaesthesia would be complicated.
Don't feed the dog in the morning. The dog will be given anaesthesia, the ear slit open, mattress sutures applied. The inner ear can be cleaned well and there will be an inspection to be certain there is not a grass awn or other foreign body deep inside causing irritation. The dog will likely be sent home with an Elizabethan collar, also medication for the infected ear.
If finances make all this impossible, some dogs will resolve spontaneously over time, but a shepherd has a big ear leather--dogs like corgis, ACDs, sometimes heal on their own, shepherds not so much.
In any case the ear infection or foreign body which caused the dog to dig at the ear in the first place has to be dealt with.
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Maisha Butler ]
#358056 - 03/30/2012 01:29 AM |
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Thanks Betty,
I did call the vet but she had already left. The receptionist told me to call in the morning which I'm going to do. Is there anything you would suggest I ask the vet? I'm new to this situation and don't want to be misinformed. Also, what makes it difficult for the ear to return to normal?
Thanks
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Re: Adult GSD develops a floppy ear
[Re: Maisha Butler ]
#358090 - 03/30/2012 01:35 PM |
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The ear= a sandwich of fine skin and cartilage. Once the cartilage is heavily creased it doesn't pop back. Almost like a deep wrinkle
(which you probably aren't old enough to have yet!) or even the creases on the palm of your hand.
Cartilage doesn't heal well under any circumstance, and the hematoma forces have blown the skin away from the cartilage, disrupting the fine network of capillaries that nourish the cartilage.
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