Why is my dog's ear leaking fluid and she's shaking her head?

If the ear is droopy and she is shaking her head she probably has an ear infection. Because of the head shaking and probably scratching as well, blood vessels in the ear are exploding, causing blood and fluids to fill the pinea ans swell. This condition is called "ear hematoma" and needs medical or surgical treatment. The ear infection needs to be treated as well as it is the primary cause, usually ear drops from the vet will solve this, in some cases systemic antibiotics are prescribed as well. Regarding the the droopy ear I personally prefer the medical treatment (steroids for 4 weeks) over the surgical one, unfortunately most vets will still opt for the surgery.

Unfortunately it sounds like your dog Kate shook her head so much that she burst a blood vessel in her ear pinna. This is called an aural (ear) hematoma. The only way to fix this is to go to your vet and get her on ear medication (to treat for an underlying ear infection, which is usually the cause), pet friendly pain meds, and treatment for the swelling. This can't be treated at home I'm afraid and there are no safe over the counter pain meds for pets. So I would advise getting Kate seen by a vet right away for treatment. Poor girl. Once she sees the vet they should be able to take care of this, because this is quite common in pets. I would ask your vet if steroids can be tried versus surgery on the ear, because I personally have had good luck with my patients when I treat this with medication. I wish your fur baby well in her recovery. Here is more information about this disorder to help you understand what is happening and how this is typically treated. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=566

I am sorry to hear that! An ear infection- especially if the inside of the ear is red, irritated or malodorous is the most common cause of ear itching. Other things include ear mites, insect bite sensitivity, and allergies. If you are seeing a fluid filled lump, I would also be concerned for an ear hematoma (these are often secondary to infections so you could have both) or a cyst. You may want to visit the vet to see if they need to run more tests or to see if she needs medications. I hope this helps and Rayne feels better soon!

Hello there! It sounds like Roxie needs to revisit the vet before she starts another hematoma. If she's flapping her head and holding hear ear to one side, there may be an infection brewing way down in her ear where you might not be able to see it. It's very easy for dogs with floppy ears to shake and break those little blood vessels in the pinna (flap), which will cause a new hematoma quickly - sometimes in just a few hours. Dogs that have had hematomas in the past are more susceptible to them, so Roxie is definitely at risk. Even a call to the vet's office can give you some insight into what to do next, but I can almost guarantee that they'll want to take a look way down in that ear to see if she's got a new infection brewing. Good luck, and I hope that Roxie avoids another hematoma!

This presentation could be due to an ear infections. Three sections of the ear can be infected, the external portion (otitis externa), the middle portion (otitis media) and the inner portion (otitis interna). Otitis externa is the most common ear infection in dogs. In this case it seems an external ear infection but an otoscopic examination will determine the exactly the extension of it. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed.

I agree, it sounds like Voodoo is having a problem with her ears, and I suspect an ear infection. The problem with waiting a few weeks is that this is going to get worse, and if she keeps shaking her head, she will develop an aural hematoma which means more treatment. I would get her into a vet this week. Best of luck.

This would be typical for an ear infection. I recommend you schedule a vet visit for Layla. This could be a bacterial, fungal or mite infection or caused by an allergy. Excessive head shaking can cause an othematome ( burst blood vessels in the ear flaps which then can cause crippling of the ear. So I would not wait long for an appointment with your veterinarian.