My dog's ear is swollen. Is it an emergency? Should I give aspirin?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Jack Russel Terriers can get infections in the ear despite no trauma to the ear. It is usually caused by an overgrowth of natural bacteria or yeast flora. If he continues to scratch and shake his head it can lead to a condition called an aural hematoma that can need surgery to fix. I would recommend getting an E-collar for him tonight, and bringing him to your vet first thing in the morning. Disprin/Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid) in high doses can be very toxic and is not recommended to give. In some dogs it can be safely used at 10mg/kg (so ~ 50mg for a Jack Russel Terrier). Best of luck with Mac.

It's hard to tell from the photo but if there is swelling in the ear flap it is likely a hematoma. This is a pocket of blood from a broken blood vessel inside the ear. Usually this is from shaking the head from an ear infection. While this is not an emergency it is very uncomfortable. I would recommend taking Kaiser to a vet soon to get him some relief. In the meantime, please do not give any medications over the counter until then. Good luck and kisses to Kaiser!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It does sound like possibly an ear infection. Usually, face swelling is not a commonly encountered sign of an ear infection so if his face continues to get swollen before tomorrow when you can have him evaluated by your veterinarian, consider having him evaluated tonight to make sure it is not something more concerning than an ear infection. In the meantime, try to limit his activity in case he has associated pain. Good luck! I will keep my fingers crossed that everything turns out well!

This looks like an aural hematoma, a condition where the space between the skin and the ear cartilage fills with blood. It most commonly occurs secondary to an ear infection. While a veterinarian needs to be involved to treat the hematoma and the underlying cause, it is not necessarily an emergency and I think it would be okay for the dog to wait a couple days if necessary as long as he isn't too uncomfortable. If your neighbor is out of town for more than a couple days you should take the dog to a vet.

I’m so sorry to hear about Amir! Here is more information about dosing aspirin. I’ve also included a link to Benedryl dosing as many ear infections are related to underlying allergies. (Aspirin and Benedryl are safe to give together.) It goes without saying that he needs to get into the vet as soon as you are able, as he will need the proper ear medication. Best of luck to you and Amir! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/aspirin/ https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/

Without seeing a photo my best guess is that Biggie Smalls has an ear hematoma - just like you thought. It is not dangerous to wait a day to see the vet. The only thing you need to do in the meantime is to get him an Elizabethan collar (cone) to wear so he can't continue to scratch it. If he scratches it too hard he could break it open and you will have a major mess in your house! https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-first-aid/dog-recovery-cones Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Poor Butcher! You are correct that excessive panting can certainly indicate a sign of pain in dogs. Human pain medications, such as Advil or Aleve, are not safe for dogs due to the risk of liver and kidney damage. Aspirin is not recommended for use in dogs since it can lead to blood clotting problems and ulceration of the stomach or intestines. Long story short, the safest and most effective anti-inflammatory pain relievers for dogs are prescription-based from your veterinarian. Additionally, I would be concerned about infection in the laceration on Butcher's ear since the wound originated from a dog fight. Bite wounds or severe scratches generally require a course of antibiotics. At this point, I strongly recommend taking Butcher to your vet or an emergency vet to have this laceration and associated pain addressed. Until you can get to the vet, put an e-collar (cone) on Butcher to prevent him from scratching his ear, as this could make matters worse. Ears are highly vascular, so a bit of manual pressure and ice (limit the ice to 10 minutes at a time) may help to lessen the bleeding until you can get to the vet. I hope this helps and that all goes well!