My dog's ear is swollen from a scrunchie. What can I do to help?

This looks like an aural hematoma, which is when blood and fluid builds up between the outer layer of the ear. Unfortunately this cannot be treated at home, Buddy needs to see a vet to have it treated. I'd take him into one today.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the photos you provided, there is nothing concerning that I can see. The swelling may take a day or two to come down completely. If it does not or you notice any darkened areas of the ears that are almost dark purple or black, I would recommend having Mis examined right away by a veterinarian. For now, I would just monitor the ears for swelling and discoloration. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

Poor girl. This may be an infected mass or even a cyst. I would recommend having your vet take samples from this to be certain as to what is inside and perhaps the vet can also carefully drain it using a needle and syringe. In the meantime you can do alternating cold and warm compresses on the area for 5-10 minutes twice a day, if tolerated. Otherwise, your vet will need to get involved here to get this resolved. Best wishes with your pet Stormie and I hope you can get this source of discomfort taken care of soon for her. Take care.

Ouch, poor Gypsy! Keep a close eye on her tonight, and if her ear is still red and swollen in the morning, have her seen by a vet. You can try a cool compress on the outside of her ear canal if she appears painful. Do not try to flush the ear, that will make things worse. Best of luck.

I am sorry to hear about Dido. A photo of his ear may help us to better answer your question, to understand where the swelling of the ear is located. If it is swollen down inside he ear canal, this could be an ear infection. If the pinnae, or floppy part of the ear is swollen, this could be due to a hematoma https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951446 or pocket of blood the result of a ruptured blood vessel in the ear, due to trauma or scratching which can be secondary to an ear infection. I would recommend having your vet examine the ear to determine what treatment is needed.

Ice the swelling area for 5 minutes three times per day for the next 2 days. You can apply a topical antibiotic ointment to the wound. If the dog is off balance, had a head tilt, won't eat, etc. then he needs to see a vet. The swelling could be a blood clot or an abscess that the vet needs to drain.

This should be fully examined by a vet and the fluid aspirated and examined under a microscope in order to determine the underlying nature. The longer this is left untreated the greater chance of permanent scarring and deformity.