WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEMATOMAS IN DOGS?
The signs and symptoms of hematomas can vary depending on where the blood blister is located, but when it’s located under the skin, somewhere like the ear, they’re pretty easy to spot. Mostly, you’ll notice the swelling, but look out for other symptoms such as:
External hematomas are relatively simple to spot, but when it comes to internal hematomas it gets a little tricky. Symptoms will differ depending on what internal organ is affected by the hematoma, there might even be nothing to suggest that there’s a problem at all. Although there are various different complications an internal hematoma could cause, here are a few potential signs:
The symptoms of an internal hematoma are pretty nonspecific, so diagnosis might be complicated.
Most hematomas are caused by trauma, but some dogs may develop them due to a clotting disorder. Hematomas on organs or in the brain can lead to more serious medical conditions, but most subdermal hematomas are not serious. Your veterinarian can assess how serious the hematoma is and determine if treatment is needed. Some smaller hematomas will go away on their own, while larger ones may need to be drained.
The most common place for a hematoma on a dog is their ears. Ears have lots of blood vessels, so when wounded they bleed profusely. Due to the closed shape of ear flaps, it is an area that is easy for fluid (blood) to accumulate because it has no place to go. If a dog’s ear is itchy they often will scratch at their ears and shake their head in discomfort, which can rupture a blood vessel and cause the ear flap to fill with blood. If the ear feels, swollen, warm and soft to the touch your dog probably has an ear hematoma. Your vet can drain the blood out and the ear will usually require a few stitches to prevent it from filling up until it is healed.
When a dog becomes injured they can occasionally rupture some blood vessels causing minor internal bleeding. Blood collected in a pocket inside the body it is called a hematoma. While hematomas can occur in any part of the dog’s body, most develop just under the skin because that is the area most likely to incur injury. A hematoma looks like a swollen lump under the skin.
HOW ARE HEMATOMAS IN DOGS DIAGNOSED?
Usually, hematomas are easy to diagnose, the vet will get a relatively accurate diagnosis based on a physical examination. A sample of the hematoma will be taken to accurately determine whether the fluids are blood.
The most important part of diagnosis is working out what caused the hematoma in the first place, which might require a few different diagnostic tests.
For example, if it’s an aural hematoma, an examination of the ear canal will be necessary to determine whether an ear infection or parasites are present, which could have caused scratching and head shaking. Alongside this, skin tests may be performed to work out if hematomas were triggered by allergies and skin sensitivities.
Dog Ear Hematoma: Dr. Dan explains.
Is your dog shaking their head excessively? Is their ear red and swollen? Well, they may be suffering from an ear hematoma. But what is that exactly? Keep reading to learn more about this painful condition and how to treat it!