Will A Cat Ear Hematoma Go Away On Its Own?

April 14, 2020
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If your cat has been shaking her head repeatedly, there’s a good chance she will develop an ear hematoma or swelling of the ear flap. This situation happens because a blood vessel in the earflap ruptures, due to the violent shaking, then blood accumulates in the ear flap, and the flap feels thick and spongy.

Ear hematomas are also known as auricular or aural hematomas. They can be very sensitive and painful and involve the whole ear flap or just part of it. Your cat will be miserable, so it’s something you’ll want to address as quickly as possible.

What Causes Cat Ear Hematomas?

can you get ringworm from a catExcessive head shaking is a leading cause of cat ear hematomas. But what typically causes a cat to shake her head so much and so hard?

The most common cause of head shaking is an ear mite infection. These pesky little parasites cause your cat’s ear to itch. Your cat will her head and/or scratch her ear incessantly. That’s when one or more blood vessels rupture, and the hematoma develops.

Other causes include different types of ear infections, such as those caused by allergies, immune disorders or blood clotting deficits.

Will A Cat Ear Hematoma Go Away On Its Own?

The answer is: It could. The hematoma could be slowly reabsorbed (assuming the cause of the head shaking is being treated and cured). This takes several months, and the inflammation leaves your cat with a permanent disfigurement.  Examples are an ear shriveled up, scarred and possibly painful.

How Can I Treat Ear Hematoma?

quarantine cat with ringwormFirst, it should be treated by a veterinarian. We do NOT recommend that you try to drain the fluid within the hematoma yourself. If you try this in most cases, the hematoma returns within a couple of days – and then you risk infection and more inflammation.

Veterinary treatment depends on how long the hematoma has been bothering your cat, how big it is, and your vet’s preferences. If the hematoma is small or old, your vet will perform a needle aspiration by removing fluid using a syringe.

Your vet will perform surgery under anesthesia if they decide drainage is needed, . Your vet will place a drain in the ear to keep more blood from accumulating. The vet will stitch the ear skin to the ear cartilage. You’ll need to take your cat back to the vet a few times to change drainage tubes and remove sutures.

Alternately your vet may decide to avoid surgery and treat the hematoma with oral steroids like prednisone, which reduces the swelling. This treatment works best if you have taken your cat in for treatment early in the hematoma-producing process. Even if the hematoma has gone untreated, the steroids can still work, but your cat is likely to end up with scarring and disfigurement.

How To Avoid Cat Ear Hematomas

cat hematomaSince ear hematomas are caused by your cat shaking and scratching to relieve the itching in her ears, the key to prevention is to treat the cause quickly and effectively.

Take your cat to the vet as soon as you see these signs for an accurate diagnosis. For a bacterial ear infection, the vet may prescribe an anti-biotic and this is generally an easy and effective fix for the infection.

Antibiotics are not effective for fungal infections. An overgrowth of yeast in your cat’s ear is the cause. To treat, you will need to administer an antifungal medicine to your cat’s ear. If she has ear mites, the vet may prescribe an easy-to-administer, anti-parasitic formulation to get rid of them.

Either way, follow up by using Banixx Pet care at home:

  • Its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties make it a potent spray. Banixx aids in the recovery of damaged/inflamed tissue. It also eliminates the environment in which infections and ear mites thrive. Cats, however, are not fond of sprays. Read on to learn how to simply use Banixx on your cat’s ear.
  • It’s easy to use. Moisten a cotton ball with Banixx and coat the inside of the ear 2-3 times each day. It begins working immediately upon contact, and you’ll see positive results in a couple of days.
  • Banixx Pet care has no clinical odor. Your cat will greatly appreciate since foreign smelling treatments make her afraid.
  • Moreover, Banixx has no burn or sting. It’s completely safe around the eye. You can use it with total confidence on your cat!

We hope you found this article helpful and if your cat ever gets any cuts, abrasions, ear infections or ringworm, we hope you keep Banixx Pet Care in mind. For more information on how to keep your cat happy and healthy, visit our cat page.

Sources

  • https://www.askavetquestion.com/earhematoma.php
  • https://www.vetinfo.com/cat-ear-hematoma-treatment.html
  • https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/hematoma-of-the-ear-in-cats

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