Dog's Ear Flap Is Swollen: Can I Fix It at Home?

A soft, puffy swelling of the ear flap is most often an ear hematoma: a pocket of blood that forms between the layers of the ear after a blood vessel breaks, usually from hard head shaking or scratching. Other causes of a swollen ear flap include an abscess, an allergic reaction or an insect sting.

Please don't try to drain it at home. Puncturing it can introduce infection, and hematomas usually refill unless the cause is treated. Most dogs shake their heads because of an ear infection, allergies or ear mites, so a vet visit is needed to treat both the swelling and the reason behind it. Left alone, a hematoma can be uncomfortable for weeks and often heals with a thickened, crumpled "cauliflower" ear.

Go to your vet promptly. Until the visit, keep her calm, try to stop her scratching the ear, and don't bandage it tightly. Go to an emergency vet straight away if the swelling came on suddenly with facial swelling or hives, and especially if she has any breathing trouble, as this can be a serious allergic reaction.

See ear hematomas in dogs.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.