My dog has 'Boxers' ear

[drfish]

Forgot to mention this, but it made me chuckle, so I'll share.

My ageing Staffie bitch suddenly developed a swollen ear last week. She's covered in various sized lumps and warts caused by fatty cysts so it was nothing new to us, but as it was her ear I thought I'd get her to the vets. The vet checked her over, good heart, good eyes, ears were clear, lungs sound good, even asking how often I clean her teeth because they were in great condition (erm...never ). She did a check over all the lumps and suggested that one might be a bit naughty, but the others look fairly innocuous. Then she checked the ear and said "She's got boxers ear". My immediate thought was "she's a staffie you crazy woman, not a boxer". However, it turns out she meant 'cauliflower ear' in effect. Somehow, she's banged her ear, and developed an aural haematoma. As she's the laziest dog in the world, I can't imagine she's done it to herself, so my immediate thought was one of the kids has shut her head in the back door or something. She's not the kind of dog that feels pain usually, so we'd of never known at the time of the 'incident'.

Anyway, she gave us some anti-inflammatory's and suggested checking back in a week to see how it is, with a view to slicing and dicing if need be, and removing that dodgy lump on her leg (only dodgy in the sense of redness, but she's always faffing with it).

Ironically, the ear hasn't changed, it's still full of blood, but she can now walk without limping, and half of her cysts have almost disappeared now. So I'm half tempted to ask for a continuous prescription for the A-I's as she's had a new lease of life. She's had a dodgy hip for about 2 or 3 years which my last vet said would probably need surgery and she's too old and too unfit. Due to her hip, she put weight on, and that caused half the lumps.

Every little helps I guess. And my old vets wonder why I don't go there any more, they could of sorted her hip years ago with anti-inflammatory's

[HelenVF]

I have had quite a lot of experience with haematomas. My old pointer even had buttons sewn on the ear to try and stop it filling up with blood. Buttons came out, and it filled up again. I tend to leave them unless the dog is in pain.

Have you tried glucosamine for her joints? There is also rhus tox. I had my old springer on it for the last couple of years of her life and it did stop the need for prescription drugs.

Helen

[drfish]

She's been on a daily dose of high strength Glucosamine for the last 3 months or so, after a recommendation, think it was off here. She has improved slightly, but if she's laid down for any length of time, it's like watching my dad trying to get up These A-I's have made a massive difference in just 5 days though. For what they cost, I'm happy to carry on with them, or at least get a prescription and source them from the web.

I'll have a look-see into that Rhus Tox, never heard of it to be honest.

Just pisses me off that vets would rather stiff you than give you options. My old vets never once mentioned glucosamine, rhus tok, underwater aerobics or anything And certainly never suggested anti-inflammatory's, despite me asking if Ibuprofen was good for dogs (which it isn't)

[CP]

Devil's claw is supposed to ease arthritis pain, if she has that.

[drfish]

Well the old vet suggested it was hip dysplacia (sp) and would ultimately require an opp and artificial joint, but I think this disproves that somewhat. So maybe it is a touch of arthritis, which makes more sense.