keeping ear bandage on - Page 1

Actually that should read: Keeping Ear Bandage On. I know this isn't suppose to be a health-issue/advice board, but I thought maybe knowledgeable GSD people would have some ideas for keeping an ear dressing in place. Kona is my 2 yo rescue (PBBNWB....purebred, but not well bred). She developed an auricular hematoma this weekend in her left ear. The vet drained it, cleaned the ear, applied antibiotics (topical & IM, then oral) & put a large dressing on it, telling me to keep it on for 2 wks. In less than 3 hrs, without any serious effort on her part, the affected ear popped out of the professionally installed dressing. I keep popping it back in but it's going to be a long 13 days of this nonsense.Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much.
Gail & Kona

Have you tried a cone?

If you mean an e-collar, yes she's got one on. Woke up this am to see 2 ears sticking up. We'll go back to vets as soon as they open.

A cut up section from a pair of tights (pantyhose) might be
a tighter fit than the medical snood provided.  Have not used
this (much) with aural haematomas, but when my dog damaged an
ear tip by ripping it open and was bleeding profusely, it worked
reasonably well for me.  Still had to adjust it quite often, even so.

Don't think an e collar was meant by 'cone' - more likely the sort
of plastic bucket we in UK know as an Elizabethan collar, which
stops dogs being able to scratch their ears / head / sutures.

Hate to be gloomy but hope your vet warned you sometimes these
'cauliflower ears' don't stay fixed, they keep filling up again ?

Yes, I was referring to Elizabethan collar as an 'e-collar'. Forgot about the electric collar. Must have thought me rather odd, huh? Putting a shock collar on my dog to keep an ear dressing on??

Yes, vet told me 95% reoccur but we all agreed it was worth a try to drain & keep pressure dressing on it. Hematoma was drained again today & surgery scheduled for Friday am...just in case this 2nd dressing (involving glue) doesn't do the trick. She isn't scratching it, just shaking her head vigorously. Cone in place & she's amusing everyone (except herself) by running into furniture & walls she use to navigate easily before.

Thanks for responding....appreciated 

Side note:  The donut (sometimes used in place of the cone) does not work well for our group.  GSDs are such good contortionist, that the donut is pretty useless.

Yes, I found the donut pretty useless when I used it on a couple of
occasions for various things.  Sounds great idea, but does not work
out in practice.  Won't buy one for my personal dog.  He therefore
has to put up with the Cone of Shame.  Whereupon he bashes into
stuff he might normally avoid neatly (though no guarantee of that, as
he is a total klutz!)  Funny how they manage to keep taking their owner
out around the knee region, too LOL.

Gaf - yeah I did think it a bit weird, esp as no plastic to be seen in the
photo, [but she does seem to be wearing a flat collar with bits dangling off,
(unless that's a harness ?)  which could have been some sort of electronic
one ...]  Hope it goes okay.

Donut is going back for refund. Have to learn the hard way, I guess. Photo was taken before donut or cone placement & there's both a flat collar & harness (that fits the other dog & got put on by mistake) with tags for license, rabies & microchip. Good eyes!

Glued on dressing appears to be very secure so far. Going to be a mess to remove it when it's time, though.....

We tried the donut with Rosé because she would not keep the cone on.  Neither worked.  As the incision was on her stomach, we finally resorted to a t shirt. 

Interesting about using glue substance.  I would be interested to know how it is removed.

Fawn, I'll update when the glue removal happens. Thanks for your interest.