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Swollen ear.

Species: Cat
Breed: orange tabby
Age: More than 15 ye
My cats right inner ear just started turning like bruised, black & blue. Inner ear, whole ear & around the opening on the head. Its not ear mites! Ive cleaned the ear & no gunk nor anything shows on cloth. I am not wealthy but I did have him seen by a vet in a pet mobile. They had no idea except it may have had bad accident. I told the vet that he has had no accident nor goes outside. he plays eats & sleeps good. I do know that it has happened 1 time not long ago & it went away on its own in about a weeks time. this time seems to only bother him just a wee bit by him tilting his head - not shaking nor any touch sensitivity. I would like any help because I am not sure that this could be an internal thing which may be serious in nature or am I just worrying over him just scratching a good itch a little to hard. Please give me any suggestions that may help in punkies quest & my nerves. thank you


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough one to answer without seeing little Punkie.

At first description this sounds like something called an aural hematoma. This is where the ear fills up with blood that collects between the cartilage and the skin.

Some vets treat this with surgery. I have had good success treating these with oral prednisone.

A hematoma doesn't usually affect the head as well, but it is possible there could be a lot of swelling so that it looks like that.

Regarding "internal things" any sort of bleeding disorder could cause this. We usually see bleeding problems with animals that have ingested rat or mouse poison.

Whenever I see an older cat with something unusual I do get concerned about certain types of cancers. However, if this was something that was present before and went away I think a hematoma is the most likely.

It's worth asking your vet if this is a possibility.

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.