Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery using splints to treat ear hematomas in dogs and cats
By Xie, Yixing et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2025·South China Agricultural University, China·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Successful surgical management of aural hematoma with the application of polycaprolactone splint in 7 dogs and 3 cats.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old Labrador and a 3-year-old domestic shorthair cat were brought in with aural hematomas, which are swollen areas in the ear caused by blood collecting between the skin and cartilage. Both pets underwent surgery to drain the fluid and had a special splint applied to help the ear heal properly. After about 16 days, the treatment worked well for most pets, with 80% showing no further issues. A couple of dogs had their splints removed too soon and needed new ones, but they recovered without any further problems.
People also search for: dog ear hematoma treatment · cat ear swelling · aural hematoma splint for dogs · how to treat ear hematoma in pets
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report cases of aural hematoma (AH) in 7 dogs and 3 cats treated with polycaprolactone (PCL) splint application. ANIMALS: 7 dogs and 3 cats. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: 4 dogs and 2 cats presented with generalized AH, whereas 3 dogs and 1 cat presented with localized AH. All cases were investigated between December 2022 and June 2024. The hematoma area was measured to allow appropriate sizing of the PCL splint material. The surgery involved aspirating the hematoma and applying PCL splints to the auricle with sutures. RESULTS: The mean time of PCL splint application was 16.3 ± 4.6 days for all animals. Clinical signs were resolved in 5 dogs and 3 cats (8 of 10 AHs [80%]). Complications occurred in 3 cases. Two dogs (2 of 10 AHs [20%]) experienced recurrence at 7 and 10 days, which was suspected to be associated with the premature removal of the PCL splints; new PCL splints were applied to these dogs, and no recurrence of AH was observed upon their removal at 21 and 23 days. One dog exhibited localized wrinkling of the auricle. There were no other cases of recurrent AH during the long-term follow-up period of > 6 months. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The PCL splint application is safe and efficacious for treating AH in dogs and cats, whether localized or generalized, initial or recurrent. This simple surgical procedure minimizes iatrogenic skin trauma, and this approach may represent a valid alternative to other available treatments.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39892399/