Aural haematoma in dogs: cause and treatment
6-year-old Golden Retriever with a soft, fluctuant, non-painful swelling on the concave surface of the left pinna that appeared over 48 hours. It has been shaking its head a lot for a week. Aspiration yields serosanguineous fluid.
Which statement about its management is correct?
chevron_right Show answer and explanation
A. The cause of the pruritus or head shaking, usually otitis externa, must be found and treated; otherwise the haematoma tends to recur
Correct. Aural haematoma results from trauma to the auricular cartilage, almost always from head shaking or scratching due to otitis or allergy. The treatment options (aspiration with intralesional glucocorticoid, surgical drainage with sutures or drains) fail if the cause persists.
B. Needle aspiration alone is curative in most cases
Aspiration alone has a high recurrence rate because the space refills. It is usually combined with intralesional or systemic glucocorticoid, or surgical drainage is chosen instead.
C. It is best to wait for spontaneous resorption, because that leaves no deformity
Spontaneous resorption is slow and uncomfortable, and organisation of the clot with fibrosis usually leaves a thickened, deformed ear ("cauliflower ear").
D. It is an abscess of the pinna and is treated with systemic antibiotics
The content is serosanguineous, not purulent, and the lesion is neither painful nor hot. It is not an infection; antibiotics do not resolve the haematoma.
lightbulb Key takeaway
Every aural haematoma is a symptom of another problem: examine both ear canals and perform ear cytology. Treat the haematoma (drainage and inflammation control) and the cause of the pruritus at the same time to prevent recurrence and "cauliflower ear".
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Updated: October 31, 2026 · Educational content for veterinary professionals. It does not replace current clinical guidelines or the judgement of the attending veterinarian.