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My dog's ear has a bubble. Is it an infection or a hematoma?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | neutered | 1 year and 2 months old | 19.4 lbs

I don't know whats going on with his ear. It's got this bubble and what looks like may be an infection, but it wasn't this bad a few days ago. The reason for the ointment was because he has a few sores on his neck from fleas and one was next to his ear so i bought this for sores until i got him into the vet payday, (grandmother suggested it) but this i only started using yesterday so i don't know if it has anything to do with his ear, maybe? Please help!

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 25th, 2018

Your dog could have an ear infection and the bubble could be an aural hematoma, which is an accumulation of blood and fluid between the skin and the cartilage on the ear. It could also be simply an area of swelling where your dog has been scratching. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian as soon as you can to have him examined. I would not recommend using the ointment pictured near the ear - it could cause damage if it gets in the ear canal.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 7th, 2017

    Thank you for providing pictures of Nancy's ear! From the picture, it appears like she has an aural hematoma, which is a collection of fluid between the layers of skin on the ear flap. This isn't an emergency, and it's fine to wait until Monday to have Nancy seen by a vet. Typically these do resolve on their own, but sometimes they need to be drained. Your vet can determine the best course of treatment for it. A common cause of them is ear infections. Dogs with ear infections will frequently shake their heads and paw at their ears, causing the aural hematoma. The vet will check her ears to see if she does have an ear infection or not, and can treat her as necessary. If you notice she is scratching at her ear, I would put an Ecollar on her to keep her from doing that. You can make one at home or get one at a pet store. I hope this helps! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

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