The Vet discussed ear canal removal with me for this dog about a year ago and I wanted to not go that route. My plan was to maintain him with cleaning and meds so we didn't have to resort to the removal surgery because he had a severe reaction to anesthesia a few years when under for OFA x-rays of hips, knees, elbows and shoulders along with a routine dental cleaning. He went hypothermic on them, and later had a sinus arrhythmia heartbeat - we nearly lost him and it took over a month for him to recover. Really he has never been the same since. Now that he is older (8 years) I know the risk is greater for him.
His hearing is already compromised because of the ear infections and it won't bother me if he is completely deaf after surgery. I have a 2 year old female who was born totally deaf - it doesn't impact her quality of life. But what scares me so is how he doesn't do well with anesthesia.

The Vet discussed ear canal removal with me for this dog about a year ago and I wanted to not go that route. My plan was to maintain him with cleaning and meds so we didn't have to resort to the removal surgery because he had a severe reaction to anesthesia a few years when under for OFA x-rays of hips, knees, elbows and shoulders along with a routine dental cleaning. He went hypothermic on them, and later had a sinus arrhythmia heartbeat - we nearly lost him and it took over a month for him to recover. Really he has never been the same since. Now that he is older (8 years) I know the risk is greater for him.
His hearing is already compromised because of the ear infections and it won't bother me if he is completely deaf after surgery. I have a 2 year old female who was born totally deaf - it doesn't impact her quality of life. But what scares me so is how he doesn't do well with anesthesia.

and agree that deafness, in itself, is not as great a handicap with canines as it can be with humans, since they rely on us and other pets in the household for assistance...and they seem to have sharper other senses.

and agree that deafness, in itself, is not as great a handicap with canines as it can be with humans, since they rely on us and other pets in the household for assistance...and they seem to have sharper other senses.

Thanks for asking!

Thanks for asking!

The emergency vet did a needle aspiration. The first time she pulled out a clear, thick mucous. The second pull, she got blood with it, so she looked at it and didn't see an excess of white blood cells. I'm not sure if this means its not an infection. I don't think she knew either. She had the encyclopedia pulled out! Lol. But, I am most worried about his neck edema now. His neck definitely seems more swollen. It feels like fluid is building. My vet said to give it until Thursday but I don't know if I can wait that long. Charley is very lethargic and does not feel well at all.
My vet said it could happen from a severe ear infection, but his right ear doesn't seem to be infected, just a little red. I cleaned it out last night and didn't get any gook out of it. I, like the vets, am bewildered. Neither of them can seem to give me a diagnosis and it's frustrating.
Good luck with your bully's ear problem. I'm sure that draining is some nasty business! Hope he feels better soon and thank you so much for the response!

The emergency vet did a needle aspiration. The first time she pulled out a clear, thick mucous. The second pull, she got blood with it, so she looked at it and didn't see an excess of white blood cells. I'm not sure if this means its not an infection. I don't think she knew either. She had the encyclopedia pulled out! Lol. But, I am most worried about his neck edema now. His neck definitely seems more swollen. It feels like fluid is building. My vet said to give it until Thursday but I don't know if I can wait that long. Charley is very lethargic and does not feel well at all.
My vet said it could happen from a severe ear infection, but his right ear doesn't seem to be infected, just a little red. I cleaned it out last night and didn't get any gook out of it. I, like the vets, am bewildered. Neither of them can seem to give me a diagnosis and it's frustrating.
Good luck with your bully's ear problem. I'm sure that draining is some nasty business! Hope he feels better soon and thank you so much for the response!

First situation -
Just prior to leaving for Nationals in '06 (Florida, a 2 day drive each way) my 1 yr old bitch developed a swelling on the left side of her face. Took her to the Vet and he did a needle aspiration and found excess white blood cells. It was an infected lymph gland.
Gave her antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory and told me to keep in touch while traveling. It got better, enough that I could show her the 1st day, but then got worse and I had to pull her. The show Vet didn't have the very basic AB she had been on to continue with, the local Wal-Mart said it wasn't a human AB and didn't have it, the local Petsmart with a Vet wanted to start from scratch on examining her instead of consulting with my Vet....what a mess!
But after we got home and with another round of AB it went away and has never returned. My Vet had said there is a good chance these type of things reoccur - so we got lucky.
One thing I was worried it might have been, but wasn't, was a ganglion tumor where the tumor has many 'roots' branching out. Very difficult to get all the 'roots' surgically removed and it can re-grow from any left behind.
Second situation -
My old male has had nasty ears that I've been battling for years. Done the grain free diet and all it did was make him fat. Tried the different limited ingredient diets with no change. Tried a dozen different ear meds and Antibiotics - no improvement. His ears have been swollen long enough that the canals have become calcified.
About a week ago the left side of his head (left ear is worse than the right ear) swelled up huge, from above and behind his ear all the way into his neck and throat. Even the ear flap swelled until the base was about 3/4" thick and the earflap no longer folded but stood straight up. I phoned the Vet at her home on Sunday morning for advise until I could get him into the Clinic on Monday. She advised warm compresses 3-4 X daily along with Pred, but no AB until she did a culture to figure out what AB was best for the situation.
On Monday she pulled about 2cc of blood/pus off the swelling behind his ear to check under the scope and started him on Cipro. By Tuesday the swelling had his left eye squished shut and I could feel a fluid build-up in his chest between his front legs.
Back to see the Vet on Wednesday and she referred me to a Specialist in Columbus - so I made the 1-1/2 hour drive there only for him to say 'keep him on the AB and Pred until the swelling goes down and then I can do surgery'.
Wednesday night while doing a warm compress on his ear area, the place where the needle aspirations were done opened up and I got about 3/4 cup of blood/pus out. Each day since there is less coming off the area. He is on a step-down dose of Pred but continues on the Cipro. He is feeling much better since the swelling drained and I can now get to his ear canal to do some cleaning.
So we are looking at ear canal removal surgery on him.

First situation -
Just prior to leaving for Nationals in '06 (Florida, a 2 day drive each way) my 1 yr old bitch developed a swelling on the left side of her face. Took her to the Vet and he did a needle aspiration and found excess white blood cells. It was an infected lymph gland.
Gave her antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory and told me to keep in touch while traveling. It got better, enough that I could show her the 1st day, but then got worse and I had to pull her. The show Vet didn't have the very basic AB she had been on to continue with, the local Wal-Mart said it wasn't a human AB and didn't have it, the local Petsmart with a Vet wanted to start from scratch on examining her instead of consulting with my Vet....what a mess!
But after we got home and with another round of AB it went away and has never returned. My Vet had said there is a good chance these type of things reoccur - so we got lucky.
One thing I was worried it might have been, but wasn't, was a ganglion tumor where the tumor has many 'roots' branching out. Very difficult to get all the 'roots' surgically removed and it can re-grow from any left behind.
Second situation -
My old male has had nasty ears that I've been battling for years. Done the grain free diet and all it did was make him fat. Tried the different limited ingredient diets with no change. Tried a dozen different ear meds and Antibiotics - no improvement. His ears have been swollen long enough that the canals have become calcified.
About a week ago the left side of his head (left ear is worse than the right ear) swelled up huge, from above and behind his ear all the way into his neck and throat. Even the ear flap swelled until the base was about 3/4" thick and the earflap no longer folded but stood straight up. I phoned the Vet at her home on Sunday morning for advise until I could get him into the Clinic on Monday. She advised warm compresses 3-4 X daily along with Pred, but no AB until she did a culture to figure out what AB was best for the situation.
On Monday she pulled about 2cc of blood/pus off the swelling behind his ear to check under the scope and started him on Cipro. By Tuesday the swelling had his left eye squished shut and I could feel a fluid build-up in his chest between his front legs.
Back to see the Vet on Wednesday and she referred me to a Specialist in Columbus - so I made the 1-1/2 hour drive there only for him to say 'keep him on the AB and Pred until the swelling goes down and then I can do surgery'.
Wednesday night while doing a warm compress on his ear area, the place where the needle aspirations were done opened up and I got about 3/4 cup of blood/pus out. Each day since there is less coming off the area. He is on a step-down dose of Pred but continues on the Cipro. He is feeling much better since the swelling drained and I can now get to his ear canal to do some cleaning.
So we are looking at ear canal removal surgery on him.

I took a few pics but I just couldn't get a good angle on the swelling. The location that you are describing sounds like what Charley has. He has had multiple eye surgeries and, that I know of, has never had any problems with being sedated. He also had to be sedated last month for x-rays to look for a torn ACl and was fine with this vet. But I will definitely ask about it now! I'm so worried about him. Changed my work schedule around so I could be with him this week!

Do you remember if the knot was sensitive? Charley will let you mash on it and touching it doesn't seem to bother him. Also, were they very lethargic and not acting like they felt well? Was the neck swollen also?

Also, Elaine, what type of ACL surgery to you have done? Vet wants to do suture, but I've heard it's not the best for heavier dogs.

Sorry for all the questions, but i really do appreciate any help.

Thanks, Amber

I took a few pics but I just couldn't get a good angle on the swelling. The location that you are describing sounds like what Charley has. He has had multiple eye surgeries and, that I know of, has never had any problems with being sedated. He also had to be sedated last month for x-rays to look for a torn ACl and was fine with this vet. But I will definitely ask about it now! I'm so worried about him. Changed my work schedule around so I could be with him this week!

Do you remember if the knot was sensitive? Charley will let you mash on it and touching it doesn't seem to bother him. Also, were they very lethargic and not acting like they felt well? Was the neck swollen also?

Also, Elaine, what type of ACL surgery to you have done? Vet wants to do suture, but I've heard it's not the best for heavier dogs.

Sorry for all the questions, but i really do appreciate any help.

Thanks, Amber

Just wanted to know how your vet appointment went!!

Jessica

Just wanted to know how your vet appointment went!!

Jessica

He had a swelling in his cheek/neck area that would go from pea-size to walnut-size or more, up and down with antibiotics but never cleared and after about 4wks of this, I was referred to a surgeon who said he had to open up his face/cheek to see exactly what was the matter. Fast-forward past a lengthy and delicate surgery by a surgeon who has done ACL and other procedures for me, all successfully, he found the source of the problem...a fox tail that had embedded into a salivary gland in his cheek!! It never would have 'gone away' with medication...it had to be removed to end the infection and accompanying pain/frustrations. The surgeon did caution me about the risks of working in this highly delicate area, lots of facial nerves and muscles that required delicate navigation, but Igor healed up nicely.

He had a swelling in his cheek/neck area that would go from pea-size to walnut-size or more, up and down with antibiotics but never cleared and after about 4wks of this, I was referred to a surgeon who said he had to open up his face/cheek to see exactly what was the matter. Fast-forward past a lengthy and delicate surgery by a surgeon who has done ACL and other procedures for me, all successfully, he found the source of the problem...a fox tail that had embedded into a salivary gland in his cheek!! It never would have 'gone away' with medication...it had to be removed to end the infection and accompanying pain/frustrations. The surgeon did caution me about the risks of working in this highly delicate area, lots of facial nerves and muscles that required delicate navigation, but Igor healed up nicely.

His ears were problems from about age 2 upward (he died at 8.5yrs) and I had been treating with so many different options including pred & various a/b's...on for a while, then off...then on again. Anyway, he developed a huge abcess on the side of his cheek/jawbone area that we came to realize was an inner-ear infection that broke thru the skin because the canal was "blocked" and it had no where else to go. When that healed (or nearly so) I had total canal removal surgery done (even with its risks!) and he survived well, no more problems but he was definitely 90% deaf. He was a momma's boy anyway so he got along ok. I held off doing the other side because there was no pain evident with the calcification, no break-thru infections.

His ears were problems from about age 2 upward (he died at 8.5yrs) and I had been treating with so many different options including pred & various a/b's...on for a while, then off...then on again. Anyway, he developed a huge abcess on the side of his cheek/jawbone area that we came to realize was an inner-ear infection that broke thru the skin because the canal was "blocked" and it had no where else to go. When that healed (or nearly so) I had total canal removal surgery done (even with its risks!) and he survived well, no more problems but he was definitely 90% deaf. He was a momma's boy anyway so he got along ok. I held off doing the other side because there was no pain evident with the calcification, no break-thru infections.

I called the vet to see if I should be concerned about what seems to be fluid building in his neck and he said to bring him in. So...hopefully I will have good news in a few hours.

I called the vet to see if I should be concerned about what seems to be fluid building in his neck and he said to bring him in. So...hopefully I will have good news in a few hours.

Do you have any pics?? I can tell you one of my dogs developed an abcess on the side of his face, about towards his jaw, towards the back below the ear. Not once, but TWICE, and exactly 2 years apart. Both times, it started off slow, then BAM HUUUUUGE overnight, like grapefruit size overnight. First time I took him to vet, they wanted to put him under, I just wanted a local, they just wanted to mask him down (he was 5 1/2 and had never been under)real fast, I was against it but relented. They masked him down, and he quit breathing!!!!! Of course the vet got the abscess open, the first "puncture" was blood, he punctured/cut deeper, and then all this cottage cheesey drainage came out. Of course oxygen was applied and we got him back with some compressions.

The next time Sean took him to our bulldog vet, this happened during Nationals. Two years later. Told him NOOOOO anesthetic, local only. Which they did. Sean said the drainage filled up the table. And this had happened pretty much litterally overnight, as he wasn't like that when I left for Nationals. Of course he was on massive ATB afterwards.

Do you have any pics?? I can tell you one of my dogs developed an abcess on the side of his face, about towards his jaw, towards the back below the ear. Not once, but TWICE, and exactly 2 years apart. Both times, it started off slow, then BAM HUUUUUGE overnight, like grapefruit size overnight. First time I took him to vet, they wanted to put him under, I just wanted a local, they just wanted to mask him down (he was 5 1/2 and had never been under)real fast, I was against it but relented. They masked him down, and he quit breathing!!!!! Of course the vet got the abscess open, the first "puncture" was blood, he punctured/cut deeper, and then all this cottage cheesey drainage came out. Of course oxygen was applied and we got him back with some compressions.

The next time Sean took him to our bulldog vet, this happened during Nationals. Two years later. Told him NOOOOO anesthetic, local only. Which they did. Sean said the drainage filled up the table. And this had happened pretty much litterally overnight, as he wasn't like that when I left for Nationals. Of course he was on massive ATB afterwards.