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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
  
Location: Bastrop, Texas | We have a 30 year old retired mare who has had a fluid collection on her ear for the past couple months. I don't think it's an abscess, because it's not particularly tender and she's not acting sick. She is being cared for by an older lady who has a blind mare, and the two of them get along very well....one doesn't hear well, and the other is blind. The seroma has very slowly enlarged, and it might be irritating her a bit. I resisted the temptation to open it up and just let it drain, because I was confident it wasn't an abscess. Once you open it or drain it, then you convert a sterile fluid into a contaminated wound or abscess. I'm guessing she got this either from some sort of bite, or trauma. I know dogs get these sometimes, but am wondering if any of you have any experience with these.
Any suggestions? | |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
 
| If you decide to drain it use a needle and syringe. If you use a scalpel to open it the ear will scar and curl up leaving an ugly ear to look at. | |
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BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | BMW - 2016-10-20 5:13 PM
If you decide to drain it use a needle and syringe. If you use a scalpel to open it the ear will scar and curl up leaving an ugly ear to look at.
I realize that, but I don't care if it's deformed, so long as she's comfortable. I'm inclined to just leave it as long as possible. Once these sorts of things are opened up they tend to seal off eventually and reoccur, and then there's a good chance of abscess.
Maybe we'll just have to bite the bullet and have it dealt with by a vet, which will require heavy sedation and a bunch of sutures to tack it all down, in order to obliterate the space.....like they do with dogs. | |
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Ear seroma or hematoma in older horses.