Sasha has a growth on her ear...

[shewasmyshadow]

I'm just trying to get an idea if this is serious or not...

So about 3 months ago I noticed this little bump on Sasha's ear. I picked at it because it seemed kind of loose and she acted like it was painful. Now... it's grown and it's white/powdery and more painful. I thought fungus. Probably should take her in and get something. Now here's the weird part... She has an identical spot on the other ear. Isn't that weird? If it was a fungus I would think it would pop up in other random places.

Here's some pictures...

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc481/toddlermom83/IMG_0696.jpg

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc481/toddlermom83/IMG_0695.jpg

I am planning to take her into the vet, but I can't this week and I want to know if it's something obvious.

P.S. Just found another lump on one ear. So that is 3 lumps.

[WashingtonBay]

That is weird. I've seen a lot of weird lumps, bumps and warts on dogs.... but none that have oozed like that. I think it must be puss that has dried, don't you?

[shewasmyshadow]

That is weird. I've seen a lot of weird lumps, bumps and warts on dogs.... but none that have oozed like that. I think it must be puss that has dried, don't you?

I never thought of that... Maybe. It seems very scaly and powdery, though, but oily at the same time. I am going to take her in, but I can't this week.

[WashingtonBay]

Well, I'd wash it real good with an antibiotic soap, get all that scuzz off of there, can you clip all the hair off around it? - then try both hunches... put some antifungal athlete's foot type creme and some regular triple antibiotic on it. If it's either a minor infection of some sort or a fungus, you maybe be able to clear it up before the vet is needed. If it doesn't clear up, then at least you know more about it than you did before.

[natisha]

What kind of dog is she? Do her ears hang down? I'm thinking that if it is the same on both ears that both ears are coming into contact with the same thing that is bothering her, like the side of a food bowl?

[WashingtonBay]

It doesn't look like an allergic reaction to me, but who knows.

I'd wonder if there might be embedded ticks in there causing the infection.

Do you have clippers? I think the investigation needs to start with washing and clipping so you can take a good look at it.

[Remali]

If it's painful she may not sit very still for clippers. Altho maybe you can try trimming some of the longer stuff off, and even just rinse with warm water. Good idea to take her to the vet, only way to know for sure. It looks infected to me. Picking at it may make it infected, or more infected.

[Suzi]

Huh... I was just about to post that I just got back from the vet with my cat, Furby. He has bee scratching terrible at his ears. I'd treat him for mites, it'd start to get better and then flare back up. Turns out he has skin cancer and they are lopping his ears next Monday!! Now Furby is solid white and the vet said its not uncommon ofr white cats. I donlt know if its the same, but it is on both ears but its looked mre scappy and dark. Hope Sasha will be alright

[WashingtonBay]

If it's painful she may not sit very still for clippers. Altho maybe you can try trimming some of the longer stuff off, and even just rinse with warm water. Good idea to take her to the vet, only way to know for sure. It looks infected to me. Picking at it may make it infected, or more infected.

I would almost guarantee the first thing my vet would do would be to clip off the hair so he can see it.

Now, they're good and holding down dogs and getting things done, and they may even have better, sharper clippers... but if it's at all possible, I'd try to do this myself, thinking I would be kinder than the vet will need to be. Yes, it hurts, but maybe swms doing it will be less stressful. Maybe not. Depends on the personalities involved, and what's available for equipment and help!

[shewasmyshadow]

I would almost guarantee the first thing my vet would do would be to clip off the hair so he can see it.

Now, they're good and holding down dogs and getting things done, and they may even have better, sharper clippers... but if it's at all possible, I'd try to do this myself, thinking I would be kinder than the vet will need to be. Yes, it hurts, but maybe swms doing it will be less stressful. Maybe not. Depends on the personalities involved, and what's available for equipment and help!

I agree. She hates being messed with around the ears, so maybe I would do better. I do have clippers. I will try tomorrow. Do you think athlete's foot powder would work?

[WashingtonBay]

It wouldn't hurt, if you really think it's a fungus. I'm not so sure it is... I think it's puss.... I might suspect there's something in there infected. Have you ever seen ticks?

[Remali]

I would almost guarantee the first thing my vet would do would be to clip off the hair so he can see it.

Now, they're good and holding down dogs and getting things done, and they may even have better, sharper clippers... but if it's at all possible, I'd try to do this myself, thinking I would be kinder than the vet will need to be. Yes, it hurts, but maybe swms doing it will be less stressful. Maybe not. Depends on the personalities involved, and what's available for equipment and help!

I agree.....but I was thinking that anyone else doing that, other than the vet and vet tech, would be mighty hard to do at home. Never know, Sasha may not mind at all tho. ;)

OMG..... I would NOT put athletes foot powder on that at all. Let the vet figure out what it is first.

[shewasmyshadow]

I agree.....but I was thinking that anyone else doing that, other than the vet and vet tech, would be mighty hard to do at home. Never know, Sasha may not mind at all tho. ;)

OMG..... I would NOT put athletes foot powder on that at all. Let the vet figure out what it is first.

Got it. ;) I don't think it's ticks. It's only spread since after the fall freeze. I checked her daily for ticks during the tick season too. I think I will use some antibaterial soap and wash the ear thoroughly tomorrow, shave, wash it again, then put some antibaterial ointment on it. Then we'll go from there. I'll take pictures after I shave it. See if you guys can see anything I can't. Maybe I'll ask Deserae to have a look. She's a vet tech.

[Remali]

Why not take her to your vet?

[WashingtonBay]

I think it may be a cash flow situation.... says she can next week.

It's probably not life threatening, sometimes minor things have to wait.

Personally, I'd clip it, wash it, take a real good look at it, put some antibiotic ointment on it and see if I could heal it up before involving the vet. It doesn't look serious to me.

[shewasmyshadow]

I'm just trying to be wise with my money. I'd like to be able to afford another dental for her this spring. Like WB said, it does not seem super serious and it's not spreading quickly. I mean it's taken at least a year to get to where it is. I am not opposed to the vet. It's just that I don't think it's to that point yet. If I shave it and find something more serious, then I will definitely be taking her in. Don't worry, Renee. Sasha is a spoiled little pooch. I'm doing the best I can for her. :)

[WashingtonBay]

If it's been there that long, I'm back to suspecting an embedded tick or something.

And, if it's been there that long, I'd clip and try to see if I can heal it with some minimal home care, but probably it needs to be seen.

[shewasmyshadow]

You don't think it could be ringworm, do you? 2 of my mice died of ringworm related stuff in November. Do you think Sasha has that and I handled both and gave it to the mice? Sasha is a lot bigger and I would think it would take longer to show up on her. Just a thought... *off to google ringworm on dogs*

[shewasmyshadow]

Okay googled dog ear ringworm and the spots don't look like this.

[WashingtonBay]

Yeah - I wouldn't have thought it looked like ringworm.

Have you clipped it yet? I'm still wondering if there's a dead tick head embedded in there causing the problem. :)

[shewasmyshadow]

What an ordeal!!! *dramatic raving* First with the shaving and it tickling her. Couldn't get her to sit still to save my life!! Then the bath!! :help: I think I am more wet and hairy then she is. After that we were doing good. She was sitting and staying where I told her to sit to dry. Then she got it in her head that she needed to go on her bed. I yelled (very animatedly) "No! Get out of there!!" Because I didn't want her to get her bed wet. She comes out and doesn't know where to go because she (conveniently) forgot that I told her to stay in the kitchen. So she comes out of the kennel and then (not knowing where to go) turned around and went back in. Now repeat that about 4 times. Me jumping up and down trying to get her attention to come in the kitchen toward me and not back on her bed. I'm PMSing so I'm on that EXTRA umff day, so my animated calling and instructing is getting more animated. She decides she isn't going to make eye contact or come to me because I'm the "bad lady who gave her a bath", so instead she pee'd and poo'd on my floor. :rant: That is her typical response to stress. :rolleyes: After that I boosted her out the back door and told her, "Go potty OUTSIDE!!" She took me literally and won't come inside because (I think) she's a little constipated and is trying to walk the poo out. So she's out there circling, circling, circling.... then she stands and stared into space, then circle, circle, circle... :doh: I keep sticking my head out the door and telling her she needs to come in, because she's still damp. It's pretty cold out there. But, what do you do? The dog needs to go. *shrug*

So the pictures will come after she comes inside. If she ever does. :D

[Remali]

If it's too cold out, or I just gave mine a bath.... I put puppy pads down.... they work wonders! ;) You can also put them down in the garage too, warmer than being outside.

Maybe the jumping up and down scared the "crap" out of poor Sasha?

[WashingtonBay]

But for that Mrs. Lincoln... how was the play? :)

[shewasmyshadow]

If it's too cold out, or I just gave mine a bath.... I put puppy pads down.... they work wonders! ;) You can also put them down in the garage too, warmer than being outside.

Maybe the jumping up and down scared the "crap" out of poor Sasha?

She has that nice lab undercoat and I used a Sham Wow to dry her, so except for the top coat she wasn't too wet. ;) She came to me with MAJOR indoor potty issues, so puppy pad would only bring trouble. She was raised by an elderly lady who (I am pretty darn sure) never let her outside to potty. I think she let her go pee on the rugs. No rug is safe with Sasha(specifically one's near a door). Only after introducing the kennel was I able to "cure" her.

Yeah, I'm thinking my PMS stuff pushed me into the "scaring the crap" out of the dog when I was suppose to be energizing her into obeying. :p Hey, at least I'm laughing and not crying. Gotta be happy for that.

I will try to take the pictures here shortly. Hubby took the camera for taking pictures of stuff for craigslist.

What I saw with me own eyes during the shave process... Looks like a little tumor (not a tick-I checked) almost, or like whatever is there is eating away at the edge of the ear. Also, it is only on the edges of the ears. No spots in the centers. I kind of got carried away and decided I needed to shave the whole ear to make sure I wasn't missing any developing spots. So far there are 2 distinct spots on each ear. Both at about the same place.

[shewasmyshadow]

But for that Mrs. Lincoln... how was the play? :)

Already had one PMS induced crying session tonight, but (thank goodness) it didn't have anything to do with the dog. :D

[Remali]

From now on when I see those Sham Wow commercials on TV I'm going to think of you and Sasha....lol. :)

[shewasmyshadow]

Okay here is a video of her ear. It was easier to video it, then taken individual pictures.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=514475951#!/video/video.php?v=474893950951

[WashingtonBay]

Weird little bumps indeed. The good news is, they're right on the end and might be easy to cut off of there, if that's what needs done. Call it a late ear cropping... what shape would you like them to be? ;)

[shewasmyshadow]

Weird little bumps indeed. The good news is, they're right on the end and might be easy to cut off of there, if that's what needs done. Call it a late ear cropping... what shape would you like them to be? ;)

Maybe they could do it when she's out for the dental. hmmm...

[WashingtonBay]

Yeah - they would do both at the same time I'm sure.

[Remali]

Were you able to get her into the vet this week?