Epidemiology and anesthetic risk in dogs with aural hematoma / Epidemiologia e risco anestésico de cães portadores de otohematoma

ABSTRACT

Background: Otohematoma or aural hematoma in dogs is blood pooling within the ear cartilage plate, and stems from several causes (ear infections, ectoparasites and others). The formation of hematoma is by vascular injury, causing bleeding, generated by self-injury. This disease occurs especially in dogs of pendulous ears, and the concave surface of the ear is considered as the most frequent. The therapy to correct the lesion can be a clinical procedure; however, surgical drainage is the treatment of choice. This work aims to record the epidemiological aspects related to aural hematoma in dogs, as well as classify such patients as to the physical condition and anesthetic risk. Materials, Methods & Results: Twenty five dogs with aural hematoma submitted to surgical procedure were followed. During the data collection period (seven months), surgery to correct aural hematoma represented 19% of surgeries performed in dogs (total of surgeries 474). The percentage of canine breeds affected was mixed breed (64%; 16/25), german shepherd (24%; 6/25), labrador (4%; 1/25), waimaraner (4%; 1/25) and daschund (4%; 1/25). Most occurrences were observed in females aged 3-12 years. Most of the animals showed only one pina affected (96%; 24/25), and 52% (13/25) had hematoma in the right and 44% (11/25) in the left ear. Some of the patients had no hematologic abnormalities (48%; 12/25) [...]