125. Head tilt when ear drops applied

Friday July 9, 2010


English Cocker Spaniel, Female, Spayed, 12 years. 12.7 kg

Rotten tissue decay smell in the right ear
Scratches right ear onto the floor. Vet 2 advised 1,5 years ago to use ear drops from pet shop and seeing him 6-monthly. Ear drops worked till recently. Very smelly liquid from ear.

Advised: Surgery as permanent cure rather than visit Vet 2 six-monthly. 3 days of antibiotics, I would operate on Monday.

Last 3 days, head tilted to the right after pet shop Nova ear drops applied onto ear for one hour before sleeping.

1. It is important to check head tilt before surgery. Asked owner to exercise the dog. Slight head tilt to the right. May be blamed by the owner if head tilts after surgery.

2. Checked heart. OK for anaesthesia.

3. Blood tests. Father wanted to buy new puppy as $500 operation would pay for new puppy. "Does he want this old dog to be put to sleep?" I asked. "I will never agree to it," the young lady said. Due to economics, did not insist on a blood test.

4. Economics.
In August 2009, I removed 31 urinary stones (blood in the urine, complained that Vet 1 prescribed medication for few times, ineffective). No dry food or canned food. Fed vegetables, soup and little meat. No blood in urine colour. She used dipstick to check pH.

Then on January 2010, my vet removed a mammary tumour. No recurrence of tumour as checked today. So the young lady had to budget her expenses and savings as taught by her father from young. Very few parents teach their children financial management.

OLD DOG. 3rd anaesthesia after 31 bladder stones removed and breast tumour removal n 2009.

Sedation: Domitor 0.2 ml IM, Zoletil 100 0.1 ml IV, Atropine 1.0 ml IV. Top up with isoflurane gas. Excellent general anaesthesia.


SURGERY - A different surgical approach from my usual method.
Midline incision of vertical ear canal
Separate skin and SC tissues
Lateral wall seen
V-shaped cut of lateral wall from anterior and posterior ends.
Lots of bleeding controlled by swab
Cut lateral wall - cartilage end trimmed by cutting to depth of around 2mm so that the skin ends are free of cartilage (like ear cropping) and can be stitched. Nylon stitches.
NO drainage board. Much shorter operation time and incision.


POST OP
Antibiotics. Rimadyl 50mg/ml at 1.0 ml effective painkiller. Dog eating the next day.
Photograph on Day 2.
To stay 5 days.