He does. I felt it. I googled it. I panicked.
The vet says it isn't a blue light condition but maybe he does need surgery. Oh dear. This is Brin, who is very suspicious of most things, even buttered toast. How will he cope with a surgical collar, wound dressing and sutures. How on earth will I cope?
Brin, of course, is on best behaviour at the vet, which isn't always the case. He seems to have mellowed since his prostate problem (more on that in a future post). His ear is inspected.
The vet is very solemn.
'I don't think we'll do anything. Let's just wait and see'. Chicken.
But, I'm pleased about that. It isn't bothering him, he isn't constantly scratching his ear. And he isn't holding his head to one side, so even though I know he has a fat ear*, he doesn't.
* For the veterinary record, the fat ear I refer to is actually aural haematoma. It occurs when the ear is damaged, usually by vigorous head shaking, but in this case most likely due to Zozi attack. The small blood vessels in the ear leak blood into the ear flap, making it swell. It can take just a few hours to swell, but in Brin's case, it was quite slow to develop. A quick relief is to lance it, but not recommended for house dogs who will most likely leak blood everywhere. The surgery is simple but does leave sutures or buttons in the ear for 2 weeks, necessitating the use of the collar. I don't think Brin would last 2 hours before the collar was destroyed. So, we have decided to let the haematoma resolve naturally over a few weeks. I've been warned that it will leave him with a crinkly ear, but that won't spoil his good looks.
If in doubt, please consult your vet.