[jatango]

I think I may have been taping wonder's ear tips just a little too tight. The tips seem thickened and are a bit on the purple side. Should I just tape everything but the tips, or leave the ears down for a bit? Is it okay if they flop at this age? They don't have sores or anything, they just seem thick and look tender and a little bruised.

 

[dobieman]

This post has me very worried. I hope that the ears were not wrapped so tight that the tips lost circulation and you have some dead tissue there. Not trying to scare you as I am not there but what you describe sounds bad. Ears do not have to be wrapped tight at all with the proper method. I would leave the ears down a bit and monitor it closely. If the tips have died you will need surgery and allot of after care. Hope I am wrong. How long were they wrapped and how long have they been discolored?

 

[jatango]

See the purple?

Doing his impression of Grandma Skyler.

Ears?

Heavy tips

I know he's peeing, but it's a decent ear shot

Is this okay? The tips touching like this when he's focusing?

Ear profile

More ears

 

[jatango]

This post has me very worried. I hope that the ears were not wrapped so tight that the tips lost circulation and you have some dead tissue there. Not trying to scare you as I am not there but what you describe sounds bad. Ears do not have to be wrapped tight at all with the proper method. I would leave the ears down a bit and monitor it closely. If the tips have died you will need surgery and allot of after care. Hope I am wrong. How long were they wrapped and how long have they been discolored?

I don't think they're dead at all, just a bit bruised. They aren't usually wrapped tight, I think the top just got a little squished.

 

[Burns]

Red's ears used to point together and touch tips when he pricked them up between postings too, so I made the bridge wider and looser so he had to use the muscles more on his own and now they don't tilt together anymore.

The tips do look a bit swollen or wrinkled - my guess is that the ears are either being wrapped too tight or the ear tips are going up higher than the posts. The tape should be not be wrapped tight around the ears - just tight enough to keep the posts in place - don't put tension on the tape as you are going around the ear. Distribute mild tension evenly up the entire ear, past the tips. The tips should never go up past the posts.

What kinds of tape are you using? I see you have vetwrap over the ears but what are you actually taping with?

 

[jatango]

The tips do look a bit swollen - my guess is that the ears are being wrapped too tight or the ear tips are going up higher than the posts. The tape should be not be wrapped tight around the ears - just tight enough to keep the posts in place - don't put tension on the tape as you are going around the ear. Distribute mild tension evenly up the entire ear, past the tips. The tips should never go up past the posts.

What kinds of tape are you using? I see you have vetwrap over the ears but what are you actually taping with?

In the meantime, I would massage the tips to stimulate blood flow and reduce swelling. You may need to have the ears checked out by a vet.

They really aren't taped tightly, I promise. I have been massaging the tips frequently and they're both looking better. The tape wrapped around the vetwrap is just paper tape. The vetwrap is just placed on the ear and taped with the paper tape. They're on the border of making me worry, but the improvements are making me feel better. I'll have my vet look at them tomorrow if you think I should. I'm just not sure if I'm being a worry wart or not.

 

[tjmom]

My opionion is that you should go to the vet and get a professional opionion. It is hard for us to say by looking at the pics and better to be safe than sorry. If there is an issue with the ears and you catch it early enough you will have an easier time to correct it than if you wait. Anytime something is a color that it should not be indicates a warning to check it out. Please let us know what the vet says.

 

[JavasMom]

DH wrapped Java's one ear a bit too tight and she lost just under 1/2" of the tip. I have never been as mad at him before then or since. (or at myself for not following my gut.) When she went in for her spaying (after first season), vet did a nip/tuck and trimmed the other to match. Her ears look great, you would never know there was an issue. But boy, I was worried sick when she was on antibiotics hoping that the infection didn't spread.

We finally used a solid foam tube insulation found at Home Depot or Lowe's - comes in a long coil, you cut to desired length, wrapped that in surgical tape and then taped her ears.

At the first sign of weepiness or a foul odor - very different from overheated puppy smell - get puppy to the vet. Java ended up being on a full (10-day) course of antibiotics. Have seen a Dobe at DP who lost a good part of ear to infection. Sorry - am really not trying to scare you here. I know how worrisome it is when you are taping a wriggly puppy to try and not tape too tightly.

Hope all is well!

 

[BackInBlack]

Go to the vet. That is the only problem with using vetwrap for ears. It shrinks..... The longer it is on, and if it gets moist, it shrinks. You have to almost put on loose, so that when it tightens up, it wont be to tight. It sounds like you lost circulation in the tips. They dont look "that" bad from the picture, but it is hard to tell from the picture.... I would go to the vet or contact your breeder and see what you need to do from here on out. You for sure want to keep the tips within the tape though, taping below them is another way to lose circulation.

 

[Patches Mom]

Worked in hospitals for years lost allot of IV sites because the Coban( Vet Wrap ) tightened up on its own you have to be very careful with it.
Think I would have the vet check it to make sure everything is ok.
Good Luck
Patches Mom

 

[sizzur]

Hope everything clears up with his ears.. His ears look pretty straight and nice by the way Like someone mentioned before, my pup's ears started to touch too when she would focus on hearing something, so I just made the bridge between loose.

 

[tjmom]

Just wanted to check in and see how your pups ears are doing?

 

[jatango]

Oops, sorry! It's been really busy over here. They look MUCH better. I was squeezing the base and trapping blood in the tips. I've been massaging them and using some vitamin E and they are back to normal. Whew! As expected, my vet didn't really know what to do with them, though he did look for free. <3 My family lives at that vet clinic, so he does little favors for us.

Now I know to massage the blood down away from the tips before I apply tape to the base. Now if I could only keep the bases in!!!

 

[tjmom]

Glad to hear that they are getting better.

 

[Julie W]

Hang in there, it's well worth it. He has a beautiful crop and he will look stunning when he's finally done. Well, actually he already does, but he will look even better without contraptions on his ears.

 

[jatango]

I DEFINITELY agree with that! He takes my breath away sometimes when those ears are down.