Best way to treat cut ears

I have a cocker spaniel that is often called upon to enter and work in thick brambles. My only concern is that one day she will get a cut on her ear. I’m told these injuries bleed profusely. What’s the best thing to do if this happens?

In my experience, it is relatively rare for breeds that carry a lot of ‘feather’, such as spaniels, to injure their ears in this way.

Nevertheless, ear wounds do bleed profusely and tend to appear worse than they really are because the dog inevitably shakes its head as a consequence and blood splashes the surrounding coat. In such circumstances, bandaging the ear on top of the head will help to stop the bleeding.

To do this, apply some antiseptic powder to the wound before you apply the dressings. Put some padding on top of and beneath the ear flap — the gauze pads often included in first-aid kits are ideal. This will cushion the ear while it’s strapped up and helps to absorb any blood until the bleeding stops.

Use a soft, pliable cotton crepe bandage whenever possible because this will mould to the contours of the head and neck more easily than a stiffer, plain cotton bandage.

Start by wrapping the bandage diagonally across the head, so that it subsequently goes down and comes back up each side of the head in front of and behind the left and right ears in a figure-of-eight fashion.

Don’t apply the bandage too tightly. Make sure you can pass two fingers easily under the bandage, but make sure it can’t easily unwrap.

Remove the bandage after 12 to 24 hours, by which time any bleeding should have stopped and you can continue to clean up the dog. If the ear starts to bleed again, re-apply a bandage and seek veterinary attention because the wound may require stitching.

Similarly, if you subsequently find that the ear starts to swell, there may be blood collecting in what’s known as an aural haematoma and your dog should, again, be seen by a vet. TB

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Due to the ‘feather’ they carry, it is unusual for spaniels to cut their ears while working cover