Of course, any time you find an unusual lump or bump on your dog, alarms sound in your head and you are sure it's something serious. However, dogs often get hard lumps behind their ears. Typically, it's a common, uncomplicated problem.
What the Heck is That?
Most lumps that are found on a dog's ear are fatty tumors, also known as lipomas. Lipomas are always benign, meaning they are not cancerous. Lipomas are comprised of fat deposits that sit under the skin, and they are not dangerous or painful for your dog.While lipomas can be removed if you find them to be bothersome, there is no medical reason to remove these lumps from an ear, unless it is impairing your dog's hearing. Also, even if you decide to remove the fatty tumor, fat cells always remain behind, which can allow the tumor to return in the exact same spot.
Sebaceous cysts are also the cause of hard lumps behind the ear. The sebaceous glands serve a very important purpose – they keep your dog's coat soft and shiny. The problem begins when the glands become clogged, much like the pores in human skin. The gland can become obstructed, causing oil to build up and a cyst to form.
The cysts may resolve themselves, but they also can burst. Sometimes lipomas remain under the skin and form as small lumps. If your dog experiences a ruptured cyst, it's a smart idea to have your vet check out the lump. The cyst may become painful and can even become infected. You can often avoid these cysts by brushing your dog's coat regularly.
Aural hematomas can also cause a hard lump behind your dog's ear. These fluid-filled pockets are most frequently seen in dogs with floppy ears, but they can occur in any breed and at any stage of life. Hematomas primarily develop when your canine companion shakes his head excessively.
They can also be caused by trauma to the ear ,or even the presence of a parasite. Fights with other animals can also cause these hematomas. A cat scratch or dog fight can create these hard lumps to happen. Allergies may also be the cause of hematomas, as are foreign objects, from fleas to foxtails.
Hematomas can become quite enlarged, especially in the case of head shaking, since the tumor itself can cause the head shaking to continue and even increase, thus increasing the bleeding and irritation that caused the lump in the first place. Hematomas can grow large enough to block your dog's ear canal and impair his hearing. Hematomas may require surgery to drain fluid from the cyst.
The small but nasty ear mite can also create tiny, hard bumps on your dog's ears. Ear mites are parasites that feed on an animal's blood. Their bites can cause a severe allergic reaction accompanied by itchiness, irritation, scratching, head-shaking, rubbing, waxy build-up, hair loss, and sores.
Mites are most often found on dog bedding, and spread quickly from one dog to the next, and are frequently found at kennels and pet hotels where bedding is often shared. If your dog develops these annoying pests, you will likely have to treat all animals in the household to deter them from spreading to other pets.
Not all hard lumps behind a dog's ear are innocent or easy to treat. Sometimes, invasive tumors do occur behind ears. One type of tumor that can affect the ears is a squamous cell carcinoma.
A squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can be described as a malignant and invasive tumor , frequently caused by excessive sun exposure. It primarily appears on dogs with light-colored or blonde coats. This type of cancer is often benign, and treatable if caught early.
Typical causes of a hard bump behind a dog's ear include the following. Look for the additional symptoms to assist you in diagnosing your dog's problem. It's recommended that you see your veterinarian prior to treating, as many of these disorders appear similar.
| Possible Reason for a Hard Lump Behind Ear | Additional Symptoms | Treatment Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Abcesses | Missing fur, loss of appetite, depression | Antibiotics, possible aspiration |
| Ticks | Scratching, red spots, crustiness | Remove tick, use preventative |
| Allergies | Missing fur, excessive licking and scratching | Steroids, antihistamines allergen avoidance, |
| Cyst | Pain, infection | Surgical removal |
| Hives | Itching, swelling | Antihistamine, steroids |
| Insect Bite or Sting | Pain, swelling, anaphylaxis | Antihistamine (such as Benadryl) |
| Canine Acne | Itching | Mild benzoyl peroxide |
| Fibroma | - | Surgical Removal |
| Fleas | Itching, hair loss, hot spots | Flea removal on pet and in the home environment, antihistamine |
| Hookworms | Itching | Treatment for intestinal trauma |
| Zygomycosis (Fungus) | Vomiting, pneumonia, jaundice | Surgery, potassium iodide treatments (this rare disease can be fatal) |
Fewer than half of lumps and bumps you find on a dog, whether on the ear or elsewhere, are malignant or cancerous.
Dog Hard Lump Behind Ear - When to Call Your Veterinarian
The general recommendation is that you should see the vet if the hard lump behind your dog's ear gets larger than one centimeter, has been present for a month or more, or is accompanied by other symptoms (see the chart above). While most lumps are benign, some are not. The longer you wait to get the bump checked out, the more difficult the situation may become and the mor expesnive and intense the treatment may be.The next step your veterinarian is likely to take is to aspirate the lump to evaluate the cells under a microscope so that it can be looked at under a microscope.
A fine needle will remove some fluid from the lump, and it will be examined for malignancy. There is no other way to determine this, as visual inspection of the bump cannot reveal this information.
The aspiration process is quick and inexpensive, and can be performed without anesthesia .Benign tumors may not need to be removed right away. If the mass is not causing pain, irritation or bleeding, and is not infected, there may be no reason to remove the tumor. Malignant tumors will require surgery to remove the tumor. This option gives your pet the best chances at recovery.
Finding a lump our your furry friend's ear, or anywhere on his body, can cause stress and upset, but knowing that most bumps on your dog's ears are harmless and treatable can give you some peace of mind. Just don't assume that if your dog has a hard bump behind his ear, that it doesn't require attention. Vigilance is your friend when it comes to the care of your best pal.
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