Hi, my staffy cross got massive ear swelling earlier this year and had to have it drained under anaesthetic. It has partially filled again and I am really worried. Has anyone else had this problem with their pooch?

No, but I've had a haematoma myself that wouldn't go away. It should heal up eventually, but you need to make sure your Staff doesn't scratch the affected ear or knock it against things. Mine wasn't big enough to need draining, but it was a real nuisance and kept getting sore.
Go back to the vet if it doesn't calm down.

Sometimes draining isn't sufficient and the ear has to be cut open, cleaned out, including any clots, then stitched shut with buttons over it (yes like the ones you button up your clothes with!) to ensure the ear flap heals flat and straight and doesn't crumple up into a "cauliflower" ear.
An aural heamatoma occurs when bleeding happens between the front and the back of the ear flap i.e between the skin layers of the ear, i.e a blood blister within the ear flap.
Scratching hard at the ear, or repeatedly shaking the head/ear hard can cause this bleeding. For this reason sore or itchy ear infections, water in the ear or ear mites can contibute to it, as can a knock on the ear.
The crumpling up and contracting of the ear as it heals is more likely to occur if it isn't treated. Once crumpled this can't be corrected later.

Thanks Mallaha. It was done and drained in Feb, but has just struck up again.
Trouble is she shakes and bashes her ears all over the place - how can you stop that? Maybe a crash helmet?!!
Seriously though, am a bit stressed it has happened again so soon.

Thanks Tass - shall I take her back to the vet? I just worry that that carry out a procedure, pocket the dough and do not come up with solutions for us!

One of my friend's spaniels had a major issue with this. She had it drained a couple of times, but ended up with an operation as Tass described (not sure if she had a button - was never mentioned!)

This did the trick for quite a long while, but it then re-occured. A second operation and she is OK at the moment.

Her big problem is water - can't keep her out. But then she shakes herself so hard. My friend will recall her out of the water now and rub her down with a towel (only person I know who walks their dogs with a towel slung over her shoulder) which has so far done the trick.

Once treated, unless the original cause was a knock to the ear - and knowing Staffies that could definately be the cause - you need to treat or prevent the trigger.

I would take her back as I like my dogs being pretty and the pressure can cause pain.
Sometimes they try to do the lesser procedure, i.e. drain it, as it costs you less and see if that works and only do the bigger, costlier op if nec.

It cannot be guarenteed that it won't happen again as if the dog does the same thing that caused it once it could cause it again.
I assume she isn't prone to ear infections or ezxcema (sp) in her ears making them itch as this would need to be sorted to try to stop her shaking or banging her ears.
If she's just a typically boisterious physically- insensitive staff who runs into things there isn't a whole lot you can do about that.

Stressmonkey they don't all use buttons as different vets have different styles or preferred ways of working, or they don't all think it's necessary, but when they do it is a line of buttons, the length of the incision, so the incision is held flat and prevented from contracting during healing by the the gentle pressure spread over the surface area of the buttons. They are simply removed along with the stitches.

If it's really bad, a lampshade collar might help temporarily.

Did they make you wear one when your ear was bad?

The haematoma was not on my ear, it was somewhere far harder to protect and more embarrassing to go to the doctor about.

Thanks Tass

I think my friend would have mentioned buttons, so probably her vet didn't use them. The Springer's ears look normal, but with that hair it is hard to tell.

Doesn't sound good!!

Springer's ears are much heavier and thicker than staff ears, and drop not rose, so possibly with all that the weight of the ear and gravity is enough to stop them contracting