Good Thoughts for Ava, Please

Thursday night Ava's ear started bleeding. She was under a blanket and something scared her, so she tried to get out and the blanket was tight around her, so she freaked out and when she finally got out of the blanket, one of her ears was bleeding. It really scared me, but I figured it was just a bloody scab. I cleaned her up and we went to bed.

Friday morning I woke up and went to the bathroom and found a blood spot on Ava's pee pad. I of course thought it was a bladder infection (ala Sophie) so I came out and checked on Ava in her bed. The whole left side of her head was bloody! The ear must have been bleeding all night - there was blood everywhere! Oh, it was so awful. So, I got a wet rag and a little doggie shampoo and cleaned her off the best I could. It didn't look so bad with all that blood gone, but I was still freaked out. Her ears just look so terrible and are so painful to her.

Right ear

Left ear

Later that day her ear started bleeding AGAIN and I decided I had to take her in. I thought I was probably overreacting, but I didn't want to chance it. And thank goodness I trusted my instincts. The doctor I saw was new to me, but he is the one who owns the practice. I really like him and he seems much more knowledgable. Unfortunately, he didn't have good news.

First of all, he is very concerned that there hasn't been any improvement in the ring worm, and he did another culture to see if he could find out anything more. We should hear back from that on Tuesday.

More importantly are the problems with the tips of her ears. He said they may be getting necropic because they are very dark in color and hard to the touch. He is worried that by her scratching at her ears that she has caused some blood vessel damage and that there is a lack of circulation. He commented several times that if it is what he thinks it might be, they may have to amputate her little ear tips. How horrible is that?? Her poor little ears!

So, he sent her home with a plastic collar so she can't scratch her ears anymore and some antibiotics in case there is an infection in those open sores. We have to take her back in on Tuesday to reevaluate and we need to monitor those ear tips to see if they get darker or harder or cold to the touch. That means the tissue is dead and they'll have to cut. :-(

Our poor baby girl!!

She really hates that cone, but she is dealing with it as best she can. I just sit with her and try to make her comfortable. She eventually snoozes off, which is good.

Anyway, please send good thought out for her. I really, really don't want to have her go through surgery!