Opinion on ear crop

[Dobergoodfella]

Hello!

I am a first time owner of a dobie and wanted some opinions on his post crop healing progress. They were cropped about 9 days ago. Zorro is 13.5 weeks. The vet just checked Zorro's ears yesterday and said they look good. Was told next week he can get his stitches out. We were instructed to let them flop as they heal and to clean them 3-4 times a day worth warm water to remove crusties, I've only been cleaning them twice a day as 3 to 4 seems excessive. My concern is they are curving allot more then expected as they have been healing. I'm worried they won't be as straight by the time they are fully healed and we are posting. Do they straighten out and stretch once they are healed? Sorry for poor pictures, it's hard with the cone in the way...

 

[JanS]

Welcome from Minnesota!

Yes the curling is normal and you need to start posting as soon as the stitches are out and they're healed. With proper posting they will totally straighten out.

Here are a couple good step by step tutorials on it.

How to Post Cropped Ears (Video)

Finally had the chance to make this. Hope it is helpful to those new to posting ears. Feedback is appreciated.

doberman-chat.com

Doberman ear posting - improved method

Doberman ear posting - improved method Over the years I’ve been tweaking the basic backer rod method and this way of doing it is by far the most effective and easiest of anything I’ve tried, so now that we have a new pup for a model (thank you Albert), I wanted to put a tutorial together for...

doberman-chat.com

 

[Dobergoodfella]

Thanks for the reply JanS! That makes me feel so much better about this whole ordeal. Zorro is doing great, I just needed some reassurance. Thank you for the links, I will for sure check them out!

 

[Lizbeli]

Try not to stress! You have many months of posting a head of you that will get those ears straight. It does go by fast so stick with it! My boy had a completely folded ear and a curled ear when they were healing. So cute.

 

[Ravenbird]

Welcome from New Mexico! I agree with the statements above - watch the tutorials, don't stress out, stay diligent for the next few months & it'll all be fine!

 

[Ddski5]

When you do post:

Post in for 3-5 days though teething process. Usually ends 6-7months old.

Only let the ears out of post for approx 1hr to clean and air out…..no longer.

Good luck and ask questions if you need.

 

[Dobergoodfella]

That's great info everyone! Thank you all for the support. Caring for the pup after an ear crop has definitely got my work cut out for me but I'll stay diligent!! Already got the supplies for posting. Decided on cardboard Tampax and I bought the kendall porous tape off Amazon which some people have recommended. Here's a picture of Zorro the morning before his surgery.

 

[Panama]

Welcome from SE Alabama.

The cartilage appears to be healing in what some refer to as a "zipper" or cupping. Can't really tell in the pictures, but where it's curving, is it smooth (nice flat scar) or bumpy (kind of scrunched up)?

I had a pup with ears that were cupping. (Cropped just before I got her & ears weren't up on a cup).
I had to gently (but a little firmly) stretch the ear to prevent it from healing that way or continue to scrunch up, at least 2x a day. Yeah, it sounds vicious, but with a little mineral oil or even triple antibiotic ointment, rub it between my fingers and with BOTH hands stretch the ear (in a motion like your pulling a string in both directions at the same time).

Hopefully not your issue, but if it is, still simple to correct.

 

[Dobergoodfella]

Interesting, I would say ears are more smooth than bumpy. It just seams like the incision side has shrank as it's healing and has made to where when I hold his ear up, the tip is not able to point directly upward. I am hoping with a little massaging when we start posting they will stretch out into the correct shape.

 

[Panama]

Interesting, I would say ears are more smooth than bumpy. It just seams like the incision side has shrank as it's healing and has made to where when I hold his ear up, the tip is not able to point directly upward. I am hoping with a little massaging when we start posting they will stretch out into the correct shape.

Yeah, it looks like it's shrank (scrunched).

 

[JanS]

Already got the supplies for posting. Decided on cardboard Tampax and I bought the kendall porous tape

Perfect! The tape makes a huge difference and that's the one I use with great results.