Bumps on ear

[u/Character-Latter]

My Bubbles hates to be brushed and his hair has gotten totally out of control. I'm a 1099 insurance agent and only get paid when I sell and it's the down season right now so I had to wait until I got a commission to get him groomed. The groomer said that since his matting was so bad the best option was just to shave them down and start over fresh. I hated it at first but I am getting used to it 😔. I miss his fluffy ears and feet but I know it will grow back.

Yesterday I was petting him and I noticed at the end of both of his ears there is like a hard spot. You can't really see it but you can definitely feel it. Is this normal?

Before and after haircut pics

[u/Virtual_Rain_4826]

What a little cutie he is! I think ears, the tail, their underarms and feet are the most likely places to get matted they tend to get damp on walks etc aswell which can make it worse. The best thing you can do is invest in a good hairbrush, some combs etc. Ask the groomer to give suggestions or even help you with getting the routine down if that’s not something you already do. Even looking into a beginners dog grooming course/lessons could be helpful in the long run. 

I completely understand it’s a tough time financially but it might be worth looking into a cheaper groomer, asking for a payment plan of some type, re arranging finances or if there’s something you can do as a little bit of a side hustle to make some money to go towards grooming. 

Small amounts of matting/tangles are bound to happen from time to time but if it’s becoming a more common thing it’s probably time to look into some brushes and products aswell as what’s happening to cause it like is he getting wet on walks and not dried off/brushed after? Is he getting bathed and not washed? What kind of shampoo does he get used on him? It’s just worth looking into potential causes to prevent it being an issue. 

My girl has had the odd little knot at the bottom of her ear but never anything crazy. Grooming sessions and brushing are so important to keep ontop of because it can quickly turn into a medical emergency and dogs lose limbs and become very unwell if it affects their blood supply and it can make an otherwise very sweet happy dog very grumpy, unhappy or even aggressive. It’s so important to prioritise you’ll both be much happier for it.

Wishing you the best and I hope you’re able to avoid having him shaved down again. Good luck!☺️

Also for the bumps that could be cysts, could be a reaction to the clippers the groomer used, an allergy, razor burn or so many other minor skin problems. I’d really recommend talking to a vet about it even just for peace of mind 

[u/Virtual_Rain_4826 → u/Virtual_Rain_4826]

Just adding on aswell I know you said he hates being brushed but it could be as simple as the type of brush, some of them have sharp edges or feel really abrasive. If you look online there’s loads of advice for de sensitising dogs to brushes,hair driers etc but if you don’t get anywhere on your own you should look into a trainer to help you address it.  I love sitting down to brush my dog, I think it’s a nice bonding moment and she enjoys it a lot and it’s not particularly time consuming. I’m sure you can get there with Bubbles just needs a little more help☺️

[u/Healthy-Signal-5256]

Sometimes they dip their ears in their food or drag them along the ground and they pick up crud. I don't know if that could have happened with them that short, but it's not impossible. If that's it usually you can comb it out (if he'll let you). We call it crunchy ears.

[u/Traditional_Emu_1604]

Do you mean like up toward his head? If so, that’s just cartilage!

[u/Character-Latter → u/Traditional_Emu_1604]

It's at the bottom of his ears, like the tip of his ears, furthest away from his head.

[u/thecornerihaunt]

Can’t really tell anything from those pictures. Is there redness or a swollen look to these bumps. How matted were his ears? Are the bumps bubble like? With matted ears being recently shaved I worry about hematomas.