{15jan2011: ears!}

As I mentioned yesterday, we're dealing with Darwin's little cut on her ear.  Ugh.  Thanks for the tips and tricks to bandage up her ear though!

I had taken her in because I thought she had an ear infection.  She does.... in her right ear. The same ear that has the cut. Can you see where this is going?
The vet tech cleaned out her ear and showed me how to put drops in.  Of course any touching of her ear or putting things in it prompts ear/head shaking.  Coupled with the nonstop rain we're getting equals more vigorous head shaking because the princess doesn't like getting wet.  Ugh.
As soon as her cut starts to heal up, she gets her medicine put in or goes for a potty break outside and immediately shakes her head and reopens the cut. Our house is like a mini crime scene with blood splatter everywhere.  Ugh.
But the good news is I've figured out a way to bandage the tip thanks to Aly from Tally and I "Macgyvered" a decent enough way to wrap her head.  

She was bleeding nonstop Friday morning after I put her ear drops in because she kept shaking her head.  Jason stayed home in the morning with her to try and tire her out before bringing her in, and after yesterday mornings post and other emails to ask about how to tape her ears down I ran to the store and bought gauze pads, selfadhering ace bandage (like vet tape), waterproof Nexcare tape, 59cent knee high hose and a $2 fleece headband/earwarmer.  

When Jason brought her in I taped the gauze piece to the tip of her ear with the waterproof tape.  Then I wrapped the ace bandage around her head securing her right ear down.  Then I used clear bandage tape I already had to try and tape the ace bandage forward on her head.  I was going to use the knee high panty hose to wrap around everything, but it seemed too tight so we nixed that idea.  Instead we used the $2 headband/earwarmer as an outer layer.

Dar was not happy.

I had called the vet earlier in the morning to ask about the whole taping thing and they said it's okay to tape it (I could even use liquid bandage stuff if I wanted to) but not to keep the bandage wrap around her ear too long as we want her ear to air out and not trap moisture which would make her ear infection worse.  So I unwrapped her head (which kept slipping back anyway), which she was thrilled about, and luckily (and surprisingly) the waterproof tape held on the gauze pad pretty well.

BTW.  See the pretty collar she's wearing? http://www.siriusrepublic.com/" target=_blank>Sirius Republic gifted us their new 2" collar to test out and review.  I was hoping to get some good pictures of it this weekend... but now with Miss Taped Ear she'll look like damaged goods in pictures!  Maybe I can get some left side profile shots only.