Swollen Ear

Just before we left the vet hospital today with Rosie (saga in Rabbit Chinwag!) I noticed one of her ears was quite swollen. It's just like a "thick ear" really - feels heavier and bigger than the other one, and it's a bit inflamed. We took her back in and the vet had a look (they didn't spot it before they discharged her ) and she said that there did seem to be an oedema inside the ear, near the top.

There's no sign of a bite mark or anything like that, and no discharge. Nothing else is swollen either. She seems to have developed it while in the hospital, and I don't think it's anything to do with the line she had going into her ear when having her investigations done.

It doesn't seem to be bothering her, and she's on 2 types of antibiotics for her lung problem, so that might be beneficial. She's also on Metacam.

Anyone have any ideas or heard of anything similar?

Did they take any blood from that ear as well

What was the line going in delivering because that really seems the most likely candidate and it's either a reaction to the needle or to whatever was runniong in the line.

I've seen similar in dogs before though I think that was an aural hematoma rather than an edema and had to be let out to relieve the pressure. Is the ear hot to the touch...(or hotter than the other unaffected one).

I know they took blood, but I don't know where from.

I'm not sure what the line was delivering - would it be the anaesthetic? or something else maybe? I just heard them mentioning a line in her ear.

It is a bit hot to touch, and redder than the other one. She seems ok thankfully, although the drugs she's already on may be helping.

I'll keep an eye on it and call them if it gets a lot worse or seems to be bothering her.

I imagine it's either a reaction or a slight infection, in both cases hopefully the antibiotics should help, though a cold compress may bring the swelling down. If they took blood and she has no shaved patches on her forelegs it's likely the blood was taken from the ear vein too, in which case it's probably feeling a bit tender.