If you’re a dog owner, then you know that dogs can be pretty messy. They can be a big hassle, from shedding fur all over your furniture to leaving their droppings around the house.
But one of the most common problems dog owners face is dealing with their dog’s ears. Specifically, how to get rid of dog ears after top surgery. While it’s not a complex process, it can be frustrating if you don’t know what to do. So today, we’re going to teach you how to properly clean and care for your dog’s ears after surgery. Keep reading for more information!
Many dog owners place their dog’s food on their mailbox or another sizeable outdoor box. This can be an issue for your dog, especially if he is a giant breed. Since your dog cannot eat his food out of the box it is placed in; there are chances that he will end up tipping the box over to get at the insides.
If you are concerned about placing your dog’s food outside, consider tucking it inside an old plastic tub with some holes drilled into it for ventilation.
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How Do Dog Ears Happen?
Dog ears usually happen because the skin left after removing a dog’s nipples is very tight and can easily be misshapen. How pronounced your dog ears end up being will depend on several things, including how much skin was removed from each nipple and how elastic your skin is.
In general, I recommend waiting at least three months before fixing any visible problems you might have with your dog ears – it takes time for scars to settle down and soften.
One of the most common mistakes I see in people’s after photos is that they’ve tried to do too much with their dog ears too soon. After surgery, it’s essential to live and heal within your skin envelope for a while before pushing out to create new edges or adding more folds, etc.
Also, since you just went through a significant procedure that took off large chunks of your body hair, you might be tempted to try shaving down your scar tissue to recreate the look of your pre-op chest.
This is generally a bad idea since fully healed scars will have less elasticity than normal skin – so when you stretch them back out again to reduce them further, there is a high risk of them tearing. So if you’re struggling with your dog ears, hold off shaving your scar tissue until they’ve softened more and the skin has had time to heal.
A Detailed Guide on How to Get Rid of Dog Ears After Top Surgery
Method 1: Tape
1. The first thing you can do to get rid of dog ears after surgery is to place your hands on each side of the seam and pull apart very lightly until you can slide a finger inside. It would help if you used a thin piece of tape or medical adhesive tape.
2. Then, take another small strip of tape and apply it to where your index fingers are, crossing over the thin strip that was already there for extra support. Make sure you allow about an inch past the end of the thin strip’s placement.
3. Stretch out your pecs while having someone else hold down the skin in between them (near the sternum) with one hand, and grab onto the top corners of your incision with tension using other hands incision stretches apart slightly.
4. And finally, tape the top of your nipple to the bottom of your pecs with another strip of tape across both sides of the incision so that it is tight and flattens down your scar line.
Method 2: Your Surgeon’s Recommendations
1. If you decide to go this route, follow all instructions given by your surgeon to get rid of dog ears after surgery. This may include a unique massage technique in which you place a small amount of pressure on the area around where your nipples are with both hands while massaging it in a circular motion at least twice a day for about three minutes each time. A pad or pillowcase can be used to add extra pressure if needed.
2. Your surgeon may also recommend using surgical tape to help flatten the skin until it is completely healed enough not to require tape anymore.
3. You can also put on a sports bra before your surgery and wear it for about two weeks post-op if you want the pressure of the material against your implants to help them settle into place better, even though this is only possible with submuscular implants.
Method 3: Massaging Regularly
1. This method will take between two and three months before noticeable results appear, but they should be more or less permanent after that time frame once the dog ears have been fully resolved. To do this massage technique yourself at home, cup both pecs between your index fingers and thumbs, with your palms facing up.
2. Then,+until you feel a little bit of resistance, but not so much that it hurts or feels uncomfortable. Release the pressure and repeat five times for a total of three sets.
3. After doing this twice daily while following all other post-op instructions from your surgeon, the skin will begin to lay flatter even without tape or a bra being worn since regular massage has been proven to help decrease scar tissue over time.
4. This is partly due because massage helps speed up blood circulation, promoting healing, reducing bruising, and encouraging soft tissues to move more smoothly over one another.
5. This is a particularly effective method for getting rid of dog ears after top surgery, as it is the foundation on which the other methods rely upon.
Method 4: Silicone Sheeting
1. This method uses small pieces of silicone sheeting (the same material used for breast prosthesis implants) that stick to your skin but can easily be removed until the scar tissue underneath has disappeared enough to allow you to go without them entirely.
2. To get rid of dog ears after surgery with this method, take a pre-cut silicone gel sheeting that will fit over where your nipples are and cut it in half lengthwise, then remove 1/4 inch from one straight edge so that it will fit around your nipple better.
3. Place the shortened side against your chest muscles while they are still warm right after having surgery or while you are still in the hospital so that they will mold more quickly to your body’s shape.
4. Repeat this for as many pieces of silicon gel sheeting as you need to cover the top half of each pec, overlapping slightly and making sure not to leave any open spaces between them where the sheets meet.
It is okay if they do not match up perfectly with one another or if there are gaps in-between them since their purpose is to smooth things over and flatten the skin out momentarily until it heals enough on its own without pressure later.
5. To hold everything in place, tape around the edge of each piece down onto your chest muscles where you can reach with your hands from either side, then use a longer piece of surgical tape horizontally across both sides of both incisions to hold the silicone gel sheeting in place while you wear it.
6. Repeat this twice a day and leave it on for at least 30 minutes during each session so that your body can absorb as much of its benefits as possible, such as decreased scarring and swelling, less pain, and an overall smoother appearance that will help other methods work better for you.
7. This method can be used alone but should not be combined with any of the others since they too exert pressure over time which will counteract the effects of this one. These methods will help in how to get rid of dog ears after top surgery.
Additional Tips
1. Don’t use tape or bandages for longer than six weeks straight because you are still growing, which can slow down the process. Keep in mind that there are many ways to reduce the effects of dog ears after top surgery.
When getting rid of dog ears after top surgery, always pick a comfortable size and avoid too much pressure when applying these compression garments.
2. Be sure to consult with your surgeon before trying any new steps on How to get rid of dog ears after top surgery because some things might not be safe for everyone depending on what kind of procedure is done!
3. Don’t be afraid to try new things to get rid of dog ears after top surgery! Compression garments are usually the safest option, but not always comfortable for many people!
Conclusion:
As we have seen, there are a few ways to get rid of dog ears after top surgery. The best way to determine which method is suitable for you is to consult with your surgeon.
By following the tips in this article on how to get rid of dog ears after top surgery and working closely with your doctor, you can ensure that your dog’s ears will disappear quickly and without any pain or complications.
