Ear fissure occurs in breeds with floppy ears. It results from intense scratching along with violent head shaking, which causes the ears to snap. The ear tips are denuded of hair and often become bloody. With continued trauma, the tips of the ears split and a crack in the skin, called a fissure, appears.
Treatment: The underlying irritation, often an external otitis, should be sought and treated to eliminate the head-shaking. Treat the ear tips by applying an antibiotic-steroid ointment such as Panolog once or twice daily. If the fissure does not heal, it may need to be surgically repaired. Bandaging techniques that prevent ear movement may help speed up healing.