Skin Problems on Cocker Spaniels: The Do's and Don'ts for Healing

 

 

At Golda’sGrooming we’ve been noticing a lot of Cocker Spaniels with skin problems. It turns out this isn’t so uncommon for Cockers. Unfortunately, after doing some research on the issue if you’re poor Cocker is one of the unlucky ones to have skin trouble it could be a variety of factors causing this issue and may take a lot of work and patience to reduce the problem. This does tend to be somewhat of a permanent issue in a lot of cases, because it is very often related to allergies. Allergies can range from environmental to internal via food and water consumption. Yes, even poorly treated water can stimulate allergies. Although, we didn’t find any studies to prove this it has been documented by pet owners that filtered water can help. Never underestimate the power of good food and water.

Looking for other ways to improve your pup’s skin? Try an all-natural food. Grain fillers can cause yeast problems and your dog may be allergic to grain. Fish and Lamb tend to be our dogs preferred meat content, no red dyes either. After trying everything for a dog with a sensitive tummy including name brand foods such as Iams, Pedigree and Science Diet, actually ended up being Ingles Lassie Lamb brand. After trying this food it was the last time our dog with severe skin allergy chewed at himself uncontrollably and his sensitive tummy handled it well. It has no fillers or dyes, is all natural and is considerably less expensive than the other name brands. The only complaint we have is that the only store we’ve been able to find it in is Ingles.  You can also try hand feeding your pet with fresh cooked chicken, fish, lamb, beef, rice or potatoes to implement an all-natural diet just remember to NEVER feed your dog pork products because pork destroys the lining of your pet’s stomach and can cause severe diarrhea.

Lastly, try humidifiers to increase the moisture in the air which may soothe skin irritation and bath your dog regularly in an anti-itch microbial shampoo. We often use Miconazole for fungal infections and to eliminate scaly itchy skin at Golda’s Grooming which has proven some effectiveness against flaky, irritated skin in Cockers. We have also used Chlorhexadine with some effectiveness against these types of problems. The trick is to let your pet sit for at least 10 minutes after applying to make sure the active agents in the shampoo have time to do their magic, then rinse, rinse, rinse. You can also apply an after rinse for itchy skin once the dog is washed. This needs to take place once a week until the skin is showing improvement. If you still feel the need for an ingested medication it's always good to try good old fashioned Benedryl first. We've given one a day to our dog for years and it has seemed to help with the scratching.

Other treatments can be provided to your dog from your local vet for allergies, but often times the all-natural treatments above if used with persistence will persevere in the end gaining back your loved one’s healthy sheen. Treatments from vets often include steroid shots, pills, and creams which can cause both short and long term effects in your pet.

Short term effects can include:

• Increased thirst and urination
• Increased hunger
• Panting
• Loss of Energy
• Development or worsening of infections
• Nausea or vomiting

Long Term Effects:

• Urinary tract infections
• Poor wound healing ability
• Obesity due to increased hunger
• Muscle weakness
• Skin spots
• Pre-disposition to diabetes

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website. Golda's Grooming "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here: Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet