Cocker Spaniel Skin Problems
by Erna
They're mostly under his arms and lower abdomen. I'm using hydrocortisone spray, which helps a little, and have given him Vitamin A and fish oil supplements. I've also changed his food to Purina one salmon but it didn't seem to help much. He also has ear infections quite often. What should I do? Reply from Pauline (Web Owner) I’m so sorry to hear you’re having problems with your Cocker Spaniel. Firstly, I must point out that I’m not a vet. Second, from what you’ve said, it sounds like your dog may have developed an allergy. It could be a food allergy or an allergy to dust mites, pollen, etc. There are many things your dog could be reacting to – too many to list here. The problem is that recurring ear infections and skin problems can also be an indication of an illness or other health problem. My first recommendation is that you take him to see his vet so that any underlying illness can be ruled out. Once your vet has ruled out illness, and has diagnosed an allergy, you’ll be able to begin treatment immediately. If it’s a food allergy, you could try him on a commercially produced hyper-allergenic food – there’s plenty of reputable food manufacturers around – your vet will be able to give you a recommendation. Or, you could try an exclusion diet. This is where you only give your dog, for example, lamb and rice, nothing else, for 12 weeks. If the symptoms begin to subside, you will know that he’s not allergic to lamb or rice. Next, you begin to add different foods to his diet, one at a time, for example, chicken. If the symptoms return, you’ll know that he’s allergic to chicken. If they don’t return, you’ll know he’s ok with chicken. Then you try eggs, or salmon, or liver. This is not the end of it though, as your dog may be allergic to more than one food. You will have to continue re-introducing foods, one at a time. It’s very time consuming but if you decide to do this, please ask your vet for vitamins and supplements to keep your dog healthy. It may be easier just to feed him a hypoallergenic dog food. Cocker Spaniel Questions And Answers Return to About Cocker Spaniels - Homepage
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