Expert: Delores Beck - 8/11/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Delores Beck,
My Cocker Spaniel is six months old and I found some red spots around her ear area 2-3 days ago, and she scratches that area constantly. I bought Tomlyin Fungisan for her, but it doesn’t work effectively. The bad news is I find some new red sport at her stomach and leg. The red spots are more like itchy rashes, but I am not sure.
I want to take her to the vet this afternoon, could you suggest me a reliable vet or vet Dermatologists in New York City area or is there anything I can do to reduce the suffering from her? Thanks a lot.
Here is some information about my cocker.
The food I feed her is Orijen puppy(dry food) with Evanger’s Organic chicken(can) and Grizzly Salmon Oil
She is on Revolution for flea control.
I often bath her once a week(or ten days) during the summer, and use Nutri.Vet Puppy tearless shampoo or Four Paws Magic Coat Flea & Tick shampoo.


ANSWER: Before you see a vet - get to a health food store and buy a bottle of PURE aloe vera GEL (not juice) and rub it in generously wherever she's itching as many times as she needs it.  (It's okay if she licks it).  I use Desert Lily.

Origen & Evanger's are great foods so you're doing a good job there
and Revolution is my own choice for fleas and heartworm.

I'd bath her again and buy some Aveeno Oatmeal (it comes in a box with packets of powder..read label..100% colloidal oatmeal).
After her bath, mix a packet in tepid water in bathtub and soak her for 10 minutes.  Don't rinse off..towel her up and go off for a walk.

Let me know if that helps.  This could be anything from an insect bite to a transient little rash.
Delores

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Delores,
Thank you for your prompt reply. I’ve already bought both Pure Aloe Vera gel and Aveeno Oatmeal.

After the soak by using Aveeno Oatmeal, she looks better, and doesn’t scratch that often. The question is do I need to soak her everyday after bath or how many times should I soak her per week? And how do I know if the rash is totally recovered? Do I still need to see the vet?

I’m thinking of to take her to the grooming center because her hair is long and thick, do you think it is a right time to do it here or I have to wait until the rash is recovered?

Thank you and I really appreciate that you’re taking the time to answer my questions.
Flora

ANSWER: Okay..so the oatmeal soak is relieving her discomfort.  That's good but I'd also apply the aloe vera gel on the specific spots. (Like the spots in the ear area).

At the moment the goal is relief and to get her to stop scratching and making things more irritated.  You can only wait and see how often you need to do the soak..often the aloe will do the trick.

I'd hold off grooming for a couple of days and just keep an eye on things.  Most often, if you can control the scratching, these things will resolve on their own.

For any areas she cannot lick - you could go to PetSmart and get some hydrocortisone cream.  Use sparingly.
Delores





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Delores,
I took my cocker to see the vet last Wednesday since she has used hydrocortisone cream and aloe vera gel for several days and didn’t see any effect. The vet didn’t find any reason that cause my cocker skin rash after the diagnosis, and she gave me two medicine - Benadry and Simplig Rouy (antibiotic) and one ointment(Animax) to see if those help.

After using that medicine and ointment, Aveeno Oatmeal, and aloe vera gel for couple days, my cocker still scratches the skin rash continually. I often find some new spot on her head, and most of the skin rash (new and old) around her head area (face, ears, neck) and it is hard to soak her head by using Aveeno Oatmeal. The problem is the skin rash doesn’t seem to be controlled, and it still red and some area are scurfy.

I am so worried about my cocker, and I heard about that hypothyroid problem would cause skin rash too. Is that true? Could you give me some advice or suggest me a good vet. Thanks a lot.

Answer
Benadryl is an antihistimine and it may help.

Are you bathing daily?  Soaking in oatmeal for 10 minutes?
don't even try to soak her head...just use the aloe vera.

Yes, thyroid issues can cause this but not at 6 months old.

Use the Nizoral shampoo (most drugstores/supermarkets have it) - leave on for 10 minutes - rinse her VERY well and then do the oatmeal soak.

You can ask your vet for a referral to a Vet Dermatologist.

Also - when you bath her - put cotton balls in her ears.

Delores