Expert: Delores Beck - 12/3/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I've just read a response in your web site about cocker spaniel problems and seeing a dermatologist, I've tried EVERYTHING, My girl was on allergy shots that I gave her daily for over 2 years that did nothing, I gave it an honest effort though, And your right, My vet puts her on prednisone and she is just awesome, no more itching, butt scooting or chewing her feet but as soon as I start to wean her off of them were back at the same thing. She is just the sweetest loving girl in the world and I want so much for her to live a comfortable life, our dogs are our kids! You mentioned 10,000 IU Vitamin A, I don't know what that breaks down to in milligrams but isnt that more than an adult human is required to take? I will get her started right away on that as long as that dose is safe and I will make an appointment for a dermatologist right away, if I can find one who treats dogs that is..
Do you still recommend Nizoral Shampoo also?
Thank you so much for your help.

ANSWER: I'd like to know a lot more about your dog's skin before you do anything.

You mention itchy..but does she have a dry, flaky coat?  Oily?  Any odor?  Skin infections?
Were they yeast or bacterial infections?  If she took antibiotics, for how long and which one was it?

How old is she?  Who prescribed allergy shots?  Has she been on a food trial?  What topical approaches were you advised to take?

And how did you vet diagnose her allergies?

I will say right now that prednisone is the road to Hell and will destroy her immune system.
Delores

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

QUESTION: You ask about her skin, At one point she did have some small dry areas but they have not returned after since she has been on thyroid medicine now for over a year because her weight was really coming on and she just did not have very much energy, so after the vet did blood work he determined her levels were off and she now has her energy back and is at a perfect weight as far as my vet is concerned, she does not have a dry flaky coat, it is oily but not what I would consider bad compared to my last 2 cockers, in other words, my hand dont feel oily after I pet her. The only "medicine she has taken is pred and that has only happened 3 times through her 6 years of life. Food, Oh my God, We've tried numerous expensive brands but there is very little change. As far as her itching, it is mainly in her chin area, you can tell that because she always wants to scratch it or rub it on something rough like a screen or something like that, She does have ear issues which I clean 1 - 2 times a week with epiotic and then put an Otic ointment in them, im not sure the full medical name of it but that does work for her ears and like all my other cockers she is near deaf now, we have learned that is common and when looking for her we looked for and found a very reputable breeder that neither sire or dam had any hearing problems but that didnt help, both her parents still have good hearing. Our last 2 cockers both lived well into their 16th year and Id hope for the same thing with her.
As far as topical approaches my vet recommended using the same otic ointment which does help some. But her and her licking and chewing her feet is terrible, not to the point of hot spots but she frequently chews and licks them.
I know the prednisone is bad too. When she was last on it she took one pill a day for 5 days the 1/2 pill a day for 5 days then 1/2 pill every other day which equaled 5 1/2 pills.
Allergy shots, My vet prescribed them after sending blood work to a lab that supposedly tested the blood to find what allergies she had.
You know as well as I do, everyone has "their own idea" of what is wrong and all we truly want is for her to be happy and healthy and maybe trust the "professionals" to much.
Thank you so much for your time.

Answer
So the itchy skin is basically her chin and her paws?  And she has fairly constant ear issues?

Okay..let's talk ears first.  I'd order some Zymox cleaner and their Otic Hydrocortisone-free med.
Vet Dermatologists love this product and my own vet uses nothing else.  You don't need a prescription and I order from EntirelyPets.com (just type Zymox in their search box).

The cleaner you use as you would any cleaner.  The med, however, you fill canal - massage ear - let her shake her head and that's it.  Do NOT clean out the canal.  You may want to wipe off her inner ear flap.  The cleaner alone often does the trick but if you're still seeing too much "gunk" then you use the med daily for a week. Do not clean during treatment. This stuff is amazing.  It will solve her ear problems AND save you a ton of vet bills.

Now, the skin.  I'd put money on this being yeast.  So using a solution of half water - half plain white vinegar, wipe her chin & lips 2x daily with a small, soaked cloth for a week and see what happens.

The paws I'd fill a BIG pan and just pick her up and dunk those paws in the water/vinegar (outside is less splashy :) 2x daily.  Just put her paws in - count to 5 - and let her loose :)
You should see improvement in just a few days.  And you can keep using the same solution in the pan until it gets dirty.

Yeast hates vinegar because it's acidic and this is exactly what a Holistic Vet would try first.

I'd also switch her to a raw diet.  This is far easier than you might think because there are wonderful new "raw, dehydrated" dog foods that you simply add water - wait a minute and serve.
The one I like best is Addiction and you may find a store in your city that carries it but if not, it's available online at OnlyNaturalPets.com and K9 Cuisine.
Use the Brushtail or the Fig'licious Venison because they have no grains which is always best for cockers.

And transition slowly.  This is a huge diet change.  But dogs go totally crazy over this food.
And for allergy dogs, it's especially good.  Start with 1/8 cup of food plus 1/8 cup water and work your way up.  It should take a week.

You have nothing to lose by trying any of this - it's all good!  Let me know when you get the ear products and/or the food and I'm happy to discuss in detail.
Delores