panting/itchy cockers

Question
QUESTION: I have 2 black cocker spaniels, the girl is 8 years old, and the boy is 2 today. They are both black. They both eat twice a day, and they both sleep with me in the bed. I feed them Purina, but just switched back to it from Blue Buffalo about 2 1/2 months ago. Since my girl is older, she is shaved down, and groomed every 8 weeks, but my boy is in show coat and groomed every 4 weeks. My older gal has been bugging me lately because she won't eat in the morning, therefore, the pup doesn't eat because he does what she does. They wait until I get home from work at 9pm to eat, we go on a walk and afterwards, she pants ALL NIGHT LONG. She has a staph infection currently, I'm waiting for meds, and she is getting over a bad ear infection, which she hasn't had since she was 3. But this behavior started when I moved into a new home about 4 months ago. She sits and stares at me like she needs something, or sits by the door RIGHT after she did her business. I can't imagine what she wants, or what could be wrong. Why does she pant all night? I've tried everything: I turn the A/C down to 71 degrees every night, I have a bowl of water upstairs in my room that they have access to, as well as water dishes downstairs, I take her outside when she does this, and all she does is sit and stare at a bush that has lizards in it. I don't know what to do, but it drives me crazy, and I am getting worried. Please help! Oh, and the pup- I might as well have a vibrating bed at night because he itches all night long, and cries while he does it. No fleas, no staph infection, no signs of skin irritation, no yeast, and he has a beautiful long, shiny coat. Why is he so itchy?

ANSWER: At her age with a sudden onset of skin/ear issues plus behavioral changes,the very first thing to be done is a Thyroid Test (can cause all of this and is very common in cockers).  It's just a simple blood draw so no big deal for her and if she is hypothyroid the medication is very cheap.  Insist that your vet send it to Michigan State for analysis.

Purina is pure garbage so I'd switch to a higher quality, no grain food.

Re your itchy boy, the first thing I'd try is an antihistimine.  Zyrtec - 10 mg. TABLETS (not gel caps).  The first day, cut one in half and give in a.m.   If all is well, give the other half at night.  Then give one 10mg. tablet daily.  Give it a week - dogs don't react as quickly as we do.  (Do NOT give Zyrtec-D - the "D" means decongestant - one ingredient only on label and that is Ceterizine.

I'd also give him a bath - dogs absorb allergens through their skin so simply washing the allergens off can give instant relief.


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

QUESTION: Thank you Delores!

I'll make an appointment with my vet for Bozley, my pretty girl, and have that thyroid test done. I used to groom dogs a few years back, and assist at grooming shows, so I know all about thyroid issues and some symptoms, but I did not know that this is something that could change with age. What I mean is, if Bozley has thyroid problems, does it mean it's a sudden onset, or is it something that's been going on her whole life, and just decided to present itself?

And for Clive, I'll get some Zyrtec ASAP and try that out. He normally gets bathed once a week in either oatmeal shampoo, or lavenderm shampoo about a month before a show, to make sure his coat is in good shape. When he is being bathed this often, he is still itchy, and I have to brush him several times a day to avoid matts. As I'm sure you know, it's not easy to bathe a full coated american cocker! We will see if the Zyrtec helps.

I will switch them back to blue buffalo. See, my dogs loved blue, but my holistic vet said he would rather feed his dogs Ole' Roy, (Walmart brand), or purina over those expensive foods and I asked him why. he said they are all the same and you can call blue buffalo and all those expensive dog foods an they can't stand by their ingredients or something. He made a long speech, so after that, I switched back to purina, but maybe that's why they don't eat until I'm around, they don't like it?

Thank you again Delores!
Worried Cocker Mom

Answer
Thyroid problems can arise anytime but usually after age 3.  Is he having weight issues?
Either losing or gaining?  It's an easy test & an easy fix but definitely should be ruled out.
My own boys have a thyroid test annually with their Wellness check and for cockers, this should be something vets do automatically.

Try the Zyrtec and let me know if it helps.  One thing you can do for Clive is give him an oatmeal soak.  Aveeno makes it - a box with packets of pure colloidal oatmeal.  Take one packet & mix in a full tub of "just warm" water & soak him for 10 minutes.  (Which will feel like an hour :).  Do not rinse off, just towel him up.  Relief is cumulative so if it helps, the more you do it, the longer the effects will last.



Some vets (actually most vets) are sadly ignorant about nutrition.  Old Roy & Purina are total crap and if budget is an issue there are some really decent foods like Wellness CORE,
Blue Wildnerness, Organix, Nature's Variety, and Innova EVO.  Mix things up and don't stick with one protein.  For Clive I'd start adding a tbsp. of either sunflower or safflower oil
once a day.  Cheap foods often don't have enough lineolic acid which is essential for skin & coat.  Also too low in protein & full of awful "fillers" like corn & brewer's rice which are indigestible for dogs.

And yes, they're telling you they don't like it :).  Cockers are chow hounds and do love their food.

Keep me posted.