bumps on skin

Question
QUESTION: Over the past number of months out little girl, Cocker Spaniel is developing small bumps and scabby patches all over her body. We feed her Wellness for the most part. Sometimes Natural Balance as well as some cooked rice, boiled chicken, hamburger. I have been giving her a Benedryl capsule each night before bed to quell the itching and scratching. I was told that bathing her twice a month was too much. I thought I was helping but now I'm not sure. Thanks ahead of time for any help you may have, Rich

ANSWER: Who told you bathing twice a month was too much?  That's not true at all.

But first, I have a few questions.
How many of these bumps/scabby patches does she have?
Is her coat dry/flaky or oily.  Any odor to her coat?
Does the benedryl help at all?  How much are you giving her?
How old is she?

It's most likely she has a skin infection and will need a course of antibiotics. If you'll answer my questions I can help with topical approaches and tell you what your vet "should" do.
Delores




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

QUESTION: First off, thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. I was skeptical as to whether I would hear from you.
I will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability. A friend of mine who has a large white Newfoundland told me that bathing that much was not necessary. when I do bath Callie I use warm water, not hot. My vet gave me Malaseb shampoo and a creme rinse from the same company called Relief, (Pramoxine)and collodial oatmeal. I also use an OTC oatmeal shampoo from time to time.
As for a count of the bumps and scabby/scaly areas on Callie I cannot say exactly, but there is probably a good 30 or so. Her scratching has increased over the past few months as well. She will have periods of scratching and then not seem to be bothered much at other times. These are not concentrated in any particular area of her body but are scattered about down the back, behind the legs, on the chest, some on the belly.
Her coat is not shiny but it doesn't seem to be extremely dry either. She does not seem to mind me touching these areas and does not pull away or flinch when I rub her down petting or play with her.  
I would like to say the Benedryl helps but cannot say for sure as I give it to her just before bedtime .. a 25mg capsule. I am not anxious to drug her so much. She sleeps pretty well through the night, and a lot of napping during the day. We are both retired and not super active people therefore Callie does not get as much exercise as I would like her to have.
I would say no odor to her coat any more than a normal doggy odor.
She also has ear problems from time to time and the vet gave me ANIMAX to put 4 to 6 drops in her ears twice daily. I am not real religious about this but only do it as I see her scratching her ears.
Callie is a black & white (Party) Cocker Spaniel about 3 to 4 yrs old (we got her from a shelter and do not know her exact age). She weighs about 21 lbs at present. She is one of the best tempered dogs I have ever owned. Not a nasty bone in her body and rarely barks.
I hope I have not given you more information than you need but yet enough to help. Thanks so much again for a reply, Rich

ANSWER: Thanks for all the information, Richard.  The more, the better :)

Now first - Callie definitely needs to see a vet.  This skin is infected.  What your vet should do is take a few skin cells (using either tape or a skin scrape) - analyze the cells to determine if this is yeast or bacteria.  (And it could be both).  Then he'll prescribe an antibiotic and hopefully will know enough to prescribe it for a month.  It'll clear up within two weeks but meds for skin infection should be given two weeks past resolution.  Otherwise, you've put out the forest fire - but left a lit match going.

Malaseb is a good shampoo - unfortunately they're not making it anymore - but use what you have and bath her every 2nd day for a week.  Then every 3rd day - 4th, etc. until you find what she needs for maintenance.  You must leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes and then rinse, rinse, rinse.  Then rinse more!  The Relief is great to use for itching.  I'm surprised your vet didn't suggest this.  Your friend is right but only if the dog has no skin issues.  Callie's skin is infected and topical is key (along with meds) to kill it off.

The other thing I'd most definitely do is have her thyroid tested.  Simple blood test - no big deal for Callie.  Ask where it's sent - the answer should be Antech or Michigan State.
If she's hypothyroid, it can cause all these problems and she's just at the age where this should be ruled out.  It's very, very common in cockers and can cause seborrhea amongst many other health threats.  But it's a simple test and a simple fix.  (This is the very first thing a vet Dermatologist would do.)

Now her ears - what are you using to clean and how often?  And what are you feeding her?
I can recommend ear products that will end this.
Delores



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

QUESTION: As for cleaning Callie's ears, all I do is use a washcloth with very little soap and most times none. Then I use my finger with the cloth to get into the ear as far as I can without causing her any grief. I have only been doing this about once a week ... not sure just how much I should be messing with her ears. After this I put the Animax drops in her ears. I had been using a solution of rubbing alcohol, Gentian Violet and Boric Acid powder and spraying it into the ears but have since stopped using it ... don't have an answer as to why I stopped. I guess I thought the alcohol would burn or sting and I didn't want to hurt her.
Her feedings consist of Wellness, boiled chicken, boiled hamburger, cooked rice once in awhile, low sodium green beans, a few teaspoons of plain yogurt once in awhile. She does not get all of this all the time. I vary the food on a daily basis, ie: Wellness and greenbeans, Wellness and rice, chicken & rice, a little yogurt mixed in the Wellness, hamburger & rice, etc. Sometimes I will put some canned low sodium chicken or beef broth in the food for moisture.
I hope this is the information you are looking for and thanks again, Rich

Answer
Oh oh!  Not good enough, Richard :)

First of all - no soap.  Let's start from scratch here.  Every cocker has different ear cleaning requirements.  I have one that needs weekly - another that needs monthly, if that.

You need to get a proper ear cleaning solution (and I'd most highly recommend Zymox) and determine how often she needs it.  How do you tell?  Well - start with once a week - if you're getting no stain - extend the time.

But I want to know if you understand the correct way to clean.  You lift her ear straight up - fill the canal with cleaner - let ear down and massage the base of the ear.  (You should hear a squishing sound).  Then you get down there with a cotton pad/ball and clean it out.  I use cotton "squares" rather than balls.  Fold them tightly on the diagonal and you can get way down and see what's happening.  (A cloth around your finger won't do it).

The alcohol/gentian violet/boric acid sounds like the Zin Family cleaning recipe.  It's fine.

Now food - Wellness Core is quite okay (no grains) and adding boiled meat is fine.  No rice and please don't use any canned veggies.  They're loaded with sodium, so stick with fresh or frozen.
Same with canned broth.  Even the low sodium type is WAY too much for dogs. Yogurt is good.

You can make your own broth easily.  Just strain the water after boiling your chicken through a "kind of thick" cloth.  Refrigerate and only keep 2 days - but you can bag & freeze it.

And there's no point in sort of popping in Animax drops "from time to time" if she doesn't have an infection.  You need a really, really good cleaner.  I highly recommend Zymox (you can order online and I think AbsolutelyPets.com has the best price - $5.60 per bottle.  Vet Dermatologists just love this product.

But Richard, your girl needs to get this skin infection under control and she most definitely needs a thyroid test.  

So get that done - it's necessary.  Order the Zymox and I'll tell you how/when/etc.  Fabulous product.  Wouldn't be without it.  However, a lot of people swear by the Zin cleaner.
It's using it properly that will help...and you don't "spray" it into the ears - you pour it in and fill that ear canal.  
Delores