my cocker

Question
QUESTION: My cocker, 10 years old, has been through so much.  Neck surgery at 2 years of age; chronic ear infections, resulting in ablation.  Now we are experiencing skin problems.  She is on a special diet and is taking Vitamin A every day.  We bathe her with Sebulex often.  Still no success.  The smell is horrible!

We have used medications from our vet in the past and have not had success.  The smell and itching seem to come mostly from her groin area and the scars on her neck and ears from the surgeries.  

I would appreciate any help.

ANSWER: Has she had her thyroid tested?  If not - that needs to get done.

If her skin is dry/flaky then Sebulex will help.  But if it's oily and has a bad odor then you should do an initial round of daily baths with Nizoral.

What special diet are you using?  How long have you been giving Vit A and how much?

How did your vet diagnose the skin infection?  

Here's what I'd do:
Use Nizoral (shake bottle WELL) - leave on 10 minutes - rinse extremely well.
Do this for 3 days in a row then begin to taper off to every 2nd day..3rd day, etc.

Use a final rinse of half water/half plain white vinegar.

While she's still dampish massage some Resi Keto-Chlor on her bad spots.
You can order this online.  I use EntirelyPets.com.

Also - get some aloe vera GEL (not juice) from a health food store.  I use Desert Lily.
If she's still itchy between baths - use that.

Bottom line - get her thyroid tested - do the baths/topical to give relief and let's discuss her diet.
Delores
p.s.  If your vet didn't prescribe the initial antibiotic for a month, it may well have bounced back.  Too many family vets prescribe to "resolution" and yes, in 2 weeks it looks fine but you've put out the forest fire and left a lit match.  Any Dermatologist will tell you that.

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

QUESTION: I don't believe her thyroid has been checked and will have that done.

She is eating Prescription diet d/d dry and canned with 10,000 iu of vitamin A each day. (absolutely no table scraps or treats)  She has been on this diet for about 8 months.

I don't recall how the diagnosis was made, but our vet calls it a typical cocker skin condition.  We have done quite a few rounds of antibiotics for at least a month at a time, together with Temaril.  

Answer
Science Diet is one of the worst foods on the planet.  It's a horror and I don't know how those people sleep at night providing this totally crap nutrition.

If the Vit A was going to help you would have seen improvement in two months.  So stop that.

Personally I'd change her food to the new "raw,dehydrated foods" like Addiction.  But most definitely her thyroid should be checked.

Here's what you need to know.  The test (a simple blood draw) must be sent to either Antech or Michigan State for analysis.  The "corner lab" doesn't have the equipment to do this properly.
So ask where the test is sent.  It's key.

I'd put her on a far different diet - this one will destroy her health and 8 months on this is a nightmare.  What this was supposed to accomplish is beyond me.
Delores