cocker w/skin growths-

Question
QUESTION: Chazz started having little skin tags, then they started to look a little like bumpy warts and are light pink. They are growing all over with the largest on his head, and right cheek, under his ear. He scratches them and they bleed and scab over.  The one under his ear is the size of a hard boiled egg. I even see them actually start to bleed when I take him outside in the sun. The larger one smells.  I bath him, wash and treat them with peroxide. The vet has given me a spray antibiotic that seemed to work for awhile (but is wonderful keeping his ears free of infection) and even gave me an oral antibiotic that helps, but again not the solution.   He is 16-17 years old. Has had autoimmune for over 5 years and should not be here. He acts like a puppy, runs all over and up and down the stairs without a thought. He has pulled the ligaments in both his back legs but acts like nothing is wrong until he falls over-which he seems to find fun. Helppppp...he is so sweet,and been through so much I can't stand to see him look  so yucky the worst of it is my son says he smells like road kill.

ANSWER: He has Papilloma virus warts and the smell is "yeast".  Go buy some Nizoral shampoo (most drugstores even supermarkets carry it).  Nizoral is a favorite with vet Dermatologists.

Shake the bottle well - lather him up and leave on for 10 minutes (take a timer - it feels like forever).  Rinse-rinse-rinse, then rinse more with warm (never hot) water.

Do this every day for 3 days..then every 2nd day for a week. Yes, it's a lot of work.  

Now questions:
1.  Has your vet aspirated the large one under his ear?
2.  Why are you using a spray antibiotic in his ears?
3.  What is he eating?

Forget the peroxide and use plain white vinegar which will kill yeast.

Let me know what his ear issues are because there's an amazing product (no prescription necessary - it works on everything)called Zymox.  I'm never without it and it's the only ear line my own vet uses.  My own old girl's Dermatologist put me onto it and it's brilliant.  You can order it online and I get mine from EntirelyPets.com but I think 1-800 PetMeds has it too.

So do the baths - write me back about the ears- and let's keep darling old Chazz comfy :)
Delores

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

QUESTION: Thank you, I will try this today. (I have to go to the library to use the internet and that is usually on Sat.).
-No the vet has not aspirated the large one, should I ask her to do that?
-He was having a lot of ear infections and growths in his ears that started after I moved to NC in 2000. He had never even had an ear infection till then, we got him in FL in 1992, and moved to Pa in 1994. The vet treating him almost killed him and he had some hearing loss. My groomer noticed the growths that I had been telling Vet about. Groomer recommended another vet who gave put him to sleep and gave him an injection in the growths. He was much better after that but the infections continued to come and go.  My current vet gave me the spray for the skin warts and I just tried it on the ears and it worked he hasn't had one since.  
But the spray is $ 27.00 and doesn't go very far. I will try the Zymox.
-He eats Purina One-adult/mature, the lamb and rice or chicken and rice. And he eats a lot of carrots from the frig. I also give him a piece of banana, cantaloupe, and a grape or 2 (I know they are not suppose to have them, but he loves them and I didn't know when he first started eating them) but the fruit is maybe a couple times a week and not very much.
thank you, any and all ideas/suggestions are welcome and I will let you know how it goes with the Nizoral & white vinegar.

Answer
Purina is a really inferior food.  I strongly suggest changing to a premium food.  If you go to Naturapet.com you'll locate a store near you that carries Innova.  Any store that carries that will carry other premium brands.  (Innova - Innova EVO - Wellness - Fromm - Evanger's - Orijen).  PetSmart carries AvoDerm - Petco carries
Halo and Cesar Milan.  Don't feed an all kibble diet (unless it's Innova EVO - no grains).
NO grapes.  They can cause renal problems.  Go very easy with carrots - they're loaded with sugar

Please don't continue spraying a skin product into his ears.
Get the Zymox cleaner and both meds.  One is hydrocortisone (for red or swollen ear canals) and one is non-hydrocortisone (for the typical brown, gunky ears).

The cleaner you use as you would any cleaner.  The meds you put in the ear canal - smoosh - let dog shake head and do NOT clean out.

Your vet should have aspirated the large ear growth.  Otherwise he doesn't know what it is.  What aspiration is - just a tiny needle into the growth to removed some cells.  No big deal for Chazz.
Delores