Cocker Seborrhea and Yeast

Question
QUESTION: I just started my cocker on Nzymes for yeast but now am wondering if it's really "just" seborrhea.  Maggie is about 8 years old and is a rescue.  She recently was dx with hypothyroidism.  She takes .3 mg of Soloxine twice daily.  She mainly has this yeast or seborrhea problem or both on her ears (which have been ablated) and paws.  Both are horrible and I've been bathing her twice a week for a couple of weeks.  She was eating Innova Evo but I'm attempting to change to Eagle Pack Holistic Line.  Problem with that is my small town here in Ok does not carry Eagle Pack and I had to order it online (too expensive!).  So, with that, my questions are, is it possible she needs to up her dose of soloxine, can seborrhea be secondary to yeast or vice versa and in trying to eliminate carbs (for yeast issue) is Innova Evo okay?  I appreciate your response as I want my girl to get better.

ANSWER: Give the Soloxine time to kick in.  She should have a T4 run in-house in a couple of months to check that the dose is okay.
If you see agitation/restlessness, excessive thirst, diarreah - then the dose may be too high.  Do NOT adjust dose on your own.

Good for your vet for checking the thyroid since this alone can be the cause of everything you describe.  And the Soloxine takes a few weeks before you see improvement.

What are you bathing with re shampoo?  If it is yeast on her paws I'd begin dipping her paws in 1/2 water and 1/2 plain white vinegar twice a day.  You can also use a cloth and clean her outer ears with it.

Innova EVO is a very good food but if you're using the kibble I'd "slowly" switch her over to mostly canned.

I'm assuming the problems are mainly with her ears and paws since you mention nothing else. If so, this isn't seborrhea but sounds like chronic yeast infection.  Using the right shampoo will help a lot and I'd recommend Nizoral (most supermarkets & drugstores have it).
Lather up her paws - leave on for 10 minutes - rinse, rinse,rinse.
Do that daily for about a week - then every 2nd day..plus the vinegar/water "toe dips" inbetween.

To dip the paws, have someone just pick her up with her legs dangling and put the mixture in a small container and soak one paw at a time.
Takes less than a minute.
Delores


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

QUESTION: Hi and thanks for the info.  I am using Miconazole shampoo.  

Why do you recommend canned dog food?  

When I said recently dx with hypothyroidism I should have clarified as it's been about 9 months.  She has been rechecked and the dose at last check was correct.  She has always been a tad yeasty but lately it's gotten worse.  I guess I should have her thyroid checked again.  She does drink a lot of water and is fatigued easily.

I will try the vinegar/water dip on her paws.

Thanks again!

ANSWER: I recommend canned for cockers with skin issues because of the heavy carb load in kibble.  Even the good stuff must be about 40% carbs simply because of how kibble is made.  Canned - about 8% carbs.

The yeast - the drinking a lot - and easily fatigued would send me to the vet for a check.

Do you know where your vet sent the bloodwork for testing?  Was a full 6 panel test done?  Either Michigan State or Antech are the preferred labs.  If he just did a T4 in the office, it's not likely to be accurate and most labs don't have the proper equipment to test
using equilibrium dialyses.

What dose is she on?
Delores

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

QUESTION: The Innova Evo bag says 12% carbs.  I do have some Eagle Pack cans and have been doing dry in the AM and wet in the PM.

My vet uses Antech and Michigan St for Thyroid tests and he did the Dr Dodd testing.  I'm going to keep shampooing for another week and see what happens.  I just bought the Micro Tek shampoo and spray today and can finally at least see her ears.  The tips are swollen.  If not better next week I'll take her in.  Thanks for your help!

Answer
You have to figure out what 12% means "on a dry matter basis" - they make it complicated - but that means about 40% carbs.

Glad your vet did the proper testing so at least you know that's okay.

Do the paw dip 2x daily and see how it is in a week.
Delores