Caring for
your Cocker Spaniel's
Skin and Coat

Disclaimer: the information set forth below is based on personal research and experience as a pet owner. I am NOT a vet, and there is no substitute for good veterinary care. Use this information as a starting point for your own research, and CONSULT YOUR DOG'S VETERINARIAN.

Below are articles on:

• Dry skin and poor coats: the advantages of proper diet and supplementing with essential fatty acids
• When YOU are allergic to your pet

Dry skin and poor, brittle coat

Everyone admires the lustrous sheen of a healthy, thick coat on a cocker spaniel. Especially when that beauty is sporting a full skirt! But that lustrous sheen is more than just a desirable appearance, it is the reflection of hair and skin that are properly nourished and well condidtioned. Cockers with dry skin and coats suffer from the same intching that humans do. The dog's scratching and chewing can result in further irritation or even infection.

One easy remedy is to take a second look at what you are feeding your dog. Generally, supermarket-grade dog foods are inferior to those sold at pet stores or by veterinarians. Iams, Hill's Science Diet, and Nutro Natural are all excellent dog foods available at the PetSmart and PetCo superstores.

There are several websites that analyze dog foods and explain how to read the labels. Understand exactly WHAT you are feeding your best friend. If the label says "lamb and rice", for example, is there really lamb in there? Pet Expo is one such website. My personal favorite is "Understanding Dog Foods and Dog Food Labels". The Animal Protection Institute (API) has a very thorough report/shopping guide on their website. A lot of my Internet friends and fellow cocker spaniel owners swear by the "natural brands" of dog foods such as Flint River Ranch and Hund-n-Flocken. And of course, your veterinarian is an invaluable resource.

Another answer is to supplement your dog's diet with essential fatty acids, specific types of polyunsaturated fats. In veterinary medicine, dry skin conditions are usually helped with oral supplements given directly to the animal or mixed into their food. These supplements increase the levels of moisture and fatty acids in the skin while stimulating new hair growth. Some examples of these supplements are: DermaCaps, Lipiderm, Gold Caps and IN Nutritional supplement. There is no one product that is best for every pet. You may have to try one or two to see what is going to work for your Cocker, but if a product is working, the results will be apparent in 4-5 weeks. Remember, these products are working "from the inside out" and their benefits start within the deep layers of the skin and hair.

These products and others like them are available from the Drs. Foster and Smith pet care catalog, PetSmart and many other pet supply retailers. Again, it helps to discuss options with your veterinarian.

Drs Foster and Smith have a wonderful article which includes charts and graphs about the various types of essential fatty acids available and what the benefits and uses of the products are on their website.

Human Allergies to Dogs and Cats

By Joe Bodewes, DVM, Drs. Foster and Smith, Inc., Veterinary Services Department

This article will help you better understand human allergies to dogs and cats. While we spend a lot of time discussing pet's allergies we often forget to mention people's allergies to pets. There are thousands of people who suffer from allergies to animals. Some of the most heartbreaking cases I see are people who dearly love a dog or cat and then develop a severe allergy to her and must decide between keeping her and suffering daily, or placing the pet in a new home. Fortunately there are several options for pet owners that have allergies to animals.

Who Gets Pet Allergies?

Pet allergies can strike anyone at any age in their life. Most people that suffer from pet allergies often have other mild or moderate allergies to pollens or molds. There is believed to be a strong genetic correlation in contracting allergies. In other words, if your parents have allergies then you are likely to have them also.

What Part of the Animal am I Allergic to?

People that are allergic to animals are often allergic to the dander (dead skin that is continually shed), the saliva, or the urine. I myself have a contact allergy to cow's blood but nothing else. Because dogs and cats are the most common pets, they top the list of animals that people are the most allergic to. However people can also be allergic to birds, hamsters, rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, and the larger animals such as horses, goats, and cows. As people that suffer from allergies can tell you, there are often certain types of animals that they are more allergic to than others. In addition there may be certain animals within a given species that they are more allergic to than others. This appears particularly true with cats.

What are the Symptoms?

People with multiple allergies are well aware that when their allergies are acting up, they will suffer from itchy eyes, runny nose, asthma symptoms, red itchy skin or a rash. Often people that are unaware that they have allergies, especially children, will suffer from some of these symptoms and may have a greatly increased incidence of 'colds' and asthma symptoms. If the person is separated from the animal for several days to weeks many of these symptoms will subside only to reoccur when they come into contact with the animal again.

Are there any Hypoallergenic Dogs or Cats?

There are no hypoallergenic dogs or cats, nor are there any dogs or cats that don't shed. All cats and dogs shed, some dogs have a much denser hair coat then others and shed a larger quantity of hair then those with a thin hair coat. But since the dander and not the hair is the problem, shedding isn't that important in allergy control. Some breeds, in general, appear to have less dander and these include poodles, terriers and schnauzers. As we mentioned earlier, many people are allergic to certain types or individual animals and not others.

How Can I Reduce Allergic Symptoms to my Pet?

If you or a member of your family is part of the 25% of our population allergic to pets, there are things you can do to help keep allergic reactions under control and make your home a much more comfortable place to live. Even if you don't have allergies these tips are helpful if you have guests in your home that are allergic to animals.

We spend from one third to one half of our time in our bedrooms. By keeping the animals out of the bedrooms at all times we can greatly reduce the symptoms of pet allergies.

• Install a good "HEPA" air cleaner.
• Close the ducts to the bedrooms and use electric heaters.
• Clean and vacuum regularly.
• Bathe the pet weekly.
• Don't allow your pet on the furniture.
• Don't allow your pet in your car. (Or use car seat covers when your pet is in the car.)
• Brush the pet daily and use an allergy reducing spray such as Allerpet.
• Keep your pets skin healthy by feeding a good multivitamin such as Vitatabs and a fatty acid supplement such as Vitacaps. (See above)
• Wash your hands after handling the pet, its toys, bed, etc.
• See your physician and discuss possible immunotherapy or medications.

Summary

Telling an allergic pet owner to just not have a pet or to get rid of their own pet is not a realistic option the majority of the time. The same holds true for telling people that are allergic to animals to just avoid them. Animals and pets are a very integral part of our lives and it is impossible to avoid contact with them. By adopting some good management strategies we can help allergic pet owners keep their pets. At the same time, even if we don't have allergies ourselves, with a little empathy and consideration on our part we can make life much easier for our friends and relatives who suffer from allergies to our pets.

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