sores around groin area

In my experience with cockers, it isn't uncommon for them to have very sensitive skin.  If you read the ingredients in the RX food, they aren't so good.  You might want to look for a food with NO corn, wheat or soy, no grain fragments and no grain glutens.  I won't say these are allergens, but quite often cause sensitivities.

There are a number of REALLY excellent high quality foods, that probably won't cost anywhere near as much as the RX stuff that isn't as high quality.  Innova, Solid Gold, Blue Buffalo, Wellness among many others.  Most can be found in either Feed stores (think hay and oats) or smaller pet shops.  Blue is available at both PetsMart and Tractor Supply everywhere and some PetCo's as well.

Edited to add:  A couple of my cockers were on Panalog cream for YEARS, and you are right, it isn't great.  If I had known then what I know now about nutrition they would have had much healthier lives and a lot less discomfort.

 If I'm remembering right, the little guy is on Z/D, isn't he? The ingredients to that are horrifying, and scary, BUT there is nothing else like it. My Emma has been eating it for 9 months, now, and it completely eliminates the food allergy factor.

Has he ever been allergy tested? Have you changed laundry detergents? Floor cleaners? I recently got a Shark steam mop, and it's AWESOME! Clean floor, with nothing but water!

I have had incredible success with TCVM with my dogs (particularly my cocker who has THE worst skin of all the bad-skin dogs I've ever adopted *sigh*)

TCVM is Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine -- I'm not talking about ditching your regular vet, but rather specifically using a TCVM vet in addition.  Acupuncture can be incredible help for allergies and skin problems, and the Chinese herbs can be absolutely awesome -- particularly for skin stuff.

 http://www.tcvm.com is the Chi Institute and there is a locator on the left side if you want to find someone near you.

If you want to email me I'm happy to help you out -- I can tell you that TCVM has been an awesome help to Billy.

jennie_c_d

 If I'm remembering right, the little guy is on Z/D, isn't he? The ingredients to that are horrifying, and scary, BUT there is nothing else like it. My Emma has been eating it for 9 months, now, and it completely eliminates the food allergy factor.

Has he ever been allergy tested? Have you changed laundry detergents? Floor cleaners? I recently got a Shark steam mop, and it's AWESOME! Clean floor, with nothing but water!

A little OT, but I've been thinking about getting a Shark or something like it.  What model do you have?

My dog had something similar (other than being female....but she had sores in her private area and belly) and it was a staph infection.  Basically her body doesn't tolerate the staph bacteria that naturally live on her skin, so if she gets sores, bug bites, itchies...these allow the staph in and then her body reacts.  I think the sores are common in this area because it is more exposed so when the dogs get bug bites or get irritation from running in grass or whatever, they are affected there most easily.  Antibiotics help her BUT it needs to be a strong enough dose, otherwise the staph can become resistant.  Maybe ask the vet for a higher dose and use it longer?  Her first dose cleared up her problem but I know other dogs with the same problem that need a stronger and/or longer dose.  In her case, she needed oral antibiotics.  No topical gel or medicated shampoo would have been enough, same for any "holistic" type of treatment.  Her infection grew quite severe.  It may not be the same thing she had, but if it could be I would go back to the vet.  The longer it is not treated strongly enough the worse it gets.

Thank you all for the info.  Jake is on Hill's prescription zd ultra food.  I did talk to his vet a little while ago and she said it is most likely allergy related.  She has seen his sores many times.  She told me it was fine to use the Panolog Cream as long as I need and to use Ketochlor shampoo twice weekly on his underbelly and see if this might help prevent it in the future.  If it doesn't go away, he will need oral antibiotics again or Prednisone.

He has been allergy tested back when he was a year old via a blood test which showed positive for many foods and had an environmental allergy blood test which he only showed to be allergic to different molds.  Can the food allergies ever go away?  Like if he was allergic to chicken back when he was a year old, could he still be allergic to chicken?  I know these blood tests are not accurate though.

Also, how would I know what bacteria the sores are, for example, how would I know if it was a staph infection compared to another bacteria?  The vet said we could biopsy one, but I'd hate to put him through that.

Thanks again,

Michelle

 I would think they could swab it and culture, but I don't know. My vet has always just looked at them, and given medication, and it's always cleared up immediately. Do look for a TCVM doctor, though. They are truly awesome!!! And, in my experience, allergic to chicken is always allergic to chicken, at least for Emma.

My Shark thingy just says Steam Mop. It doesn't have any model number that I can see. It's PURPLE! It makes the floor REALLY clean, REALLY fast, with just water. It's thrilling, especially with Emma being allergic to dust and human dander (and me having allergies, too). 

Shelley75

Also, how would I know what bacteria the sores are, for example, how would I know if it was a staph infection compared to another bacteria?  The vet said we could biopsy one, but I'd hate to put him through that.

Not sure, my vet just knew by looking at it, and knowing the dog's previous health (she does not have any known allergies, no other skin conditions).  I actually thought she had ringworm and the vet said it was a good guess but he said "I know exactly what this is" and told me it was a staph infection.

I know a little about it because I actually have the same problem (I get sores on the back of my head) and take the same antibiotic as my dog.

 Shelley; have you tried preventative maintenance? Jessie used to get the red bumps around her vulva (she has many allergies also). I found that wiping the area with a product that has chlorhexidine kills bacteria and yeast and prevents infections from developing. I really like this product;

http://www.discountpetdrugs.com/nedoch3pspa3.html

 My vet recommended it and I can use it anywhere except for inside her ears. 

 My personal dog used to suffer from this. When I originally took him to his first vet, they said it was environmental allergies, and gave him some antibiotics every time it flared up. It would only flare up in the summer time, so we agreed it must be seasonal environmental allergies. My vet also said it was a staph infection. I got some good advice online about keeping his bedding clean and dry (frequent washings with no fabric softener and scent free detergent), frequently "rinsing" him off so any allergens wouldn't stick around and irritate him, and giving him anti-itch baths at the first signs of itchiness, so that he wouldn't irritate the skin with scratching and cause the staph infection.

Anyway, a few years later, he now has almost no issues in the summer other than occasional itchiness (cleared up by an anti itch bath). My new vet explained it that he probably no longer experiences staph infections because he is now fed a higher quality grain free food than he was previously when he got staph infections. He said that dogs have a "threshold" for alleriges (both environmental and food), and that if you keep him below his allergy threshold, he doesn't have any issues. But that ADDING food allergies to his environmental allergies in the summer was causing him to go "over threshold" so to speak. I hope I explained that correctly! Allergies generally don't get better - they generally tend to deterioate and get more severe over time, and the animals become less and less tolerant of what they are allergic to.

I would personally see about converting him to a home made (raw or cooked) diet containing no grains.

tenna

He said that dogs have a "threshold" for alleriges (both environmental and food), and that if you keep him below his allergy threshold, he doesn't have any issues. But that ADDING food allergies to his environmental allergies in the summer was causing him to go "over threshold" so to speak. I hope I explained that correctly! Allergies generally don't get better - they generally tend to deterioate and get more severe over time, and the animals become less and less tolerant of what they are allergic to.

  You explained it beautifully, and isn't it great to have a vet that understands how allergies affect your dog? Changing vets really helped Jessie too.

tenna

I would personally see about converting him to a home made (raw or cooked) diet containing no grains.

 Z/D is a food they CANT react to. It's so broken down, that the body doesn't recognize it as an allergen. Emma looks awesome on it, after 9 months. Every other diet I've ever fed her has had something she was allergic to in it (literally) and I just didn't know.

Janice, I will definitely look into the product you sent from 1800 pet meds.  Thank you. 

 And yes, Jake can't be allergic to anything in the z/d, but I'm wondering if it's his treats that he might be allergic to.  It has rye flour, honey, egg, vegetable oil, dried apples and dried cranberries.  He seems to lick himself no matter what he has for treats, but he can't be allergic to everything!!

Jennie,

How long are you planning to feed Emma z/d?  Jake's been on it for a few years now.  He eats the wet.  What do you give her for treats?