Content
- Common Cocker Diseases
- Cocker Spaniel Skin Disease
- Cocker Spaniel Eye Diseases
- Cocker Spaniel Ear Disease
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Cocker Spaniel
The English Cocker Spaniel is a breed of dogs that are extremely intelligent, sociable and therefore very close to the family. They are docile dogs, great with children, and therefore, one of the favorite breeds to have as a family dog.
Medium sized, the Cocker Spaniel was formerly used for hunting, due to its cunning and obedience. Its long coat requires care, and because of this one of the most common diseases that can affect this breed of dogs is Otitis, which is inflammation of the ear.
To learn more about this and others Common Cocker Spaniel Diseases, PeritoAnimal prepared this article for you.
Common Cocker Diseases
Due to the clandestine creation of dogs, many genetic and consanguinity problems can appear in the puppies, and that will be passed from generation to generation, if the proper measures are not taken with the neutering of the puppies.
At most common diseases that may appear in Cocker Spaniel are the diseases that affect the eyes such as:
- Cataract
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Glaucoma
Other diseases also common in Cockers are Otitis and Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
Cocker Spaniel Skin Disease
Skin diseases are often unrelated to heredity, although there are dog breeds more prone to developing certain skin diseases due to a genetic flaw in their immune system. However, most of the time, the main skin diseases that can affect the Cocker Spaniel are related to mismanagement, that is, as the Cocker's coat is long and wavy, they are dogs that require frequent baths and brushing.
Keeping your Cocker Spaniel's coat clean, brushed and free from knots in the hairs prevents a number of fungal and bacterial skin diseases. Bacteria and fungi can cause the so-called pyoderma, dermatomycosis or traumatic dermatitis, which are skin inflammations caused by these microorganisms, which cause the dog to scratch a lot, can cause hair loss, skin redness and even wounds.
Brushing should be done daily to remove any dirt from the hair, and the ears should also be regularly cleaned with care by the tutor. To help you, PeritoAnimal has prepared this article on Types of brushes for dogs, to help you find the ideal brush.
Cocker Spaniel Eye Diseases
Always consult a veterinarian ophthalmologist periodically, as eye problems can lead your Cocker Spaniel to blindness and be aware of any signs that your dog may not be seeing well, for this PeritoAnimal prepared this other article on How to know if my dog is blind , with tips on how to identify if your dog has eye problems.
Between the Most common Cocker Spaniel eye diseases they are:
Glaucoma: It is a serious eye problem and can lead to irreversible blindness if left untreated. Glaucoma is a disease that leads to increased pressure in the eyes. It's an inherited eye disease, so if you know your Cocker Spaniel's parents have or had Glaucoma, take your dog for checkups every 3 months to check his eye pressure. Treatment is through eye drops that help reduce eye pressure, or depending on the degree of the disease, surgeries may also be indicated by the veterinarian.
Cataract: Despite being a common disease in older dogs of all breeds, the Cocker Spaniel has a great predisposition to the development of cataract, which is also hereditary. Puppies do not go blind right away, as it is a silent disease and when the tutor notices, the dog's eyes are quite opaque and almost blind. Treatment can be surgical, depending on the degree of the disease.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy: It is a genetic and hereditary disease, it affects the cells that make up the dog's retina, which is responsible for capturing the light and shapes that make up the image captured by the eyes. In the same way that cataract is a silent disease, as it does not cause signs easily perceptible by the tutor, however, one of the first symptoms is pupil dilation in the face of light stimuli, and the dog is ''lost'' in the dark, until someone turn on the light.
Cocker Spaniel Ear Disease
Cocker Spaniel breed dogs are considered champions in developing Otitis, a disease that affects the ears and causes inflammation in the ear canal.
This greater predisposition is because the breed has long, drooping ears, and because they shower frequently, their ears end up getting moist and hot, which is a perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. To learn more about Otitis in dogs - symptoms and treatment, PeritoAnimal has prepared this other article for you.
As it is a very common problem, it is important to do regular cleaning of the ears and correct drying after bathing. Some Cocker Spaniel breeders have a custom of gently tying the Cocker's ears up during meals and after bathing.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Cocker Spaniel
This disease in general affects more large dogs, but among the small breeds most often diagnosed with the disease are the Cocker Spaniel, both American and English, and seems to affect more males than females.
It is not yet known why the disease appears, but it is a heart disease that affects the heart muscle, which becomes thin and weakened and does not contract properly. The disease can lead to Congestive heart failure, and the accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity and lungs, causing other problems.
As there is no cure for Dilated Cardiomyopathy, the treatment aims only to improve the symptoms of heart failure and blood pumping, reducing the negative consequences of this failure, which can increase the puppy's life expectancy.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.