CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Feeding => Topic started by: Rhodri0311 on May 17, 2019, 01:16:38 PM
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I wonder if any experienced cocker owners could give me some advice.
Rhodri is three and for the last few weeks, it’s been a real struggle to get him to eat his food. He has kibble with a small pouch of wet food in the morning and kibble and chicken in the evening.
He’s fine in all other ways - loving his walks, crazy when anyone comes and still looking for his evening biscuit and dentastix.
The only thing is I don’t think his flea treatment is working anymore - I’ve only found a couple but he’s scratching and biting and I’m concerned that this is affecting his appetite.
I really don’t know what to do as we’ve always been so diligent with his flea treatment. He’s had a bout previously so we changed his treatment and sprayed the house. I don’t know what else to do as the spray is supposed to last 12 months.
Any advice would be so much appreciated.
I’m going to make an appointment at the vet next week but I’m always a bit sceptical about them (previous bad experience with another pet).
Thanks all x
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Firstly after years I have finally found a great vet, Ollie is 11 so gives you an idea. It is a small private vets with two partners - she is one with a couple of young vets too. So maybe ask folk you meet with a dog can they recommend you - that was how I came to find mine.
I was at the vet this week with Ollie and spoke with her regarding flea treatment etc, was concerned about using the Sereto collar as he is a very velco dog and sits on me/next to me - she comment that while she had no feedback to her she understood my concerns, we then went on to speak about Bravecto tablet which she uses on her dogs, she said that if I googled I would encounter lots of negatives regarding them, but the only thing she has found with her and other reports from owners is loose stools sometimes for a few days. With this I declined as Ol has always had a sensitive tum.
So has Rhodri recently had a tablet for fleas, or was it topical. Have you tried giving him a bit of something else to encourage him like pieces of chicken placed in his normal food or a few pieces sausage etc, Ol has always been a monkey hungry but wanting what you have type of thing, so I will drop a spoonful of gravy on top of his food with a snip or two of meat and down it goes. If it is that he eats something else then it is just a fussy cocker :D
Worth trying rather than jumping to other food brands just giving a bit of enticement to what he normally has and see it it works. I had this with mine and used this method, just if it works keep reducing it each time to get him back to just eating his normal food or you will have a demanding cocker who expects the added bits to be on every time.
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Thank you.
Rhodri has recently had his monthly flea treatment - we’re using Frontline at the moment, previously used Advocate but he had a few fleas so wondered if he had become immune to it.
I’m worried about trying Bravecto as I’ve read negative things.
With regards to his food, I’m going to try some sardines for his breakfast tomorrow. Evenings he has fresh chicken with kibble so I don’t know what else I could tempt him with!! I know I spoil him and I’m sure he’d eat when he’s hungry but I can’t help adding bits to tempt him.
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Perhaps take a pooh sample to check for worms? I believe fleas and worms are connected so its feasible if he‘s had a couple of flea bites that he‘s also picked up some sort of parasite? (I have Humph‘s pooh checked regularly rather just deworm)
Other than that, nothing obvious springs to mind. Hope he‘s back to normal soon! :luv:
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Thank you.
Rhodri has recently had his monthly flea treatment - we’re using Frontline at the moment, previously used Advocate but he had a few fleas so wondered if he had become immune to it.
I’m worried about trying Bravecto as I’ve read negative things.
I agree I have always wondered - but at least this vet had an open and understanding talk regarding it, whilst the previous chap more or less said it was that or buy something elsewhere. Advantix has always helped - but Ollie has had for 2 years so will use Frontline Plus when next buying
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Maybe try and catch a flea so the vet can check in the microscope what type it is and make sure the treatment is correct? Some types are easier to get rid of than others as I understand. Especially when it comes to getting them out of the house. I know with some types of fleas they recommend hoovering often and emptying the hoover every time. Fleas like to hide so getting into nooks and crannies is important, as well as hoovering matresses and sofas etc. Washing all fabrics that can be washed on 60 degrees, putting other fabrics in the freezer to freeze the fleas and then shake them off or rinse them off before the fleas thaw out and wake back up. Sounds like a full time job for a few weeks, but that's what they recommend here :dunno: I did some research a few years back when I found fleas on my dog.
If you are worried about trying Bravecto there are other options of tablets for flea and tick prevention. I don't think there is any reason to fear bravecto, I've asked many vets and none of them had seen any serious side effects, but I understand how you feel. I am currently using nexgard on my dog, it works in the same way bravecto does, but it only lasts one month. It felt less scary to try something that leaves the body a little bit faster.
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It may not be that your boy is immune to Frontline, my vet said that our local fleas were immune to it, it certainly didn’t work for us. In desperation I settled for a tablet which worked straight away, no side effect. I don’t treat continuously, because I read the small print which stated it should only be used for a year. So maybe it’s not tested for long term use? You only read the bad reviews on google, so it’s hard to make a judgment.
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What tabet would that be...I don't know of many (any) med tablets that don't have side effects albeit hidden
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Simparica. I meant it didn’t give my dogs any problem. The small print gives warning of “overdosing causing self limiting neurological signs, from which dogs recovered without treatment”. As it’s prescription only, the vet checked the dogs over, but he uses it all the time, no problems ever.
Googling brings up the horror stories, but who knows what the owner did. There are different tablet strengths for the range of dog weights, so it has to be properly prescribed as per the small print.
All I can say is that it cleared up mine immediately, after six weeks failing on frontline and flea shampoo. And household flea bombs. My daughter used Frontline plus and her dog was ill for a couple of days, so I was fed up with all spot-ons, some of which can also make resident cats ill.
Chemicals are a worry.
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Just to add, it’s monthly, whereas I think Bravecto stays in the system for 3months. I’m not so keen on that.
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I was told that Frontline had become ineffective when I had my last cocker - over 10 years ago! I’m surprised it’s still available to be honest. ph34r
If you are seeing fleas the it’s likely he has many, many more of them. I had an infestation on Archie a few years ago (thanks to a visit to my brothers d his 10 vats! >:() I used Indorex on the house and opted for simparica from the vet. (I too wasn’t keen on bravecto given the length of time it stays in the system.) Archie had it with no problems. The other thing I gave him and that I strongly recommend is Johnson’s 4fleas. It can be given at the same time as other flea control tablets and starts to kill fleas within 15 minutes. It can be bought in pet shops. The combination sorted the problem straight away.
https://www.johnsons-vet.com/catsdogs_4fleas.php
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Thank you Archie Bean - I’ll certainly have a look at the Johnson’s tablets.
We haven’t been able to find any fleas on him now for over a week yet he’s still scratching.
I had a good conversation with an assistant in Pets at Home at the weekend. We bought stuff and have sprayed everywhere including both our cars! He also gave us advice on the best way to use the spot on.
I’m still concerned about his appetite- he’s eating but breakfast is a no go, but he does seem more enthusiastic at tea time but I don’t think I can cut out the breakfast as he wouldn’t eat extra in the evening.
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Don't want to sound negative, but I would certainly double check anything PAH staff tell you...they seem to know very little about animals hence they frequently give wrong info AND the same with vets!
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Don't want to sound negative, but I would certainly double check anything PAH staff tell you...they seem to know very little about animals hence they frequently give wrong info AND the same with vets!
Couldn't agree more. I have a young friend studying to be a vet and I have asked her what nutritional training they get, and it basically an advertising blurb from Royal Canin. She said she sent the whole session thinking 'she is going to go nuts when I tell her!' :005:
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Depends on the school. At the vet uni in Budapest they do two full semesters of in-depth nutrition. It is one of the largest exams of the entire education and goes into detail on things like nutrition physiology, nutritional factors, relevant deficiencies and toxicosis in relation to nutrition, how nutritional factors are taken up and broken down in the body, composition of feedstuff, nutritional needs of different species and age groups, how to use nutrition in treatment of medical conditions, nutritional disorders, practical feeding, feed production and hygiene etc. Not all vets are the same, they have different schooling and different areas of interest. A veterinarians education also does not stop after college ;)
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totally agree that you never stop learning, but I was disappointed that this was left to pet food companies to deal with.
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All pet food marketing is written for the owners not the recipients.
I am no expert but similarly to humans the less processed and closer to nature dog food is the better. Again, as with us, time, convenience and cost all have a bearing on what is eaten.
Different dogs will have different results on varying diets...just like us too!
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I hate the heavy marketing of RC and Hills in the vet surgery. I don’t read dog glossy magazines but I’m sure they are full of sponsored articles like womens’ mags.
I am fed up that my small local pet shops, affected by PAH and Home Bargains, have a wall full of RC dog food for every breed of dog imaginable. These companies brainwash and treat owners like idiots.
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All pet food marketing is written for the owners not the recipients.
I am no expert but similarly to humans the less processed and closer to nature dog food is the better. Again, as with us, time, convenience and cost all have a bearing on what is eaten.
Different dogs will have different results on varying diets...just like us too!
Totally agree !
Bea is on renal food and I would be happier if she wasn't but needs must >:(
I learnt alot when she was Raw fed, I then whent on to Home Cook for her , so now she has that with the renal added, I do treat her to just home cook with a little salmon oil from time to time :luv:
Its about balance I think !
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I hate the heavy marketing of RC and Hills in the vet surgery. I don’t read dog glossy magazines but I’m sure they are full of sponsored articles like womens’ mags.
I am fed up that my small local pet shops, affected by PAH and Home Bargains, have a wall full of RC dog food for every breed of dog imaginable. These companies brainwash and treat owners like idiots.
To be fair, they also have the resources and experience to properly test the diets they sell. Which is why the vets choose to sell their veterinary diet lines. Vets have to be careful and can really only recommend products that have research to back up their quality claims. I agree the advertising is over the top and perhaps takes away some of their credibility by being so obvious money driven, but that doesn't mean their products are bad. Breed specific diets however, are pure marketing and complete nonsense. Age specific is useful, diets for different medical conditions are very helpful in treatment and maintenance of sick pets, which is why vets sell these lines and usually not the breed specific ones.
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I appreciate your reasoned answer, and certainly wouldn’t say the food is bad!
Having had a Spaniel living with epi for eight years, uk and US vets hadn’t much idea over correct diet until referred them to current research on Epi4dogs website, Hill’s ID with cereals and chicken is unsuitable but regularly suggested. My cocker with kidney problems refused the bland renal tins, and the vet could only suggest to google homemade.
I just recently groaned at a display of RC ‘Cocker recipe’ next to Schnauzer and Westie terrier versions...dogs of similar size teeth and weight.
Rhodri0311.. why not email for small samples from Millie’s Wolfheart or Eden? Their websites are good reading, and they are happy to talk about the different ingredients on the phone. Mine loved both .
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Good job you figured out the difficult feeding situations. I guess if you don't fit into the categories they create you probably have to rely on your own research and knowledge. I can imagine few vets have the time (or interest) to read up on how to create home diets. I'm glad I have this group to help me if I ever end up in that situation. Yes the breed specific diets are just silly, grouping the dogs by size is much more sensible, clearly just a gimmick! Sorry for going OT :blink: