Your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's Skin



Posted: Monday, September 21, 2009

by John Jackson
GreatDogSite.com

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has delicate skin that can be easily irritated so always use caution when caring for him. When grooming, be sure to only use a brush for sensitive skin so that his will not tear. Another main skin issue would be the possibility of fleas and sometimes they are simply unpreventable. Yet it's pretty uncommon for any dog to contract fleas from other dogs. Usually, the cause is a cat or a wild animal that you dog has come into contact with such as a bird. Always take care of any flea problems as soon as you can to prevent them from spreading into an animal and house infestation.
Check for fleas regularly on your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Black or dark grey dirt on the dog's coat could be flea dirt, indicating that you may have a problem on your hands. Inspect dogs with long hair even more frequently than others-this includes your Cavalier.

Be careful around the ears, as this is where the fleas tend to congregate. Typically they will attach to the hair inside of the ears making it difficult and even painful to remove. A special flea comb in combination with the proper medication is the best solution. Flea powder and any over the counter treatment can be dangerous to your dog's health as they can clog and irritate the sensitive skin. It is instead recommended that you treat fleas as any other illness and take your Cavalier to the veterinarian for a proper prescription suitable for your dog. In addition, your vet should provide the necessary medication to rid your house of the critters as well. Also consider inspecting for possible culprits or places you're your dog may have picked up the fleas. By assessing the situation you may be able to prevent the problem from returning in a few weeks. Check all little crevices and nooks that your dog is highly interested in, inside and out. After flea treatment, if you still find that your dog is scratching excessively at the ears or elsewhere, give a second inspection as you may have missed some of the buggers in the cleaning process. If this is the case remove any missed fleas and if the problem continues, repeat treatment.

If your dog is continuously scratching and there is not flea in sight the cause could also be a bigger problem. First, check that your dog has no allergies or easily treated skin issues. If these are ruled out the culprit could instead be an inherited skin disease called syringomelia. The telltale signs of syringomelia include constant scratching, especially near the tail or ears. If you suspect your animal has this unfortunate disease, contact your veterinarian for a diagnosis and treatment.

Overall, most skin issues are avoidable through regular grooming and inspection of your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It may be helpful to keep in mind that longhaired breeds require more maintenance than the alternative. In addition, with such a small and delicate creature, it is essential that you become familiar with your dog's potential problems, keeping yourself up-to-date with current conditions.

This article was written by John Jackson and has been contributed by http://www.greatdogsite.com. For more information on the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, please visit our page http://www.greatdogsite.com/breeds/details/Cavalier_King_Charles_Spaniel/.
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