If the seborrhea is greasy, then degreasers and keratolytic agents are more appropriate. Tar, sulfur and benzoyl peroxide are effective topical treatments to remove excessive scaling. Tar and sulfur are also keratoplastic and therefore, inhibit the excessive production of scales. These products have to be used quite often in order to be effective. The owners are usually able to tell how often the dog needs to be bathed.
Clipping is also an important part of topical therapy.
A thick hair coat like the one of a Cocker Spaniel will prevent the shampoo from reaching the skin. Therefore, it is crucial to the success of therapy that the hair is always kept very short. This will reduce the amount of shampoo needed, will allow better contact with the skin surface, and thus, will lead to enhanced efficacy of the applied treatments. The term retinoids refers to all the compounds, natural and synthetic, with Vit. These compounds have ability to regulate the proliferation and differentiation of epithelial tissues.