Dr. Ackerman’s Book of Cocker Spaniels Review

For almost as far back as I can remember, had Mitzie, my loyal, blonde American Cocker Spaniel. When I first got Mitzie, I was nine years old and she was barely two. After adopting her from our local animal shelter, my family and I discovered that, among some other problems common to her breed, that Mitzie had a mild-to-severe case of Epilepsy due to the terrible treatment bestowed upon her via her former human family. Fearful of being clueless as to what Mitzie’s conditions were, how to treat them, and what to possibly expect from her and her body as she aged, I began to look into books about Cocker Spaniels, as well as Veterinary guides about common illnesses in purebreds and what can be done at home to treat and/or prevent them. One of the books that I picked up right around that time was Dr. Ackerman’s Book of Cocker Spaniels, an ASPCSA approved, Veterinarian-written, comprehensive and easy-to-read guide to Cocker Spaniels. Better still, the book comes completely illustrated in color, providing visual aids to topics such as degenerative diseases found in the breed, breed history, how the Cocker Spaniels’ mind and body works, what to look for when selecting a Cocker Spaniel (breed standards), feeding and nutrition, first aid procedures, and much, much more. 

This book was most helpful in assisting me in becoming a responsible adult who keeps a dog as a full-time, life-long companion. While book does address basic things such as breed history, breed standards, and what, how and when to feed one’s Cocker Spaniel, it also addresses, in great, comprehensible detail more pressing and actual concerns such as genetic health problems that one may deal with when owning a Cocker Spaniel as well as whether these issues are treatable or not. For example, when Mitzie developed a prolapsed third eyelid gland in one eye, I knew that there was a surgery that could put it back in its place, but that it was an unnecessary surgery and that they eyelid was likely to pop back out again within a year or two. Similarly, when I found that Mitzie was having trouble seeing, I checked the book to discover that there was a possibility of her having developed Progressive Retinal Atrophy, which will eventually leave her blind, but that there is no known treatment for. 

When Mitzie had problems with fleas a few years back, Dr. Ackerman’s Book of Cocker Spaniels helped me through how to deal with the situation, and walked me through why she had the fleas, how to kill the fleas, and how to prevent future flea infestations. Additionally, the Book of Cocker Spaniels also contains incredibly useful, detailed information about how to administer first-aid procedures to any Cocker Spaniel at any time, for almost any given situation. This includes checking the dog’s vitals, how to treat and/or handle dogs that have received bee stings, are bloated, bleeding, have burns, how to administer CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), how to deal with chocolate toxicosis, choking, bites from other dogs, electrocution, drowning, eye injuries, having fish hooks or other foreign objects on or within the dog, heatstroke, poisonings, seizures, and much, much more! 

This book truly was one of the greatest aids that I had ever had while owning my Cocker Spaniel, and at nearly every point of our lives together, I found myself referencing it for something or another, and each and every time I found it to be helpful. This 96 page long book is definitely easy-to-read, easy to understand, keeps readers interested with the beautiful, full-color, glossy images of Cocker Spaniels from every age and stage of life, and, most important of all, is one of the most useful tools a Cocker Spaniel owner could ever have by their side! I definitely recommend this incredibly useful book to every Cocker Spaniel owner out there!

/ [Nioniel]

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