hi my ddb bitch is now 18 months and has a skin problem it affects her ears eyes and redness around her mouth and chews her paws and scratches ,i have had tests and have come back as no mites she is on steroids 4 a day which has helped and her ears are nice and cool and eyes are better and she has stopped scratching she has been on steroids since january and everytime i take her off them it all comes back and i want her spayed but cannot as she is on steroids is there anyone that can give me a sollution as i am pulling my hair out

This sounds very much like an allergy, so you need to find what causes it. Steroids will never cure the problem, only hide it. I don't know if it is the same in dogs but in cats long term steroid treatment will almost always lead to diabetes in the end so personally I would never use steroids long term -it did happen to a cat of mine and also the cats of several other people I know.

The most obvious cause of allergies is of course the food. Have you tried changing the food? You need to use a new food at least 6 weeks before you will be able to tell if it has helped or not. I have one dog that can only tolerate one certain type of canned food and nothing else, everything else brings him out in spots and sores and he itches. The second thing to look at is the environment. Any carpets that have been treated to be stain proof, for instance? I had several dogs itch like mad when we moved into a house where the carpets had been treated. We tore them all out and the itching stopped. The dog's bedding, is it washed in a washing powder that could irritate? Things like this you need to consider and one be one eliminate them. Personally I'd definitely start with the food.

I'd ask for a York Test to be done. Blood test to test for indoor/outdoor and food allergies too before you go any further, if mites have been ruled out.

Or if your vet cant do it, ask for a referral to a Dermatologist.

Just a thought, Demodex mites are really hard to find and tests very rarely find these mites as they bury deep into the flesh beneath the skin and are not surface mites, so a specialist visit would be wise if it is proven not to be an allergy.

January to April is long time for a vet to leave a young dog on steroids - what does he/she feel the next step is?

I too would suggest you ask the vet tp check for allergies using the York Test, it might not rule everything IN but it would certainly rule some things OUT and give you another point of reference to establish accurately the problems she has.  If it's allergies it's important to understand if it's caused by food or external allergens, like pollen, as the treatment will be different

With regards to your spaying question do take some advice from breed specialists about the best age to do this.  Certainly 18 months may well be considered a bit young in some breeds

what are you feeding her on?

Yes ther other posts are right it sounds exactly like an allergy.

Firstly try an exclusion diet to rule out food allergy, only a small percentage of dogs will respond to this but its such an easy fix its well worth a try. You must feed only the diet and it should only be one fit for the purpose (your vet will advise & provide one) something like purina HA. Not just a change of food, it must be a novel protein.

You can use steroids & antibiotics for flare ups but If the allergy is year round, you can try Immunotherapy, you will need to have allergy tests done by a dermatologist,bit costly but essential - they will then make a vaccine specifically for your dog, injected every few weeks under the skin in increasing doses, you can be shown how to give these (tiny needle, piece of cake) 30% of dogs this will be all they need to resolve their symptoms, another 30% this will reduce their symptoms, so they need less steriods & antibiotics and the other 30% of dogs wont respond. Definitely worth a try, mine was about £160 for 10 months supply. An absolute godsend for dogs that respond fully, or partly, no side effects (unlike steroids)

If the immuno therapy fails you are left with atopica, it can have side effects and you will hear horror stories, but at this point you really dont have another option. My dog has had absiolutely no side effects and the Atopica has been a godsend. BUT it is very expensive, however the alternative is frankly nothing!

Allergies can't be cured, and there is often a frustrating and expensive process of elimination to go through to find the best treatment for your dog. We are left with trying to control the symptoms.

Even if you find out what your dog is reacting to the reality of keeping them away from it is tricky (grass, pollen, dust mites etc) dogs are often allergic to more than one thing.

If you are insured ask to see a specialist dermatologist, I did and it saves money in the long run (appt was £135 ish) they know exactly what they are doing. Most good Dermatologists will offer an advice service for your vet to call them for help with your case, ask you vet to call one.

Apart from a York Test, your vet should also do a comprehensive thyroid test - and don't let your vet tell you that young dogs don't get hypothyroid; they do (my spaniel was 18 months when diagnosed but showed the symptoms from under a year). Hypothyroidism can often the be underlying cause of allergies and skin problems.