Always at this time of year my Westie gets itchy skin. We always have to take her for a steroid injection. Wondering if antihistamine might help her and can i just buy over the counter stuff from the chemist

thanks Jean

Hi jean, it could be due to fleas being rife at this time, someone else has posted a thread on westie skin also.  I wouldn't know if it was safe though to buy the tablets from a chemist, my father always does.  Also have you tried finding out the cause of her itching?   What food do you feed? 

Warm regards Susan

Thanks for your reply susan We feed wafcol chicken and corn as recommended by the vet. Rosie has always been on this. She is Gluten free for a dodgy tummy. We are taking her to the vet. I know this is my best option. Once again thanks for your response

jean

Just a thought, but corn can be an irritant too.

Its only this time of year she gets this we live in the country and are surrounded by feilds so im wondering if its coming from the the crop they grow rather than the feed . If it was food related shed have the condition all year

jean

At this time of year my Dandie Dinmont used to be badly affected by harvest mite.  They are tiny creatures, barely discernable as minute orangey/red dots.  My Cocker, walking in exactly the same terrain, was never bothered by them or at least no irritation was set up.  I learned I could prevent it by a small spray to the feet of Novan Top and a little sprayed onto a cloth and rubbed over the chest and under the chin every couple of weeks for the duration of the summer.  I'm not sure that Novan Top is available any more but I suspect a little Frontline spray may also work.

...could be due to the heat at this time of year...heat pushes on the body to release toxins (possibly generated in the gut) and because dogs don't have sweat glands to help remove them, they are forced through the skin generally at the extremities of the body (paws, face, ears, underarms and genital areas) with a consequence of skin ailments and itching. The answer is to detox the dog and rebalance the bacteria in the gut.

Hi Jean,

Yes piriton tablets bought at the chemist are okay for dogs.  My vet says that my dog which is a Bichon Frise, can have up to 3 tablets a day, 8 hours apart.  If you get them get the ones with 30 tablets in the packet not the one-a-day ones.  Our dog is also worse in summer and starts pulling some of his hair on his back end out.  We have tried numerous things to stop him scratching and he is now on Atopica but we won't know whether it is working or not for another couple of weeks or so.

Hello Jeanniedean. I have a westie who has been through all of this. Does your westie suffer all year round or just in the summer?

Gillie only once a year she gets it always the same time which made me think its the crops in the fields. However today Rosie has been to the vet had her steroid injection and she has been given cream. She also has her hat to keep her from licking.. We did ask about the crops but the vet said it could be the grass or anything.

Thanks for all your replies

JEAN