I wsa wondering if any westie breeder might be able to offer me some advice.  I have a lovely little west highland white female (3.5 years old) who has developed "the westie skin ailment" and I'm at my wits end not knowing what to do for her. She contacted harvest mite last year which developed into an itcy skin ailment and my vet treated with steroids.  This year, however, she got harvest mite again (even though I treated her with Frontline every 3 months) and then the itching started in earnest. The harvest mite have gone but she continues to itch.

She scratches constantly, her hair has thinned and is gradually falling out in little lumps and her skin is pink and sore.  My vet has seen her twice and she's had two separate dozes of steroids + antibiotics (she didn't take very well to the steroids and became quite poorly). I've now changed her diet to a natural one (raw meat and veg - organic) and am giving her extra vitamins: evening primrose oil, zinc, vitamin c, and sulphur (recommended by a homeopath).  Other than that, she is in good spirits but I wondered if, as a breeder, you could offer me any advice.

A reply would be most appreciated.

Kind regards
Trish Jackson

Hi There,

I swear by "Malaseb Shampoo". I personally hate to see a dog pumped with steroids, long term I don`t think the treatment helps. You need to break the itching cycle and bathing your westie regually, including regular trims should help. You don`t by any chance use carpet fresherners in your house? These are lethal to use in the home for skin problems.

Hope I have been helpful!

If you do a search on this site for posts by fourpaws, you'll see that her dog improved after not clipping but stripping, and a change of diet.  It's important to deal with these problems from inside as well as finding any external causes.

I know how you feel - our Bichon has allergies too and is constantly scratching his ears and making them bleed on the outside :-(  He was at the vets again nearly two weeks ago and has finished a course of antibiotics and steroids and although his scratching isn't too bad at the moment no doubt it will return when the effects of the pred have worn off.  I have tried different hypoallegic foods and different supplements but nothing seems to make much difference.  I am keeping him off chewing the hide chew sticks which he loves because I have read that they could be a cause of his allergy.  He has a chicken filled bone at the moment which he insists has to be with him at all times.  Have you tried Piriton to relieve your dogs scratching.  Our vet said our Bichon could have up to 3 a day - 8 hrs apart - they might help a little (get the ones with 30 in a packet though not the ones with 7 in because they will be too strong)  I have also started to bath him in Hibiscrub once a week.  Are her anal glands full - because our dog needs his emptying every couple of months and if they get full this can make them very itchy and uncomfy too. 

We recently tried Atopica tablets but unfortunately they didn't work for our dog.  They are quite expensive at £28 for a packet of 10 but they should start working within 10-14 days although if they haven't worked in the first month then there is no much use in carrying on with them.

Good luck and I hope you find something that works soon - if you do let me know please :-)

Hi

Val is right regarding hand stripping but by the sounds of it your poor Westie hasn't got much hair left!

Try looking at http://www.dogforlife.co.uk

I use their products and they are very, very good and natural.  You can speak to 'George' who is very, very helpful and will be able to assist your problem. 

I have used their products on many a dog with problem skin and have seen a vast improvement.

Many thanks for all your replies and suggestions - I'll try the hibiscrub as I've heard great things about it.  Since my last email I've changed Belle to a raw food diet plus additonal vitamins, and so far - whilst it hasn't cleared it she isn't getting any worse and she's a lot livelier than she has been for a long time - so fingers crossed!  I'm taking her to the vet on Saturday to have her anal glands checked as she's nipping at her bum as though she's been stung and the last time she did that she needed them cleared - so,  hopefully, that'll help.  I'm also going to have her allergy tested and it'd be good if something shows up there - at least I'll know what to avoid.