we have a westi age 10 yrs old who has a skin problem,eczma, allergy ??,I have spent a fortune at the vets on various treatments antibiotics blood test ,anti histamin injections and tablets ,antibiotics,shampoo flea treatments etc etc.
she has lost all hair on her chest and neck and is constantly scratching.
any advice on treatment remidies etc would be appreciated.

We have a Yorkie and his skin is sensitive. We gave him a flea treatment once and he broke out in a rash. When we bathe him, we use Johnson's baby shampoo...it worked wonders. His skin is perfect now. Also a tea tree oil or gel may help.

Aloe Vera Gell is also good for soothing & to stop them scratching (a bit) while it calms down. Tea Tree is also fab and they smell lovely too.
I use Baby shampoo 2 it is load cheaper than normal dog shampoo.

Try vitamin E capsules maybe?

Has she ever worn a shield to stop her scratching the area? If not, it could be a case of the scratching leading to irritation, leading to scratching, and so on, and giving the area time to heal (and creams/meds/etc to work) might make the difference in the long run.

The only other suggestion I can come up with is diet analysis.

we had the same problem with our's years ago roughy

my mum gave up on throwing money at the vet, so I started giving him a bath once a week in diluted savlon antiseptic disinfectant - which sorted the problem out

I can't say it'll cure your's, but given how cheap it is compared to some of the gunk the vets prescribe, it's probably worth a shot

if you choose to use aloe vera gel, check it isn't reacting and 'burning'. It's fantastic stuff for most things, but it can occasionally cause a burning sensation on eczema

Have you tried any of the prescription diets? I now buy the intestinal one for my cat who had such a sensitive stomach and IBD and it had worked a treat. They do a skin a one and you dont need prescription like you used to. I get mine from vetuk. I did check that it wouldnt have any ill side effects 1st as all my 3 eat it and was told if fine for all adult animals to eat.
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=62_65_266&products_id=1324

Aloe Vera Gell is also good for soothing & to stop them scratching (a bit) while it calms down. Tea Tree is also fab and they smell lovely too.
I use Baby shampoo 2 it is load cheaper than normal dog shampoo.someone else said baby shampoo with teatree oil added.i am going to try that.

Has she ever worn a shield to stop her scratching the area? If not, it could be a case of the scratching leading to irritation, leading to scratching, and so on, and giving the area time to heal (and creams/meds/etc to work) might make the difference in the long run.

The only other suggestion I can come up with is diet analysis.i have bought her a little coat in t shirt material put her that on when im out,she was on a dried food up to 2 weeks ago and i have started her on chicken pasta etc,so will have to wait and see.
i have also been tol to give her essential fatty acids (omega 3 )does anyone else giv there dogs these or evening primrose???thanks for everyones help

on the subject of food - I'm sure LindseyW said there's now one available specially for westies

There are 2, as far as I'm aware. Royal Canin do one as do Eukanuba.

I'd say there is a good chance this dog has an allergy to something in its food. Try one of the wheat and gluten free foods and eliminate dairy from his diet. It could take upto 10 weeks to notice a difference. Other than that I would consider using a homeopathic vet, it's probably cheaper and may find a solution for you. Good luck.

i have bought her a little coat in t shirt material put her that on when im out,she was on a dried food up to 2 weeks ago and i have started her on chicken pasta etc,so will have to wait and see.
i have also been tol to give her essential fatty acids (omega 3 )does anyone else giv there dogs these or evening primrose???thanks for everyones help

I give our 2 some Cod liver oil once a week on their food. they love it. Makes them smell abit when it starts coming through their coats but it really helps their coat and skin condition.
A really good food should have all a dog needs though. I only give our 2 extra because of their breed, skin and joint problems can flare up quickly. They both have the Royal Canin which again they love for a dry food! Highly reccomend:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Your Westie, like many Westies has atopic dermatitis. They're genetically predisposed. They can also get food allergy dermatitis but this is less common. The difference between the two is that with atopy the allergens are inhaled rather than eaten, and will in 90% of cases be due to house dust mites. Other allergens can be involved.

Hence, because house dust mites are everywhere, allergen avoidance is very difficult or impossible. Things can be made better by having less carpets, and keeping the dog out of bedrooms, where dust mite populations are sky high.

I'm afraid there are very few cheap solutions to this. Basically it's the way your dog was made.

Vet treatments are expensive. If you see your vet they tend to recommend several options but it is important before diagnosing atopy that everything else is ruled out first, especially mange (mites) with a skin scrape. If those have been missed then no amount of expensive drugs will clear it up. Atopy is perhaps the most frustrating thing to treat.

Antihistamines rarely work but are worth a try. Essential fatty acids - evening primrose, fish oils etc. also rarely work but can help. Steroids usually always work and are cheap but have loads of side effects. Cyclosporins (Atopica) can be a great help, often as good as steroids without the side effects but cost an absolute fortune. Some dogs respond really well to desensitisation vaccines - but they are expensive too.

I'm sorry but your dog has an expensive and lifelong problem if its an allergy, and the best thing to hope for is that someone missed some external parasites along the way, or that a hypoallergenic diet or topical treatment/shampoo suggested here will help. Otherwise if your vet seems to be going round in circles, consider a second opinion. A fresh start or view from another perspective can often help. Homeopathy can help too.

Rarely is it one treatment that works, rather a combination of lots of things working together. That's why it can often appear that the vet is throwing everything at your dog and going in circles and you are throwing money at the vet. Communication is vital, as ever, so if you are tempted to see your vet again, let them know your views. we don't usually bite ;)

My dog Rocky gets a rash in the summer on his belly and the vet said it was an allergy to the long grass or the insects biting him. I tried everything to stop the rash because he was scratching all the time and making himself bleed, then i found a cream on the internet from Petnat. Its called Dermacton and its made from all natural ingrediants. From the first time i used it he was loads better and the scratching stopped straight away. Within the week the rash and all the redness had gone. Its not that expensive and i found it was the only thing to work and trust me i tried everything for 2 years!!!

Just remembered, my partner's Nan has a dog with terrible skin and she has tried all sorts to clear it up including numerous vet trips. Someone mentioned that too much protein in the dog's diet could be a contributing factor. She has since changed to a dog food lower in protein and the dog's skin has settled a little.

I know this will sounds wierd but I was desperate, I couldn't afford the vets bills either, so I used my sons excema cream on my dog. The cream is a very mild steroid cream and usually needs to be applied only once to the really bad sores that Muttley was getting.
I still don't know what caused his bad skin, but I know it occasionally comes back and this Alphaderm works every time. I wouldn't recommend using anything like this as a regular thing, as even on the children this is usually used on it can thin the skin, but if nothing else works and you're as worried as I was, it might help short term.

Hi. For those with westies finding a cream/oil/treatment to treat the infected skin isnt going to cure it in the long run. The main thing people dont realise is you need to change the food. I know lots of westies who have had terrible skin infections and they have changed to Burns and within a few weeks their skin has got so much better. So although you may need a cream or something to treat the primary skin infection, you need to stop it coming back! :)

Try ordering the medication on line its much cheaper. Vio vet are very good.You may need a prescription before they will dispatch your order. I think vets now charge for prescriptions but im sure you would still save money

thanks to everyone who offered good advice,as i said i had already changed her food and continued with the antihistamin i am bathing her with oilatum gel and have been giving her omega 3.
She has stopped scratching most of her underbelly is getting back to a nice soft pink and she has in places started growing new hair,so as the most of you said it was the food:thumbsup::thumbsup:

OILATUM GEL has worked wonders

Glad to here its working Roughly101. What food did you change her to? If your still feeding her chicken & pasta, when she is ready to go onto dog food try something like Burns/JWB which has nothing artificial in it. Good luck :)

Glad to here its working Roughly101. What food did you change her to? If your still feeding her chicken & pasta, when she is ready to go onto dog food try something like Burns/JWB which has nothing artificial in it. Good luck :)thats what i intend to do,i want to get her coat back in good condition first,she has also gained a little weight which is good:thumbsup:

just to let everyone know sally went for her first clipping last week all her fur has grown back and she has gained weight she looks lovely,thanks to everyone who offered advice:thumbsup: