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Sunday 25 July 2010

If this is typical Westie skin, god help Westies...


I bought my West Highland Terrier, Connor McLeod, from a breeder in Kent, over six years ago, when he was eight weeks old. He always had a very delicate stomach and was sickly until I found a dry food that he got on with and the vets recommended… this was James Wellbeloved.
By the time Connor was eight months old he developed very itchy skin on his feet and began to chew and scratch and his temperament became a little aggravated. I took him to his vet in Kent and they said it was 'typical Westie skin' and I was advised to bathe his feet after every walk and to change his diet.
They recommended Science Plan. This didn’t seem to make much difference, but his skin didn’t get any worse and I continued to bathe his feet in salt water after every walk. By the time Connor was 18 months old (reached adulthood) his skin and mood were perfect, I couldn’t have asked for a happier and better behaved little dog! I thought perhaps his male hormones kicking in or the move to Brighton had cured him.
But by the time Connor was a year and a half something very strange happened. He developed an insatiable appetite for water. It was a very extreme case of constant binge drinking. He began wetting himself and drinking anything he could get to… drinks off tables, puddles, even the sea!
He was so obsessed he would lick the windows if it was raining and cry to go out, so he could lick the ground. He was tested for everything from diabetes to kidney failure, all of which came back negative. I wasn’t allowed to limit his water intake until they had an answer, which made life unbearable for both of us. Eventually he was taken into the vets for a 48 hour, water deprivation test and the outcome was ridiculous. They said that he was in perfect health and was just a little neurotic and had an obsessive-compulsive disorder! This was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard! 
I questioned the food he was eating, but they insisted that it had nothing to do with it and to keep him on the food they had recommended. I then had to measure his water and slowly decrease the amount he was drinking, every week to try and trick him into drinking less. This didn’t work and I doubted he would be drinking so much unless he was genuinely dying of thirst. So I tried changing his diet to wet food, but unfortunately all the food on the market just upset his stomach and made him ill. I tried a raw food diet but the vets didn’t advise it and said it didn’t have enough nutrients and he didn’t like my homemade food anyway. I put up with this for nearly two years and it just became our way of life.
I always looked on the internet and read books/magazines, even asked a couple of editors of dog magazines to see if someone would be interested in doing a story and helping me find an answer. I never gave up.
Then I saw a new food called Naturediet and thought I would give it a go, it was natural, had added nutrients and had to taste better than my attempt! And miracle… it didn’t upset his stomach and he stopped drinking water almost immediately! Naturally this destroyed my faith in this particular vet. Occasionally Connor would have short relapses, where I had to stop him drinking seawater or puddles, but it was just a habit that was easily broken in time. So he must have some allergy/sensitivity to dry dog food - if I give him even a small handful he immediately resorts to binge drinking again, so I don't let him near it at all anymore.
Unfortunately the whole binge drinking and wetting himself cycle had left Connor with a weakened bladder and he was constantly marking his territory, so I spoke to the vet about getting him done. I wasn’t too keen, as I had heard that in older dogs it could cause some unwanted temperament changes or illness. But I was assured that this wasn’t the case. We went ahead with the opp. Connor was five when this was done.

Within a couple of months Connor began to chew his feet again, only this time it was very severe… he began clawing, biting and scratching and made himself bleed. Boredom was never a factor as Connor was lucky enough to be an office dog, having three decent walks a day and surrounded by people he loved. He was always a bit naughty and vocal at times – but that’s Westies!
Anyway… back to the vet…
I was given the diagnosis 'Typical Westie skin' again. Well it's obviously an allergy to something that has always been there, but I feared that his lack of male hormones after his operation had left him with the inability to fight the condition. When I questioned the vet on my theory he shrugged his shoulders and said it may be a possibility. I was devastated - what had I done? Why don't vets know about this? Everyone should be made aware of this if it's a 'possibility'!

I turned into an Internet monkey and bookworm again, trying anything, from aloe vera to talc… I tried bathing him in Marceleb, which the vet swore by, but he hated it and would cry and kick, to the point where I would break down in tears at the horror of how much pain it was causing him.
Eventually I took him to another vet to get a second opinion (my dad took his cats there and recommended him). Connor was put on Atopica… within a few weeks his skin was perfect and his fur had grown back, but he was being sick every day, which wouldn't be good long term and the cost was astronomical! I kept him on the tablets for at least three months and then I had to stop… within two months the skin problem had returned. So Connor was put on steroids – this relieved most of the itching but his toes remained bald. A year ago Connor started to get reoccurring bladder infections, to the point where he was crippled in pain and peeing blood and even after treatment he was slightly incontinent. This happened three times and a couple of months back I decided it couldn't go on. So back to the vet...

In desperation they talked me back onto Atopica… but after two months he has got steadily worse and is the worst he has ever been, he hasn't been sick on them this time, so I'm guessing they just won't work for him anymore. I can’t leave him for a second without him wanted to chew his feet and it has now spread to his belly and is very bad under his chin. I am sick of pumping my poor little dog full of chemicals that have all these terrible side effects and after a while don’t seem to work anyway! He is now on a course of antibiotics as his skin looks infected and piriton allergy tablets to ease the itching. I have him on a new raw food diet, that I buy frozen at the pet shop and add supplements of aloe vera and primrose oil. I bath his feet in salt water every evening and have purchased something new called Dermacton off the Internet which is totally natural and supposed to ease the itching and encourage fur regrowth. This is a soap bar and a spray. I only bathe him when he gets really filthy, but I am using the spray three times a day. It doesn’t seem to bother him, which is a good sign. The vet was disappointed that I didn't want to continue with the Atopica, but I have decided to go for the blood test to test for allergies, for which he has to be free of these drugs for one month. I have heard nothing positive about this testing and found no one that it has worked for it is also extremely expensive, but I am willing to try anything.
He has already been tested for Demodex mites/mange and the result was negative. Connor will be seven in January and spent most of his life suffering, one way or another… But I do everything I can. He keeps his cone on his head at home or he will tear at his skin straight away causing himself to bleed, but on his walks he bounds around happy as ever as long as I keep him playing with his favourite toy. I have to keep his attention on anything but his skin.
Any advice or details of anything I haven’t tried or any success stories would be greatly appreciated. It’s breaking my heart and not a minute goes by that I’m not wracking my brain for something I may have missed.
Donna James, by email


I came across Donna's plight on Twitter while on holiday and promised we'd try to help via Think Tank. Regular readers may remember the case of Lewis the Labrador with terrible skin problems that we featured in the magazine for many years - until at last he received some respite. Poor Lewis's owner received terrible abuse when she walked him as people would see the state he was in and blame his poor owner who literally was doing everything possible to put him right!
I know the readers were fantastic in supporting Lewis's owner and I'm hoping you'll step up to the plate and help Donna and Connor. Eventually there was something suggested that helped ease the symptoms, let's hope the key to putting Connor back together is out there, too.
Twitter only gives you 140 characters so initially I had no idea of the extent of Connor's problems. My first instincts were to suggest Connor try Yumega Plus, but I'm still digesting this full case history.
Anyone got any other bright ideas?
Please share your thoughts here.
Good luck Donna and well done for never giving up hope.
Beverley Cuddy, Editor

44 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. My name is Karen and I help run a boxer charity called Boxer Welfare Scotland. I also have two boxers girls. Boxers are also very well known for having allergies and skin/stomach sensitivities.

    I have a 4 yr old boxer girl with diagnosed environmental allergies to wheat, oats, rye, barley, maize and oak (she probably has more!). We have spent years trying to find the right treatment/food etc. She recently underwent surgery to have her creases removed to help with her face problems and that has been a huge success.

    There are lots of things I would suggest looking into around the house, including the use of fabric conditioners/treatments, such as febreeze etc, smelly plug-ins, scented candles, washing powders, cleaning chemicals, tumbledryer additions etc etc as these can all trigger environmental allergic reactions in a dog with sensitivities.

    My gut feeling is to disagree with neutering being a cause, I have never heard of that in all the dogs I have come into contact with. Could be that all antibiotics etc that they are prescribed merely helped settle the skin until the next seasonal flare up.

    We have done the route of testing, anti-allergen injections, atopica and much more and are now just treating with regular antihistimines and perhaps antibiotics if the skin becomes too bad, although we have reached a happy medium since the operation in January. I know several other boxers owners who rely on intermittent steriod treatment when the skin really flares up, but we haven't had to go down this route yet. We do have a cortesvan spray (steriod) that we spray on her chin if it gets too sore.

    I am a firm believer that paw chewing can be a bad habit. My girl had a cone on for 6 weeks whilst recovering from her face surgery, obviously her feet settled down, as did her ears as she couldn't continually scratch them. I think there is a vicious cirle that comes into play, so if you are able to break that cycle, all the better. Sometimes a mild, watered down spray of T-tree oil can help. It's a natural disinfectant and they don't like the smell, so can act as a "nail bite".

    My girl's skin is now no worse than it was when she was on atopica. She's not perfect and is an itchy/scratchy girl, but we have learnt to accept she'll never have white paws again! She often wears a cone overnight, or when we can't keep an eye on her scratching. She also wears a "snood" to stop her scratching her neck and doesn't wear a collar in the house. (Snood can easily be made by buying a very cheap thin jumper and cutting off the sleeves!!)

    We did try aloe vera tablets, but found that flared her ears up again. We now just keep them under control by regular cleaning with simple Olive Oil, keeps the skin moist and seems to help with itching. She does get Evening Primrose oil capsules in her food though.

    We also use a GOOD QUALITY aloe vera gelly on her ears to cool them if they get sore. Forever Aloe are good and their catalogue has an animal spray that I am going to try https://www.foreverliving.com/marketing/Product.do?code=030

    Manuka Honey is great for cheesy/itchy paws, either topically or in their food.

    She is fed on James Wellbeloved Cereal free food which has also been a help.

    My vet is happy with her progress and happy that she is off Atopica, as it is an immune suppressant, I was keen she wasn't on it long term. What we have come to accept is that we will never CURE her allergies, we can only MANAGE them. This change in attitude does seem to have helped us turn a corner.

    If I can be of any help or you want to ask any questions, please feel free to contact me at karen@boxerwelfarescotland.co.uk

    Good luck!
    Karen

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  3. I'm not a vet, nor a nutritionist, but I have been in dogs for 17 years and have seen this type of thing many times.

    I've been a raw food convert for about 12 years now and I must say I've seen many a Westie have a complete turn-around and thrive after changing to the BARF diet.

    One poor 2 year old Westie I knew suffered so badly from allergies (the owners tried all typical medications and solutions to no avail) that the vet recommended he be put down to put him out of his misery. One month on raw diet and he was well on his way to recovery! He is still doing well now, about 10 years later.

    While the results will speak for themselves, it will take several weeks for the effects to show, and may even get worse for a short bit during the detox period.

    My suggestion is to read up on raw and make the changes, there is nothing to lose and so much to gain!

    Best of luck to Connor,

    Kelly Gorman Dunbar
    Berkeley, CA

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  4. Have you tried Global Herbs?
    They definitely did have something for "Westie Skin" on their old website, but their new one focuses on their equine products I use their products to help my dog, who has hd arthritis & a bad back, & they have helped him.

    They don't like to sell to you without speaking to you first, & you can speak to a Vet there.
    http://www.globalherbs.co.uk/

    "Supplements Advice
    Advice on how to get the best from feed supplements

    At Global Herbs we sell a range of nutritional herbal supplements which have a gentle and yet effective action to promote well being.

    The right advice for use of these supplements is essential in order to help your animal obtain the most benefit. Whenever you start using new products it is best to phone us to make sure you are using the right product for the correct reason.

    Quite often people use three or four products together to get the best results e.g. MovefreePlus, StrongBone and Restore for mobility.

    Our new equine catalogue contains a wealth of information for horse owners but as yet we have not published a compete pet version of similar complexity.

    Free veterinary advice helpline: 01243 773363 (UK)
    Free veterinary advice helpline: +44 1243 773363 (International)
    Mobile veterinary advice line: 07734 240 709 (UK)

    All numbers available 9am - 5.00pm UK time.
    Out of hours try mobile number."

    I've always found them very helpful when I've phoned.

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  5. Hi Donna,
    I too think a fresh, raw diet would be a good place to start, but no-one has mentioned vaccinations and chemical flea/tick/wormers.
    This dog must never, ever receive any more of these. I cannot stress this strongly enough. They can certainly be the culprits in cases like this. Vets seem to overlook them, saying they are okay, but any animal with any illness/condition should not be vaccinated.

    There are also Neem products, which are natural, they could be used internally or externally, and are antibacterial and antiviral :-
    http://www.neemgenie.co.uk/ might offer some relief in the long term.

    Good luck Donna, and I hope you find something to help.

    Jytte, West Yorks

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  6. Hi Donna, sorry to hear poor Connor has been suffering so much :-(

    My recommendation would be to find a holistic vet that you can travel to and ask your usual vet to refer you to them.

    I'm not sure whereabouts in the UK you are but you can find a list of homeopathic vets here:
    http://www.bahvs.com/findavet.htm

    (they are qualified vets in the conventional sense too).

    Hope that helps.

    Angela

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  7. Hi Donna,
    Forgot to mention on my previous post, has he been checked for ear mites ? they can hardly be seen, but these can be on paws too , causing terrible itching. Here's a cure :-

    http://www.catsanddogs-online.com/thornit-earclear-p-53.html?osCsid=9055ee049e1908863ea3bc3195c21a4b

    Jytte, west Yorks

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  8. Thank you to everyone for all your advice and support. It's fantastic to have so much positive feedback and so quickly, especially the earlier link with the success story of Dermacton. Something has definitely started to help! Connor is enjoying his new raw diet with supplements and is being very cooperative with the administration of Dermacton. Today I left his cone off all day, for the first time in months! He seems so much happier with all the veterinary prescribed medication out of his system - infact he was racing round the living room earlier and being really silly, which I haven't seen him do for quite some time - it was a wonderful moment! :-) Connor's vet was less than happy about me taking him off Atopica and doubted anything herbal would help but I am definitely more and
    more convinced by the holistic approach and all your comments have given me faith in my own theories and hope for Connor's future... I would love to hear anymore comments from people that have experienced the same problems and will keep up the battle. I will keep you all posted on Connor's progress - thank you again :-)

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  9. Sorry - deleted this earlier thinking it was spam, I can't seem to access this forum, can someone let me know if this is real?

    This was posted on a forum I'm a member of.

    http://forums.loquax.co.uk/showthread.php?t=276212

    Hope it helps

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  10. have you tested him for cheyletiella mite (Rabbit mite) if you walk him on grass that wild rabbits have been on he could of picked them up then and many dogs have reactions to those, and unfortunately it then makes them hypersensitive!! A good product to use it the old fashion exmerid lotion for any skin irritation.

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  11. Annaloveswhippets26 July 2010 at 02:48

    Hi Donna,
    Very sorry to hear about your dog,I know what it must be like.
    My parson russell terrier Fitz, had skin problems(not as bad as yours' though!) Everytime I came near him or tried to touch him, he would growl at me. His skin condition was on his belly, my vet gave me cream to put on him. Firstly this didn't work and secondly, I found it hard to put on him because he always growled and he really didn't like me going near him. But then an old friend reccommended me tripe, I put it in his meals and after afew weeks he was back to him normal self. Also I went to visit my whippet puppy i'm getting and the breeder advised me to feed the puppy tripe to keep its' skin good.
    Good luck and well done for not giving up!

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  12. We at Burns Pet Nutrition have had excellennt results with numerous types of skin condition, including Westies. But you cannot hope to do this on your own without proper advice and guidance. My Guide to Natural Health Care explains how unsuitable nutrition can cause this and conversely, how the correct nutrition can help. In particular there is a section on food allergy/intolerance. Reading the comments here, it seems there are as many suggestions as there are pet owners. Whatever you try in the nutrition line, it normally takes a number of weeks to see a difference. It is not a good idea to jump around trying different things without giving it a chance.
    Neutering can affect the skin condition: it alters the balance between energy intake and usage.
    Aside from nutrition, keeping the anal glands empty can often help itchy dogs, even when teh glands don't appear to be causing a problem.
    John Burns
    Burns Pet Nutrition.

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  13. I had a similar experience with our Rotttie. Things got so bad we had considered PTS but by chance we met someone at an event who suggested a grain free food. Even though we didn't think it would work as nothing in his allergy tests indicated that grains or cereals could be a problem we gave it a try. Within 1 week things were much improved and a month later we owned a different dog. I have never changed from this food, only treats I make myself. 2 years on and all is well.

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  14. Why not put the poor dog on "natural food" fish or chicken with brown rice and book in asap to see a homeopathic vet?

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  15. Thank you again for all your advice and help. I tried a natural cooked food diet once before, but unfortunately Connor will not eat rice (no matter how I try to disguise it) and anything with fish in it seriously upsets his stomach. I have always allowed plenty of time for Connor to adjust to a new diet and have always taken time to mix a small amount into his old diet first, so as to not upset his system with the change. I always give a new diet a chance (over 5 months unless it's making him ill) Connor's digestion on the raw food diet (with no grain as I have heard a few dogs have an allergy to this), is perfect at the moment, which is a very good sign. I was using the lamb/veg cubes, but I have bought some tripe cubes to mix in too as I have heard from a few sources that this can be very good in skin conditions. I am definitely going to take the advice from others to try a homeopathic vet, but I will wait until Connor's course of antibiotics has finished (7 more days) and he's had his allergy blood test. Once I have the results I will be ringing the homeopathic vet - thank you for the contact details. Connor is having his fur cut VERY short today, so that I can apply Dermacton (herbal itch relief) to his problem areas better.
    All mites/mange have been ruled out with the skin scraping test at the vets recently. I have never believed in giving Connor any vaccinations but I have been giving him the flea/mite treatment Advocate, as the vet insisted he needed this as any ticks or fleas on him would cause his skin to be severely painful. But one of the comments above said that these can be the culprit? - I would be interested to hear if anyone else has related this to skin problems? I have tried the Forever Aloe products but unfortunately this didn't agree with Connor... Dermacton seems to be the only thing I have found that Connor doesn't mind me putting on his skin - which is a relief for him and me!! Unfortunately I couldn't take Connor's cone off yesterday again, he wouldn't leave himself alone, but this could be due to the extreme humidity at the moment, it doesn't help in a normal dog, let alone an itchy one, plus I know that things will take time. So I will be carrying on with the raw diet/supplements and Dermacton. I will let you all know what the allergy test comes up with too. Thank you all and keep the comments coming, you're all being a fantastic help and I appreciate your support more than you know :-)

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  16. I have to say I haven't given my dogs flea or tick treatments for a number of years and we live in the countryside and never had a problem. They get a few drops of garlic in their food. Advocate did not agree with my Rottie.

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  17. Hi Donna, I was the one who said that vaccinations and flea/tick treatments can be lethal, especially as he has this terrible condition. See this about Advocate :-
    http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Rx_Info_Sheets/rx_imidacloprid_moxidectin.pdf

    Here is an article about these "spot" on treatments, and a site about more natural alternative :-

    http://www.apnm.org/publications/resources/fleachemfin.pdf

    http://www.homevet.com/petcare/documents/fleacontrol.pdf

    Good luck with what you decide, definitely feed fresh raw foods, with Omega 3 oils as well, and NO rice or grains, dogs are carnivores!

    Jytte, Yorks

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  18. Poor Connor and you. I'm glad the raw food seems to be helping. Different things will work for different dogs. I have also had a lot of problems with my female jrt x. I did get her allergy tested and among other things she is allergic to storage mites and rye grass. So I now buy my dried dogfood in small bags and when open store the food in a clean plastic container out of the bag. We use Burns dried and wet food which seems to help. My vet also recommended a soothing non-prescription ointment called viatop which seems to help if she has an outbreak of itchiness. I have used Atopica too, and it certainly helped the itchiness but she also gets colitis and the atopica seems to aggravate this. However, since we have moved from the London suburbs to rural west coast of scotland (near to the sea) she has been a lot better. Obviously I'm not suggesting that you should move, but it did make me wonder how much stress and pollution has to do with it.

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  19. Try feeding nothing but raw green tripe. It has worked on numerous Westies. At 7 years old he won't need anything else. Just the tripe.

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  20. Hi Donna, me agin, someone on one of my Yahoo dog Groups has been treating a young dog with something like fox mange ( 85% of body affected).She fed it two drops of Grapefruitseed extract :-
    http://www.pureliquidgold.com/

    I get mine from here :-
    http://www.bodykind.com/productdetails/RefererxDealtime_Citricidal%20-%20Grapefruit%20Seed%20Extract%20-%20100ml/PartnerIDx6/CatIDx253/ProdIDx958/citricidal-grapefruit-seed-extract-concentrate-100-1x.htm
    Also she bathed the dog in dilutes GSE, and the rubbed Organic Coconut Oil on the skin :-

    http://www.coconoil.co.uk/ combined with a totally raw diet, and within one week the dog greatly improved ( I know the problems hasn't been there as long).

    Just wondered if this might help ?

    Jytte, West Yorks

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  21. Hi donna,
    I have the same breed and have gone through similar.

    Yorktest for animals do good allergy tests, its expensive but in my opinion well worth the costs as in my dogs case a life saver.

    I have changed his food to raw and home cooked as I control what he has (manufacturers can make mistakes on the production line, manufacturers can change ingredients at anytime, also other ingredients in food not tested for maybe the ingredient that causes the reaction).

    I no longer vaccinate (you should never vaccinate and unhealthy animal)

    Have you tried using hibiscrub? (You can purchase this over the counter from any good chemist). Bathed him in diluted hibiscrub 3 times weekly. Use undiluted hibiscrub on the worse areas until his skin cleared (never rinsed of). I also used Quistel spray for those itchy moments outside as the product is handy to take out with you.

    I know how you must worry and the stress you will have, Please find yourself a good homeopath vet, I would not do without my dog’s homeopath as with his guidance/help/support/remedies I honestly do not think my dog would be with us today.

    My best wishes to you and your little one.

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  22. Christine Bailey30 July 2010 at 05:06

    I would echo the advice to get a referral to a homoeopathic vet. Also a raw diet is great, but do make sure it includes no grains at all - there are now some so-called raw feeds on the market that contain rice. Tripe is good to feed and most dogs seem to love it, but it is not complete in itself - he will also at the least need some bones for calcium.
    I had a similar problem with the drinking. My WSD was referred to the Queen Mother Hospital as he was drinking and peeing so much, but it did eventually resolve (he has an intrapelvic bladder, which is why my vet was so concerned) and actually was in the end put down to a learned behaviour. He had Kennel Cough when he first came to me, and started to drink a lot then, I think it just made him feel better and he started to drink more and more when he was well. It did resolve by itself eventually.
    Skin problems are notoriously difficult to treat, but homoeopathic treatment is apparently often successful, and it certainly won't do any harm. Consider extremely carefully any booster vaccines or chemical parasite treatment - take advise from the holistic vet.
    I have just treated myself to a copy of Lew Olsen's new book, Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs. It's available from Amazon and is well worth reading for anyone considering a change to a more natural diet, whether raw or cooked, or simply ways of improving commercial feeds by the addition of fresh.
    A natural treatment for mites, by the way, is Thornit, available from several online suppliers.

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  23. Hi My Boxer has multiple allergies, but the worst by far is the dustmites. The only thing that has been very successful (and we have had a combination of other things in the past) has been 100mg per day of Atopica prescription medication. We have wood floors, she has lanolin wool bedding, we have air filters, we air all bedding and house regularly, we use dehumidifier occasionally too. She has a breed specific diet and specially chosen treats. I now also use thornit powder on her ears, armpits & chest as the pollen allregies can still affect these areas occasionally but the thornit helps to cool the skin down and stop itching. I also put a pinch of thornit in a plastic bag and then dunk the paws in...wait a few moments & wipe of any excess). Usually Missy will have bald eyes, sore paws, a bald chest, badly infected ears, eye ulcer (from scratching), grazes & cuts (from scratching). This summer she looks like this.... [IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g315/k18sst/_MG_5396.jpg[/IMG] instead of this [IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g315/k18sst/IMG_5499-1.jpg[/img] I resisted medication for a long time and I regret it. Missy used to spend most of her day itching, munching and chewing at herself. She is happier and she looks wonderful, with only minimal itching and very,very rarely will she chew her paws (usually after running in the type of grass she is allergic to).

    @k9_kirsty

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  24. Hi Donna
    You should try dinovite for conner. Its all natural and really works. It saved my westie Lilly! she's one happy , healthy and thankful dog now. Google it www.dinovite.com I
    use the liquid. Lilly's diet is chicken and peas not even brown rice . No commerical dog food for her. You could try before grains by merick .It comes in salmon ,chicken and buffalo. conner could have allergies to all grains . as lilly . plus i have yet to find a vet that truely understands the makeup of a westies system . hope this helps
    Wish you and conner the best.

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  25. Hi there fellow "Westie Mom"!
    My westie, Spencer, is going through a similar situation. I am searching the internet for solutions, since the "Prescription Food" and medications the Vet has given him is not helping. So far, the best help has been medication for yeast infection, as Spencer gets sores around his mouth, bottom and belly and licks his feet constantly. Since starting this medicine (Ketoconazole) as well as giving him probiotics in a capsule, not in his food, he seems to be doing much better. Please research "Yeast Infections in Dogs" and see if your sweet Conner might have a yeast problem. Hope this helps. - Lindsey

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  26. It breaks my heart to see any dog have problems such as this. Lucy - our second westie has had a skin allergy that seems to flare up every few months mainly on her back. After trying lots of different treatments from the vet, in desparation one Sunday (As the vet was shut) I tried a some E45 cream from my drawer. The itching stopped almost immediately and Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. Now i won't use anything else on her when it starts. Maybe this will help someone else with the same problem.

    I know how distressing it can be to see a dog have such problems, but it is worth the perserverence.

    dog friendly accommodation

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  27. Thank you to everyone that has given me so much support and advise. I have tried everything that people have advised but alas, I still haven't found something to help Connor get rid of this condition. He went through the allergy testing and the only result that came up was a possible allergy to dust mites, he had a vaccine made up and had to be drug free for this to work. He has been on full dose for 1 month and there is no improvement. I keep him off the furniture and he has 2 allergy proof beds and also keep the home as dust free as I can (thankfully we have wooden flooring and no carpet). The vet said that there should be signs of improvement by now, so he is now on the vaccine, plus 50mg of Atopica (double the dose we tried last time) and is also on a very strong course of antibiotics. It has become a desperate situation as Connor has become very depressed and it is truly heartbreaking. He still wears the cone unless he's out walking as I can keep him occupied with his toy. But his walks had become shorter and shorter due to him not being able to walk far. He has been on this cocktail of drugs for 1 week and he seems to be a a lot happier in himself - I suspect it's the antibiotics kicking in, as it would be soon for Atopica to work yet, but we're keeping everything crossed. He has been on a raw food diet for a while, which definitely helps his health in other ways. His eyes are bright and nose is wet and he is never ill, apart from this awful skin allergy that just won't go away. I have found that Dermacton is great for hair regrowth and aloe vera gel straight from the fridge is great for comforting his sore areas. Other than that - nothing has worked. But I will NEVER put Connor on steroids again. Although his skin is suffering, after a year of being steroid free he hasn't been ill with anything else and he had every illness going when he was on steroids. Let's pray that this higher dose of Atopica works for Connor, it seems to have worked for so many others... Thanks again to everyone for all their help and support...

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    1. I feel your pain!

      2 words for you: Yeast Infection. I'm no expert, but definately something worth checking out.

      I have a 2 year old Westie, and he is such a joy! We have spent so much time and money at the vet trying to figure out his skin issues (which sound a lot like what you've described). Needless to say, the vet has been next to no help.

      I recently found this video http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx . I've been treating my little guy for a yeast infection for almost two weeks, and he is getting better! I haven't had to put the cone on him in days (which, as you know, if huge progress!).

      Good luck, and I hope all of the information people are sharing helps!

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  28. I bought my Westie in Kent, TX and she suffered with HORRIBLE skin problems until my vet gave us Douxo Chlorhexidine PS Shampoo! IT WORKS! Her skin finally cleared up!! I now buy it online and I give her a bath with the shampoo once a month and she has no problems now! I call it my miracle shampoo because my baby suffered so badly before with the same skin issues you have described. There's also a spray for upkeep between shampoos.

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  29. Wow, I got to hand it to you! This sounds VERY VERY similar to our dog. We ended up putting him down when he was 12. He was totally fine until a few years before he died. He got super sick from a doggie day care place and started up with the TONS of water thing. Thanks for taking the time to post!

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  30. Hi Donna, like several others in this blog, our westie Alfie has suffered in the same way as Connor. We moved from the UK to New Zealand 5 years ago with Alfie and his itches started since we have been here. He is 8 years old now. Been through various treatments of steroids (not high doses thankfully), had 3 lumps removed from his legs and foot (one right in the middle of his paw pads) which a skin condition expert here thinks were related to his allergies.

    We put him on Atopica just before Christmas last year and he suffered terribly with stomach cramps and sickness although his skin and coat were fantastic. It was at this time his lumps appeared and we had to take him off the Atopica as he developed a further infection in his foot after the operation to remove the lumps and the wondered if Atopica was interfering in the healing. His toes swelled up to about 5 times their usual size and the skin was scabby and leaking pus. 8 weeks of salt water bathing his foot and numerous antibiotics finally got rid of it but we were reluctant to put him back on Atopica in case it had anything to do with the lumps in the first place. Also I don't think it we could put him through those cramps again.

    Then someone told us that possum meat was the best thing for westies with skin condtions (don't think you would get it in the UK unfortunately) so we switched him to Possyum which contains all possum plus veggies and his skin improved no end. It is the Omega 3 and 6 in it that works so even tuna is good for it. He also has Eukanuba sensitive skin biscuits which are fish and egg based. Unfortunately it hasn't cured him completely and he still gets secondary scabs on his skin, plus if he eats another meat protein it gets worse. The trick I think is to feed them one type of meat protein only - I think chicken & beef are actually not great for them so something else would be better.

    I hope you find something that works for him so that you can at least control it. Good that he is not on steroids though, if you can manage it without having to do that, good luck. If you need any more info on our experience please let me know, would be happy to get in touch.

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  31. We had a skin problem with our Westie and the vet said he had to eat ONLY lamb and rice dog food, No treats at all ever and no table food. It worked! He stayed fit and trim about 17 pounds and he did fine.

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  32. my westie had the same things o her paws and she was constanly itching them we gave her benedrill and it woorked just fine

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  33. Reading your story brought a tear to my eye....what a shame for your poor little Connor :o(
    I truly hope & pray that his condition can be cured soon, to end his suffering & discomfort.
    I have an 11 year old Westie, called Scamp, & he has always had problems with his tummy....he wakes us up in the night with a really loudly rumbling tummy, then he eats grass to make himself sick, starves himself for the rest of the day, and then by the end of the day he's back to 'normal' - this happens at least once a week.
    We've tried many different foods, & numerous trips to the vets, but nothing has changed....he currently has James Wellbeloved dry food, but still has the upset tummy problem.

    He also licks his front paws a lot, which I was told could stop once he started on the James Wellbeloved food, but it hasn't :o(
    My vet has suggested the supplement Yumega Plus, to try to calm his skin, so we're thinking of trying it, as the paw licking seems to be getting more frequent, & he's making his hair go brown where he keeps licking his paws.
    Anyway, I sincerely wish you & Connor the best of luck in finding a solution.
    Take care, & don't give up !
    Best Wishes, from, Lesley & Scamp x

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    1. My dog had the same problem as you described. It was the too much fat in his diet. I now have to feed him lean mince beef, rice and peas or carrots and his tummy is now better. :-)

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  34. Has anything worked for Connor to-date????

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  35. Lesley, my 12 year old has the rumble tum too. We give her a little dry food late at night as I understand the acid build up on empty stomache causes this. Rarely happens now.

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  36. This now proved that Argan oil can effectively stimulate hair growth. It has done in two different ways. The oil is able to stimulate the scalp with vitamin E.
    Thank you
    Hair Loss Treatment with Argan Oil

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  37. refer to this artice....it helped my Westie! (My Westie is Itchy…what should I do…
    and not do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) It is a PDF download.

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  38. OK too much of a story to go in here but I have westie identical problems but also was sick and loose motions loads this been happening for years. Same treatment drugs from vet made worse and brought on more symptoms. Test after test. She started wetting herself, shaking and became nervous. I even got told off for googling side effects of steroids by my vet! Anyhow changed vet but yet to visit. Sat down cried holding my poor beautiful dog then prepared for action. Searched internet for help... then made a plan... light slightly cooked homemade food... green lentils could use chickpeas but both best blended, cauliflower, broccoli, kale (mashed up!- note only boil or steam for 5mins), fish (not raw) could use meat raw or lightly boiled, add fish oil, coconut oil and kelp I put chunks of cucumber, blueberries, melon or peach on. Also fresh raw garlic leave mashed for 10 mins before serving. I stopped bathing her in malaseb this was too harsh. I put coconut oil on skin and use a product called Lucillen when needed, flareups can occur whilst detoxing. Her poos are great (firm, less, better shape not smelly) she doesn't drink as much water. She no longer wees in house this took a while to stop. It is a battle but she seems much better, she can relax and has stopped rubbing herself on anything she can find. I use blow up collar and normal plastic one at night as if she decides to have nibble it could start a vicious circle off again. Do not feed grains, potato, sweet potato, carrot or peas in your dog this may set it off again. I am no expert but my dog trusts me to takecare of her so I have to do what is best. She may never be cured completely but at least she has got better quality of life, hot spots are healing up nicely, ear problems cleared up. No licking paws and she could get to paws if she wished, no sickness from either end. Food times are a joy she and my other dog dance with excitement while I prepare their food they have become a lot more affectionate. It is a slow process and it will take time and effort in 3 months I will rotate food so she does not get allergic to current food. This is no quick fix it could take a year for full detox as body recovers from inside out. But within just 3 1/2 weeks it has been so positive, smell gone, coat looking better, both of us more relaxed and happy! Not giving up. No more tablets, shots, injections, chemicals etc just natural stuff that has a heap of benefits. Hope this encourages someone that is going through the same, there is help out there that can help you make a plan but remember with issues like this it will have to be a life time commitment and you will have to remember your dog will be prone to these problems through out life, so when you get good outcome don't let your plan drop and become complacent. All the best Honey dogs muma.

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  39. Donna did you find any answers as I am about to put my 5 year old westie to sleep as we can't bare to watch her suffer any longer unless someone gives us an option

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  40. Hi update from 3 August honeys mums. Not cured but steps in right direction, honey had eye infection used chamomile teabag and bathed several times, affected ear used Apple cider vinegar with mother in diluted cleaned gently... problem sorted. Used daktarin athlete foot cream for yeast moist undercarriage... cleared up to dry area. Used calendula ointment on odd sores. Spray either Lucillin or diluted acv on hotspot skin once per day I know her skin and judge best one to use. I still bathe her at least once every 2 weeks. Blow up collar on when I not around even night time more gentle as other cut her skin. I put baby socks on her back feet to stop damage if she does scratch. I have put her on raw turkey meat with bone, white fish, salmon, sardines only feed one protein per day , some cauliflower, kale blitzed, fresh garlic clove one week and leave next &so on. Kelp sprinkled on top. Food agreeing with them, they love it, good poos, hopefullythis will help her more as ive read positive reports about raw. I will attempt chicken legs at a later date.. tiny steps first seeing if going in right direction. My dog is happy and become more loving I can tell she is thankful.
    I would like to say to the person who has left at msg that they are thinking of putting westie down I understand completelywhat you are going throu, it gets really difficult at times..at times I feel so overwhelmed with whole situation I'm ready to give up then the next couple of days I see mild changes and so I carry on trying to help my dog. I would recommend trying raw meat you can buy packs of raw meat from pets at home. One step at a time it is difficult maybe dogs will never be totally cured but I hang on to HOPE that by making some changes we can help our dogs build up their immune system and start getting stronger to fight this with a little help from their owners. Something I read that as stuck with me is what we see on the outside of a dog is from whats happening on the inside, we need to help more the inside then just concentrating on the outside. I hope this helps you and your dog.

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  41. PS I hope that my post turns out OK key pad seems to change words and I tried to read throu but pressed the publish button by mistake!!! Apologises hope it reads OK... honeys muma

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  42. Sadly I recently had to make the heart breaking decision to have Connor put to sleep at the age of 9.

    In my last update Connor was on double strength Atopica - far healthier on Atopica than steroids but still itching and drawing blood by tearing at his skin. So we tripled his medication (risky and extremely expensive) as a last resort & at last it started to work again and Connor's skin dramatically improved but he would still have odd days where his skin would flare up and he would have to wear a cone.

    The months of allergy testing were horrific. I wouldn't advise anyone to do it. He was so irritated by constant injections, itching, wearing a cone and developed a permanent hatred for vets or anyone trying to touch him (apart from me). Connor's personality changed - he was nervous around all men and intolerant of small children, playful dogs and any sort of noise.
    Connor caused permanent damage to his paw pads by dragging them on the floor to itch them and the build up of scar tissue had left his pads twice the size, so they would rub together and blister al the time.

    Nothing could reverse the damage to his feet or to his temperament. Connor was still a loyal and perfectly loving dog to me, but he wasn't happy with the arrival of my daughter in 2013. The two years of being on triple the advised dose of atopica was still working but he still had off days and couldn't have the walks he loved due to his damaged pads so he had a lot of energy that he couldn't burn off.
    Walking and playing fetch would leave him limping, no matter what we tried (dog shoes, socks, sprays, wax - you name it we tried it). We had to limit him to two short walks and only play fetch indoors.
    The high dose of atopica damaged his bladder/kidneys and he became incontinent. Connor had to wear a dog nappy at home (a band round his waist with a Tena lady insert). He never tried to take it off but it must have been uncomfortable

    Our vet changed Connor's medication to a new 'wonder' drug called Apoquel. It did work - but only on triple the advised dose. Apoquel doesn't have any side effects at all. Maybe if this drug had been out years ago then Connor could have been helped but for Connor it was too late.
    My happy, obedient, loving, energetic westie was a shell of his former self. He constantly growled and grumbled and there was no reversing what he had been through. He had, had enough of everything and everyone.
    He couldn't go near other dogs when we took him out due to his aggressive behaviour and we had to keep him separate to our daughter, who adored him, but he didn't want her anywhere near him.

    Continued in next comment...

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