Our Westie Diet Success Stories

We receive many Westies in our program that were relinquished by their owners or turned in to shelters because they suffer from skin disorders.  Many are due to neglect, some because they are at their wits end trying to rectify the problem, and others because countless veterinarian visits at an extraordinary expense and a variety of medication does not fix the problem. 

A PILL WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, but with time and patience and

• Proper and methodical diet
• Veterinarian prescribed medications to jump start the immune system
• Medicated soft brush baths

you too may experience the success that WROC has achieved.  These are just a handful of our rescue successes. 

DOES YOUR WESTIE EXHIBIT:

• Excessive scratching

• Black, oily, dry, and crusty skin

• Thick skin (also known as elephant skin)

• Hair loss

• Bleeding or open sores

• Bad yeasty odor

• Chronic ear infections? 

We are here to help, please read on.

DIET 

Every Westie that comes into our program is immediately put on our Westie Diet, regardless of their skin issues.  See our Diet page for more information, including our “Highlander Hash”, “Stanley’s Wild About Salmon” and “Perry’s No Peek Chicken” recipes.  Those with skin conditions are seen by our vet and started on medicated baths.  All of the dogs featured on this page are no longer on medication and are being maintained by diet alone. 

VET CARE

First, we have our vet perform a skin scraping to determine the presence of yeast, bacteria, or staph.  In most cases, we also administer vet prescribed antibiotics orally for 2-4 weeks, depending on the severity of the infection. 

All dogs are different, and their response time varies, so antibiotics could be administered for longer periods.   Cephalexin, Clavamox, and Baytril are  broad spectrum antibiotics that are used to treat bacterial infections and Ketoconazole is a synthetic antifungal drug used to prevent and treat skin and fungal infections.  We often use Ketaconazole for the first few weeks.  Ketoconazole inhibits the growth of fungal organisms by interfering with the formation of the fungal cell wall.  The medications that we use are prescribed by our vet.

Depending on the fungus and depending on the dose used, Ketoconazole may kill the fungus or just inhibit its ability to reproduce.  We normally use ½ or ¼ tablet twice a day, depending on the severity of the condition. 

It is best to avoid using Ketoconazole in patients with pre-existing liver disease or with decreased platelet (blood clotting cell) levels. We prefer to avoid using any antihistamines while the Ketoconozole is being given.  Click here to read about the uses, precautions and side effects.

All the dogs shown on this page were initially started on these medications and were completely off of them in 45 days or less.  

Note: We prefer not to use steroids as there may be a risk of permanent or severe damage to the liver, adrenal glands and pancreas with long term use.  Diabetes has been commonly reported in dogs that were overdosed on steroids. Steroids also affect a dog's coat, causing it to lose its luster, strength and nutrients.

MEDICATED SOFT BRUSH BATHS 

Our preferred shampoo of choice is Nizoral which can be found in any drug store.  Ketoconazole is sold commercially as an anti-dandruff shampoo under the trademark name Nizoral by Johnson & Johnson.  We also recommend Malaseb, Chlorexiderm, or Pyoben shampoos.  These products provide antibacterial & antifungal agents that are specifically formulated for the topical treatment of deep cutaneous infections in dogs, cats and horses. 

We start with daily soft brush medicated baths for 7 to 14 days. Depending on the severity of the condition and how well the dog is responding, we will cut back the frequency of baths slowly.  

The soft brush medicated baths provide tremendous relief.  We completely blow-dry our Westies taking special care not to let the dryer get too hot.  We also put our Westies in toddler/baby t-shirts that are snug.  This prevents our dogs from causing further trauma to the skin. 

ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?

If you are ready to travel the road to wellness with your Westie, we are here to guide you along the way.  This is a lot of work, but the results in just a few weeks are so worth the effort. 

It is important to take pictures every few weeks.  Taking pictures will document your Westie’s progress and will keep you encouraged.  And remember, the daily baths won’t last forever.  When you are feeling tired and you want to skip a night or two, remember this…getting what you want takes work, commitment and dedication.  Your Westie will be happier, and so will you.

If you would like more information or would like to discuss your Westie on an individual basis, please contact karens@westierescueoc.com.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of a Westie - you should always consult your own veterinarian.