Pet Lovers

[Sweet Caroline 1]

Many thanks for all of your responses.  I just got home with a small bag of Nutro Wholesome Essentials and two containers of Nutro Petite Eats (individual wet food).  They ate without any coaxing.  If they keep eating it for me, I'll buy the big bag.  It's a little pricy.  Also, I like the apple cider vinegar to put on the itchy spots.  I use to have a dog with itchy ears and the vet told me to use vinegar and water ear cleanings.  Said that yeast couldn't survive in an acidic environment.  I also bought the Veterinary Formula medicated shampoo.  I hope they recover from the itching soon.  Thank you all.... SC  

[NickNack]

@Sweet Caroline 1  Make sure you dilute the vinegar before putting it on your dog, especially if any of the spots are raw.

[Another new name Sue]

@Sweet Caroline 1

Good luck with your pups.  As a Westie "mom," I know how distressing it is to see your dogs scratch and scratch and scratch.

My Westie goes through spells where he's itchy, and other spells when he's fine.  I just cannot figure it out.  When he is itchy, I hit the "spots" with a shot of Tropiclean Oxymed Anti-Itch Soothing Spray.  I also use a shampoo and conditioner recommended by a Westie Rescue which deals with dogs whose skin is a mess: Zymox Itch Relief Shampoo and Conditioner.  When you shampoo the dog, massage it in with a soft boar bristle brush.  The dog seems to love this.  You leave the conditioner on the dog, don't rinse it.

I only mention the following because it helped 100%: Cytopoint shot, about $70 at the vet.  It's a new medication, and I am always wary of treatments which are not "tried and true."  But I went for this one and somewhat wish I hadn't. He's had two shots which stopped itching almost immediately, but I will avoid doing it again since it's so new.

For other Westie owners. Westie Rescue of Orange County and Beyond has quite a few helpful tips as to skin care and feeding. Also a lot of Westie eye candy there.

[GingerPeach]

@Another new name Sue

I like OC & Beyond's expansion of the Westie diet.  

All the best to all those amazing Westies.

p.s.  I am shedding happy tears over those wonderful adoption stories!

[SeaMaiden]

I use the brand  Only Natural Pet.  Chewy dot com has good prices.  Many great grain free choices and 5 star rating on the pet food list.

[juanitalinda]

It always seemed like the pet stores have so many types of dog foods I couldn't even count them all.  

I went online and discovered that Petco alone has 1,366 different types of dog food!  And that doesn't count the treats or chews.   

No wonder it's a challenge to pick out a dog food.

[GingerPeach]

@juanitalinda

That's why we're lucky we have places like dogfoodadvisor or Whole Dog Journal to rate the foods for us - so we don't have to go in blindly without any background data.