The Westie is generally healthy but may suffer from serious skin conditions.
The West Highland White Terrier is commonly called the Westie. According to the American Kennel Club, Westie dogs have a "strong-willed personality and a large amount of spunk, determination and devotion ... The Westie loves people and makes an affectionate addition to any family." Westies are a healthy breed overall, but certain genetic and non-inherited skin diseases seem to be more common in Westies than in other breeds. Some of these conditions are Malassezia dermatitis, ichthyosis, atopic dermatitis and primary seborrhea. To help Westies with skin problems, their owners must be consistent in the dog's daily care. 


Instructions
Malassezia Dermatitis
1. If your Westie is scratching a lot or chewing her feet, call the vet.
Examine your Westie to see if he has greasy, red, itchy skin and a bad odor. Check his neck, groin, armpits and perineal areas. If your dog is scratching a lot or he seems to be in pain when you touch him, you need to make an appointment with a veterinarian.
2. The veterinarian will take skin scrapings and examine them under the microscope.
Bring your dog to the vet for a complete examination. The vet will look under the microscope for Malassezia organisms in skin scrapings. Malassezia dermatitis is a skin yeast infection triggered and exacerbated by humidity and airborne, food or flea allergies.
3. Topical antifungal cream may give temporary relief but is seldom adequate alone.
Begin treatment immediately. Your vet will prescribe topical or oral medication and palliative care. Topical treatment alone is seldom successful, but, because oral medications are expensive, starting with baths and antifungal creams is advised if the infection is not widespread. Sometimes diagnosis is confirmed by the dog's response to treatment.
4. Bathe your Westie twice a week with medicated anti-yeast shampoo, which must be lathered, left on the skin for 15 minutes, then rinsed. Apply a prescribed medicated leave-in conditioner after shampooing.
5. Follow your veterinarian's instructions if ketoconazole tablets are prescribed. Common side effects are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If nausea occurs, cut medication doses in half; if nausea is severe, discontinue use immediately.
Primary Seborrhea
6. Observe your Westie for signs of seborrhea. If she has scaly skin or is scratching and licking excessively, or if she has inflamed ears, greasy hair with a rancid odor or reddish skin, contact the veterinarian.
7. Take your Westie to the veterinarian to be examined for primary seborrhea, a genetic condition described by Dr. Mike Richards of vetinfo.com, as being "a defect in the way the skin produces keratin." You vet will check for secondary conditions and underlying causes, such as food allergies, atopic dermatitis, Malassezia infection or bacterial pyoderma.
8. Use medicated anti-yeast shampoos twice a week to treat infection.
Bathe your dog frequently with medicated anti-seborrheic shampoo. This treatment should ease your dog's discomfort and manage her symptoms.
9. Clip or shave your Westie's hair so the shampoo thoroughly penetrates through the fur to the affected skin.
10. Supplement your dog's diet with omega-3 fatty-acids, essential for skin cells to function properly. Special baths and a hypoallergenic, high-quality grain-free diet plus supplements may help with your Westie's skin problems.
Airborne Allergies
11. Watch your Westie to see if she is rubbing her face with her front feet or licking and biting her feet, or if she develops an abdominal rash.
12. Ask your vet or veterinary dermatologist about testing for allergens that may be causing the skin problems. Treatment for airborne allergies usually entails more than medicated baths.
13. Try Cyclosporine modified oral medication (Atopica) only if your vet feels other less costly methods have not succeeded. Cyclosporine is extremely expensive but often effective in controlling atopic dermatitis by attacking immune cells responsible for allergic responses. One common side effect is gastrointestinal upset.
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