Thank you, that may be an idea to help sooth her itchiness.. x

Thanks, that was really helpful and interesting, as it displays most of Willows symptoms. She does have very watery eyes most of the time, she has been treated recently for conjuntivitus, but her eyes have alway been watery. The description does seem to sound like willows symptoms. xxx

She doesnt itch an awful lot, but every morning she is rubbing her head and eyes on the duvet and on my dressing gown..as if to releive herself of an itchy head or ears?? xx

Thanks Becky...this did cross my mind, which is part of why Im worried, I hope he isnt taking advantage of me, I really cannot afford steroids and antibiotics if there not needed. If when I return in 2 weeks he continues to want to give her steroids...I will certainly question him...

No advice re her condition but with her insurance do you know if it is cover for lifetime of the policy or 12 months? Max's insurance (Sainsbury's) is cover for lifetime of the policy which means that all of his gastroenteritis problems he has had I have already paid my excess so they will pay out for these from now on. Some policies however are only for 12 months per condition so 12 months after she first saw your vet they would cease to pay for her skin conditions.

tbh Im not sure, I need to check with my OH (he is away in germany with work..) I think it is for a lifetime, but need to check. xx

If it is lifetime cover that's good. They set a limit per condition I think but off the top of my head Max's is £6,500 per condition so it should be ok!

Poor Willow and you, it's horrible when they're poorly, especially if your OH is away and you are fretting about it.

I know, I know i take them both o the vets quite frequently, but I would rather be safe than sorry, especially being my first pups!! I know Ive owned westies with my mum and dad but its different when you are there sole keeper! I do worry so much

Re the insurance. Basically, you have to cough up all the vet's invoices, keep a copy of all of them. When you have a few, or you think there's a gap in her treatment, you ask your vet to do all the insurance claim for you and give them a completed claim form (you've filled in where necessary being the policy holder). They usually charge a small fee to do this, about £5, some do some don't. Then they will complete the rest of your claims form for you, get it signed by the vet who treated her, and send them off and hopefully you will get a cheque less your excess if you have one. That excess is only paid once for the same condition. You do the same again when you've got another pile of invoices (which I hope you won't of course!). Keep a track of all the ones paid to you with your own copies you have at home, that's what I do, so you know where you are with them. It's all a bit of a nightmare, but then so is this skin problem if she really has one.

I once had a german shepherd with the exact same thing you are describing with her face. She would rub and rub her face, her eyes were the worst thing, and she spent most of her life with a red raw and sore face, poor little lamb. We spent a fortune at the vets with her, steroids did not work for her, but ab's did, so she was on them for 3 months at a time. Same as Georgie at the moment, he's on ab's for a month at a time, one month on one month off!

If you do like I said, go and do a search you will find this is rife in Westies I'm afraid. I only know this having spoken to my friend in the village who has the problem with hers.

Thanks Helena, I have heard about Westies having skin problems... Im going to do everything possible to keep her comfortable x