obsessive iching

Question
i have a 1 1/2 year old westie,  this is my second westie.  she is now getting very ichy, with almost constant scratching & biting. she has not made any bald spots yet, but when i look at her skin it is not dry or flaky, & is not really even very red. she scraches or bites on her hip area & neck/shoulder areas & sometimes feet. i have tried medicated shampoo & a conditioner with oatmeal, i am just going to try today a cortisone spray. i know that westies have very itchy skin & i had alot of problems with my first westie. but i think alot of it is obsessive as when i gave her a raw hide chew yesterday she sat for about 1 hour chewing & not one time scratching. however she will wake up in the middle of the night scraching.  i just feel really bad for her. any help will be appreciated.
thanks,
June

Answer
Westies have an inherited condition that makes their skin very susceptible to allergies and secondary infection, especially yeast infections.  Take the dog to the vet for an exam.  It may need to be started on cortisone tablets in addition to baths to initially relieve her itchiness.  I always recommend that these dogs get started on Omega 3 fatty acid supplements to decrease their skin sensitivity.  If the dog has a yeast infection, she may need to get started on antifungal drugs.  These take 2-3 weeks to work well.