Jack Russell skin problems

Question
We currently have our grand doggieliving with us.  She will be with us another 2 to 3 months.  She is about 3 1/2 years old.  When she was about 18 months old she statrted developing a skin problem.  My kids couldn't afford to take her in for tests so about two years ago I paid to get her tested.  All the tests came back inconclusive.  The answer I got was "a general allergy".  Since then my adult kids have been using a hydrocortisone spray or cream. It helps a little bit but the condition has got to the point where all four paws are hairless, red and puffy.  It is all red and puffy under her tail.  The inside of her right ear is swollen shut but not all red and puffy like the paws and butt. Her belly is spotted with red spots. She does drag her rear end around and tries to get away with licking her feet when we spray her. Other then that she doesn't seem to itch alot. The closest natural Vet is 2 & 1/2 hrs away.  I stopped by the Super Supoplements store yesterday and the owner suggested Thera Neem Pet Shampoo and alalfa powder.  She has always eaten a good dry dog food with lamb, omega oils, vitamins, brewer's yeast, etc.  NO CORN in it.  I feel so sorry for her as the steroids have made her gain weight.  She is 22 lbs even though she doesn't eat alot.  She gets a few dog snacks each day and NO people food. She looks like a little sausage ready to burst.  She is a good doggy and I would love to find out how to help her.  In my 59 years of living with and loving all kinds of cats and dogs I have never run across anything like this. If you or anyone else could possibley help me find some relief for her I would be so grateful.

Answer
Benadryl 25 ml pills one to two every 24 hours...thats one every 12 hours no more then that! THese work wonders for my two terriers...jack russell and boston terriers without these pills both would be half hairless and scabby from scratching. You cna also use simeple cool water and plain oatmeal srtight in the water...pour the oatmeal water over and over her back adn then rinse with plain water..oatmeal has wonderful icth releaving properties. That ear eneds to be treated it sounds rather like a yeast infection in her ear and it can get rather serious so take her in as soon as possible for that, Cahnge foods...for allergy suffering dogs you want a fish and poatatoe dog food Blue Buffalo makes a wonderful one, Purian pro plan also makes one it says sensitive stomach on teh package but if you read the ingredents the pro plan will start will salmon the blue buffalo is deboned ocen whitefish...both my terriers are thriving on 'blue buffalo and they are now at half as itchy as they were a few weeks ago. Get rid of any nyla boens she might have the frayed edges irrate the dogs face and in my experance caused my boston terriers allergys to start because she'd never had problems until we had those bones...but she continues to be itchy even thou they all have metal dishes and no plastic toys to chew on now. If shes that over weight honestly stop with the treats you are jsut killing her....no treats and more exercise should do the trick. I know exactly what you mean I have never heard of dogs having allergys until I had my jack russell terrier...he was 7 months old wehn they first started he is now 2 my boston terrier is only 11 months her allergys started at 9 months...I figure its because they are from cheap crappy breeders breeding for nothing but the money and not quailified registered breeders...thou even the bnest of dogs can have allergy problems. I haev no clue what your spraying on her I've never heard of it. My dogs arent on steriods my vet didnt think them nessairy so I currently dont have experiance with steriods for allergys in dogs. But do try to soke her for at 10/15 minutes at lest once a week...jsut plain regular eatting oatmeal added to cool not warm bath water helps my dogs quite alot and is better then any medicated itch releaf shampoo because it is natural.