A.You need to first make sure this is not associated with a condition called autoimmune thyroiditis (many times related to vaccines). Your dog’s thyroglobulin autoantibodies should be tested. If this is the problem and it’s not addressed, it will be substantially more difficult getting her better. At our clinic, we would use Betathyme, the Chinese herbal Kai Yeung (Seven Forest)–which is good for severe itching, Skin-Aid (Professional Health Products), which contains homeopathic histamine and finally allergy formulas containing herbal echinacea and nettles.
Regarding diet, stay away from known allergens such as wheat, beef and yeast and try alternative protein sources such as fish and duck. Your veterinarian could consider doing allergy testing on blood through Spectrum Labs to determine known allergens. If you need relief from the symptoms of the itchy skin, I would recommend natural hydrocortisone over prednisone. As far as the anxiety goes, there are a number of flower essences on the market which are more precise than “rescue remedy”. If you can narrow it down to the specific essences your dog needs (or consult an expert in this field), it can make a real difference to issues surrounding anxiety.