Phred & Cinder & Smoke, I searched all over the board to find you. You are so very much missed. Please don't believe for one second that we don't want to hear from you. You 3 guys are top of the list of reasons why Pet Talk & its humans & animals are so great. Please post again...
I'm sorry you're having such a hard time re the insurance company. I hope it all gets sorted out soon.
About those itchy hot spots. Our Sheltie Danny developed them years ago & he chewed so hard that they'd turn into raw spots. Then he'd have to take antibiotics to prevent infection. Over the years, we've found ways to make his hot spots manageable...some of the help has come from vets but some has come from other pet owners.
First I learned to get in early on a hot spot...just as a pink bit was forming & Dan was beginning to bite it. I cut all the hair back around the hot spot (so hairs don't irritate it further & so it's got a chance to dry out). Then I spray the spot with Scholl's Tinea Powder Spray ( available in supermarkets & pharmacies. This product dries, relieves itching & burning sensations.)
Second I battle to keep all fleas off Danny...& use Frontline regularly. To do this means keeping the fleas off the other animals as well...including the cats. Anything you can do in the battle against fleas in the environment is good. (A man who owns working dogs told me that one of the best flea deterrents is to take dogs to swim, regularly, in salt water.)
Third I keep Danny's diet bland...rice, Pal chicken casserole, vegetables & a dog dry food that has no artificial colourings.
Fourth the vet prescribes prednisone tablets to be taken at the lowest possible dose if the hot spots get out of hand....but they don't too much these days as a result of doing all the preventative things above. But I always have the prednisone tablets on hand...
Hope this helps.
Marie