Finnegan - WestieMed Recipient March 2011

Finnegan

In the third week in November 2010, a co-worker had informed me that she knew of a 68-year-old woman who had an aggressive form of breast cancer and she could no longer take care of her dog, Finnegan aka Finn. Finn’s owner refused to have her double mastectomy and undergo chemo treatments for her breast cancer until she found someone to take care of her dog and give him a home during her treatment.  Since I had cancer and am in remission, I decided to try and pay it forward by taking care of Finn.

Finn was described to me as being a quiet dog that loved being outside, he loved human food and he was not housebroken. I picked up Finn after my second job which ended late in the evening. Finn was very scared but he was great in the car ride to my house. I set up Finn’s pen in my dining room with his favorite baby blankets that were given to me when I picked him up and we settled on the first night.

Over the next few days, Finn assessed his new surroundings and his new housemate, my cat Buster.  He enjoyed peeing all over my home including on me at times. I was clear that Finn was a dog’s dog; he loved having free roam of the fenced-in yard, dug holes in the flower garden, played in the puddles of mud after the rain and he was definitely not the pretty white dog you see on the Cesar’s dog food commercials. Finn rarely barked but I started to notice that whenever I would call for Finn to come in from the yard I would get no response and would have to physically pick him up to bring him into the house.

I scheduled an appointment for Finn to be groomed because his hair was matted and dirty; he also smelled foul. The groomer worked her wonders on Finn, he looked so cute with his new hair cut and his trimmed nails. The groomer was an abundance of information because I had never had a Westie before and did not know that they had allergies or that they had special needs.  I was also informed that I should take Finn to the veterinarian immediately because his ears were closed due to an infection. Now I understood why Finn did not bark or respond to being called.

I whisked Finn off to the veterinarian where I was told again that Finn had an infection that affected his ears and was causing the blackness on his belly. The veterinarian showed me how to clean Finn’s ears, prescribed antibiotic ointment and Ketoconazole. Finn’s ear treatments took place twice a day for two weeks but there was no guarantee that he would regain his hearing.

Even before the first week of ear treatments were over it was like I was taking care of a totally different dog. At first, Finn started to cock his head to one side when he thought he had heard a loud sound but still no bark.  The blackness on his belly simultaneously started to slightly fade. Then one day when Finn was walking on the tile floor the sound of his own nails clicking against the tile made him jump, I knew that the medicine for his ears was working. By the end of the second week of ear treatments, Finn would come when he was called, sat when you asked him to and would bark at the train passing my back yard because he could now hear it.  It was like watching a baby discover the world.

On February 9, 2011, I took Finn to the vet because the black yeast was growing again on his belly. The veterinarian prescribed a combination of Ketoconazole and Clavamox pills to be given simultaneously, along with washing Finn twice a week. A few days after starting this pill regiment Finn started vomiting, I contacted the veterinarian and was curtly told that I must not be giving Finn enough food with his pills. The next day, on his second day of vomiting, I packed Finn’s weak body in the car and went to the vet’s office. They ran all sorts of tests and determined that Finn had an allergic reaction to the Clavamox, resulting in his kidneys shutting down and he had acute Pancreatitis. Finn spent the next four days in the hospital.

Finn came home with new antibiotics but the very next day I had him back at the veterinarian’s office because he still wasn’t drinking or eating.  Finn was given IV fluids, I was told he was dehydrated. I was also told that Finn was hand-fed turkey and ham at the vets. I picked him up that night.  Finn was now removed from all drugs except for an appetite stimulant.  Two days passed, Finn began banging his nose on his bowl and whining, not eating in spite of the prescribed appetite stimulant.  I looked in his mouth and discovered that the tip of his tongue was discolored and mangled. He was unable to eat or drink anything.  The vet said Finn had a piece of his tongue missing and that that was a result of the Pancreatitis and gave me pain killers for Finn.

Before anything else happened to Finn I realized I had to find out more about his present condition. I researched Westies, the yeast infections and the medications prescribed by the vet.  I learned that these allergies and yeast formations were preventable with a little work and the correct diet.  The vet didn’t know or didn’t share this information with me. I discovered the two medications given to Finn that started this particular episode should not have been given at the same time.  I was beside myself and furious that this drug cocktail practically killed this lovable little dog. During my quest to be better informed about Finnegan I found your site WestieMed.

February was a long month and I thought that Finn was not going to make it but Finn has recuperated. This is no longer a life and death situation for Finn. He now is back to his playful self and is on a modified diet due to his Pancreatitis. Finn has learned to use his shorter tongue and is eating without problems.

Unfortunately, due to the effects of the treatment for breast cancer the lady I rescued Finn from had to move into a nursing home and Finn can no longer return to her. I have been fostering Finn and will keep him indefinitely.

I have reviewed WestieMed’s website extensively and I have implemented some of the diet and skin regime from the links WestieMed provided. Your website has been a plethora of information, providing me with the tools to make sure that Finn remains healthy and most importantly happy.
Cathy

Update June 16, 2011

To let you know Finn is doing excellent. 

He is enjoying his summer sunning himself on my deck when he is not chasing the trains that pass my fenced in backyard. It seems that summer is Finn’s favorite season and he refuses to come in until approximately 9 pm every night.

Finn’s skin condition is doing well.  Again, thanks to the information on WestieMed, and he has had no need to go to the vet for anything other than his vaccines. Catherine Fazio

Update July 6, 2012

Finn is doing great, he has only needed to go to the vet for his annual visits. Finn is an obedient, smart, fun and loving dog. He still loves chasing the trains when they enter his domain in the back yard.

The black yeast has stopped growing due to weekly baths and a good diet. I lather Finn up with Castile Soap – Peppermint, which helps any calm skin irritation and removes the dirt from all the digging that Finn does in the backyard. Then I give him a quick rinse along and I wash him with Malaseb Shampoo. I use a soft natural boar’s hair scrub brush to rub the soap on Finn, he enjoys the massage and this also aids in keeping the yeast away. Finn eats only Grain-free and Beef free food.

Finn has playdates and sleepovers with my friend’s dog Rocco.  Finn has also taken on the role of “big brother” to one of the three feral kitten’s we rescued this year, their names are Mike, Ike, and Miss Hissy. Finn has adopted Mike and treats Mike as if he were a dog. Mike follows Finn everywhere, they share toys and play together all the time. Finn has been trying to play with Ike and Miss Hissy the same way he does with Mike but they are afraid of Finn still. I am sure that Finn will win them over in no time.

Once again thank you, if it weren’t for the information and assistance I received from WestieMed I don’t think Finn or I would have survived. I will send you a picture of Finn this weekend.
Cathy

Harry - WestieMed Recipient May 2009

Harry

Harry’s story begins like many other Westie rescues, on the streets.  He was found wandering around in the snow in Richlands, North Carolina, back in February and brought to Carolina Westie Rescue in the spring of 2009.

He was brought to us by a wonderful good Samaritan named Susan Collins.  Even though he seemed to be a throwaway dog, Harry still had a good spirit and personality.  Susan informed us that Harry had heartworms and that a previous vet had recommended that the dog be euthanized.

Well, Westies never give up without a fight, and we were not about to either!  We carried Harry to another vet and had a thorough exam performed.  Other than his horrible ear infections, our vet told us that Harry’s heartworms were pretty advanced and that we could try and kill them with the slow-kill Immiticide treatment, but that he might not make it.

Our vet suggested we take Harry to the state veterinary school in Raleigh which has a team of cardiologists.  And so, a few days later, that’s exactly what we did.  We left Harry with those folks all day, and when we returned, we learned that Harry’s heartworms were not as advanced as we had been told.  Now, heartworms of any sort are not a cause for celebration, but here we were thinking Harry was in an advanced stage of heartworms and that surgery was the only solution.  The doctors at NC State told us that the slow-kill method was the correct course of action to take, but that Harry would have to be perfectly still during treatment.  No running around the yard chasing the girl Westies, like he usually does.  Harry should be beginning his first of three Immiticide injections very soon.

As of this writing, we are pretty upbeat about Harry’s prognosis and his making it through the treatment.  We are looking forward to the days when he can run and play with the other Westies and not be winded.  Carolina Westie Rescue would like to extend our warmest heartfelt thanks to WestieMed for all you do for these little white dogs.

Carolina Westie Rescue

Update March 7, 2010

Harry - WestieMed Recipient May 2009
Harry – WestieMed Recipient

I want to thank Westie Med for helping to save Harry’s life. You are all wonderful for helping him.

The long and grueling process of killing the heartworms took months and after going through treating Harry for Heartworm Disease Harry was hit with an acute attack of pancreatitis.  Harry was left with an enlarged heart and breathing problems that appeared to be Westie lung Disease. Westies as we know are very resilient and Harry has a strong will to live.  Harry has always been a happy, loving, wonderful Westie even during the times when he was so very sick.  He has always had a strong will to live.

After having Harry for almost a year we found Harry a great home with a retired couple who had a sweet little girl Westie. They knew that Harry was left with some health problems, but were willing to give Harry a forever home.  I miss Harry, but it is comforting to know that he has a great home and can live out the rest of his life with people who can appreciate Harry for the wonderful Westie that he is.

Harry now lives on Hilton Head Island and walks on the beach almost every day with his new forever family.  Harry loves the beach and also gets along well with his new little sister.

He is living the good life.  Thank you WestieMed!

Sincerely,
Sydney Christian Carolina Westie Rescue