I received a call asking for help in fostering a group of Westies arriving from a puppy mill auction in northeast Ohio. I agreed to take one of the females. I already had two Westies at home, Tyler, eight, and Nikko, eight, also a rescue from a puppy mill in Missouri about three years ago.
As traumatized and almost catatonic as Nikko was upon his arrival three years ago, in comparison, Misty seemed alert and frightened but overall in better shape. She soon proved me wrong. I do not know what they do to these dogs in the puppy mills but it goes far beyond neglect and poor living conditions. Misty was terrified of everything and most of all people. Food was not a motivator, only safety, which can be a hard thing to use for training. Misty had delivered numerous litters and was not even four years old. She was very skinny and shaved to resemble a rat. She slowly began to relax but it has been and still is a very slow road. She is the most damaged little dog I have ever met. She always felt safest when she was up high, like on the couch or the bed. For some reason, the floor was a very terrifying place to be. With very slow and quiet movements on my part, Misty has finally begun to relax a bit. She has the cutest little run which appears more and more all the time. She runs somewhat stiff-legged as if she is a newborn colt. It is a joy to see her bounce about with that tail finally up in the air!
In October she vomited three days in a row. I was keeping a very close eye on her as their little systems dehydrate so quickly. She was still eating and drinking so I was just vigilant at that point. On the third day, I came home from work to discover she had vomited whole food again. That was followed quickly by clear liquid. Upon wiping that up I saw specks of blood. I immediately got her to my vet where he gave her something for the upset stomach and re-hydrated her. I then placed her on a bland diet. Three days later on a Saturday morning, I woke up and she vomited four times in a row, all containing blood. As my vet was out of town I went to Eastgate Animal Hospital. They were wonderful there and recommended she be admitted to their on-site hospital so they could monitor her. She only weighed eighteen pounds and had lost a whole pound in three days, very concerning.
They gave her fluids, x-rayed her and ended up doing an endoscopy and a biopsy on her. They discovered a somewhat healed over spot in her bowels that was the source of the blood. Their concern was they would find cancer or pancreatic issues. After several long days, Misty’s biopsy results came back. Everything seemed to be OK in that it appeared to be just an extremely sensitive system. Misty is now on a special, very bland diet without any other food or treats. She has regained her weight and other than an upset stomach twice seems to be doing well. She lives with only myself and my two other Westies so it is a pretty quiet and dog-friendly environment. My hope is that if it is partly nerves she will continue to relax and stay healthy!
I am so grateful to the WestieMed organization for their assistance in her medical bills. She has been a very expensive foster to rehabilitate and while I wish I could do more my resources are limited. I have never met a sweeter, more gentle soul in Misty. Westie Med has helped to ease the burden of caring for her. Thank you WestieMed for all the wonderful things you do to support the Westies out there who need us all so much!
Sincerely,
Anne Huddleston
Update February 15, 2010
Misty is doing great and has gained weight and seems to be maintaining very well (she had bleeding in her intestines). Thanks again for all you do!
Anne Huddleston
Update March 5, 2010
Misty is doing great! She is thriving on her food, has packed on a few pounds and is really starting to enjoy life! She still seems to be quite damaged psychologically but is slowly learning to trust. For instance, the sofa and the bed are safe but the living room floor is a scary place and only used as a necessary and evidentially very dangerous means of travel from the sofa to my bed. So much so that she can work herself into a real panic scrambling for the sofa. If she should miss the jump the first time up onto the sofa she kind of freaks out and you would think alligators are nipping at her butt! Slow and steady wins the race… It is OK if I am on the floor but otherwise it is just a very scary place. Who knows…
She has reached that stage where she is getting a tiny bit cocky outside…sort of testing the waters. She now runs out in front of me (we are in a gated dog park) with my other little girl Tyler. They run side by side like the wind and with such abandon! My little boy Nikko slowly brings up the rear (can’t miss sniffing a thing!). It is so much fun to watch them run and play.
Anne Huddleston
Update June 30, 2010
Misty is great! I have decided to adopt her (another foster failure!). She is coming along beautifully but still a very scared little girl (she was a severe casualty of a puppy mill). She finally held my eyes while wagging her tail the other day…great progress! (We were getting ready for a walk).
She is occasionally playing with my other two and is starting to act just a little bit like a normal, trusting, content dog. It is getting better all the time, slowly but surely.
She is such a sweet, tender little soul. Just adorable little girl. She is still not ready to be adopted out (still way too scared and afraid to trust) and I think it would set her back a great deal. Since I have fallen in love with her she is now joining my pack. Heaven help me. Is this how it starts? How these rescuers end up with 14 or more???? : )
She has to stay on a special diet of horribly expensive dry and wet food ($76.00 for an #18 bag!!!) but she is responding well and has not had any more vomiting issues so fingers crossed.
I will send pics as soon as I can. She is blossoming a bit more every day. Thank you so much for your kind assistance and for caring enough to check on her.
Anne
Update April 18, 2011
It has been a long road for Misty, mostly psychologically but she is turning the bend. She remains on her very expensive diet which seems to keep her intestinal issues at peace. She eats more than the other two of my Westies yet is the skinniest, but not overly so. She has finally reached a point where she can look me in the eyes, if only for a few seconds, and has almost rolled all the way over – still not quite onto her back – for a belly rub. Trust is a very big issue with her. She becomes more secure every day and she loves nothing better than to run free in a field of grass –preferably when no one else is around but her immediate family. I believe she finally has accepted that this is her furever home and she is safe – at least with me and her brother and sister. I am still working on her feeling secure with other people although she gets lots of socialization, women remain the easiest for her to accept but a few men have actually been able to approach and pet her. She has tracheal collapse which we are controlling for the present but it worries me. She is the sweetest little girl and a joy to love!
Anne