On June 30, 2019, our little girl to be was found in a rural part of Tennessee where dogs are often dumped. She was found by a friend of Westie Rescue Tennessee and handed over to them. She was in bad shape; matted, filthy, and full of ticks. They just knew she was more than likely heartworm positive and pregnant. Whisked off to the vet for evaluation, she was heartworm negative and already spayed!
The DVM for the rescue group and staff cleaned her up and kept her for the next several days for evaluation while rescue reached out to find a family with Westie experience to foster. We stepped up to “foster to adopt.” We met her for the first time on July 7th and fell in love with her and took her to her forever home to adjust to us and our Westie pack.
Bringing her home, we knew she’d need her own time and space to bond with our three other Westies. On her first full day with us, I noticed she was deaf. She was also having very small seizures and both were a real concern. Off to our vet, we went and they agreed she was deaf and were unsure about the tremors.
Over the next few days, her seizures increased dramatically and our vet thought she had White Shaker Syndrome. Medicine controlled it for about another week or so, then they came back with a vengeance! She was now having over thirty seizures a day. Over the next several weeks we visited specialists in Atlanta where the diagnosis was changed to Sick Sinus Syndrome and we were referred to the University of Georgia Vet School’s Cardiology Dept.
At UGA, Hettie saw an incredible team of cardiologists. She was fitted with a vest to capture her heart rhythms. She was to wear the vest for one week UNLESS she had a seizure and then we were to send the vest back immediately. Within the first day at home wearing the vest, she had multiple seizures and the vest was sent back pronto.
The cardiologists at UGA read the results and contacted us that she was on emergency status. Her heart was stopping between nine-twelve seconds at a time and she was in danger! Emergency pacemaker surgery was needed and the cardiologists cleared their busy schedules just for her!
Now Hettie is home and on twelve weeks of bed rest and she is going on week three of doctor’s orders. (That’s a challenge to keep a Westie on bedrest!)
Our sweet little girl now has a new lease on life because of the pacemaker. Once her twelve weeks of healing are behind her, we know she’ll have many hours of playing with her new Westie and human family.
Thank you WestieMed for your help. We love our little Hettie. Her new life has begun.
Peggy McCall
Update January 24, 2020
Hettie had a three-month checkup at UGA after her pacemaker surgery. Without this surgery, Hettie would not have survived. The doctors at UGA reported how well her pacemaker is working and now she can finally have a life after three months of bed rest. (We called it house arrest.)
She came home yesterday from Athens after her checkup as a different and happy dog. Thankful for Westie Rescue Tennessee and WestieMed. You all saved her life and we hope she will finally enjoy the life she deserves. You answered our prayers. When I watch her play with her Westie brother and sister, my eyes leak happy tears.
Bless You all,
Peggy and Darrell
Update December 3, 2020
We are dedicated to Hettie and thanks to WestieMed, she did get her pacemaker and gave us hope. She has had a hard knock life and we will love her until the end.
Peggy and Darrell McCall
Update December 19, 2020
Hettie lost her battle and went to the Rainbow Bridge on Dec 16, 2020. WestieMed had provided assistance for Hettie this summer. She received a pacemaker and was recovering when she recently was diagnosed with Lymphoma. My husband and I are heartbroken. Yet grateful for the help and encouragement received from WestieMed.
Peggy