Angel came from an older couple as an owner surrender. She was a daddy’s girl. He
unfortunately passed and her mom had major health issues and could no longer care for Angel. She asked her vet for help in finding a safe place for Angel and we were contacted.
This poor little girl has been suffering with long term skin issues. After a couple weeks in
rescue, She was having respiratory issues and coughing. She was taken to the Emergency Vet. The X-rays showed many spots with cloudiness on her lungs and an enlarged heart.
She was kept in the oxygen tent overnight to help her breathe easier. She had an echocardiogram to find the cause. The echocardiogram ruled out a few things. She
doesn’t have heartworm or heart disease. There are some changes indicating potential
pulmonary hypertension but not enough to need medication at this point. This information leads the specialist to believe that it is pneumonia, but not ruling out Westie Lung Disease.
She responded well to the intravenous antibiotics which is why she was moved out of oxygen tent and her respiratory rate improved. We continued the antibiotic treatment at home. She will also follow up with the cardiologist in a few months.
Her skin is showing improvement, but she does have a bad infection in both ears. This poor little girl has a lot going on, but we are doing everything we can to make her feel better.
Thank you for the well wishes. Thank you to WestieMed for helping us help Angel and other Westies in need.
Susie Massey
Westie Rescue SouthEast
Update March 12, 2024:
She has been officially diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (Westie Lung Disease) and is now on medication for pulmonary hypertension. Luckily the pneumonia cleared up. Her skin issues are well on their way to being healed. Still battling a few small spots of yeast but overall doing remarkably well. We can tell she is feeling better as her personality is shining through, she keeps her foster brothers in line. She is still in foster care and is being tested for Addison’s Disease this week. If diagnosis is confirmed, a treatment plan will be discussed.
Susan D. Massey
Update September 4, 2024:
Angel is doing okay at times – meaning Angel needs her inhaler quite often, depending on the weather which is a factor. Angel is undergoing acupuncture every Tuesday for her respiratory issues. Our opinion is she is improving in her well-being as she seems more active. Her appetite on her steroid Prednisolone has leveled off since changing from prednisone.
We purchased a Pawprint Oxygen Kit in case of an emergency that will allow us to get her to the ER. Angel has her moments with breathing difficulty. Currently, overall, I believe she is improving the best she can. She seems happier and well-adjusted. She still is very food aggressive, which doesn’t necessarily pertain to her health issues.
Susan D. Massey
Director, Westie Rescue SouthEast