Pickles unique story comes to us from a family with a long history of Westie rescues! Pckles is a dedicated service dog who sticks by his handler’s side to signal for help if needed due to her life-threatening heart condition.
Pickles was diagnosed with Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca, (KCS) also known as dry eye. This condition results when the tear ducts no longer produce tears resulting dry, itchy inflamed eyes (imagine a dry eye with sand in it) the inflammation causes a buildup of mucus that covers his eye, blocks his vision and if left to sit too long would create sores on his eyelids. Up until now, his owner had been able to manage it with meds & constant flushing of the eye, but the inflammation was beginning to starve his eyes of blood-flow and causing progressive blindness.
The request for help became urgent after Pickles walked into a branch that caused a cut near his right eye & in his panic to get away he nearly fell in a storm drain! “Watching him go through this breaks my heart,” said his handler who lacked the funds for the much-needed treatments Pickles needed. She noted that “he’s so full of life and losing his sight is crushing his soul, he’s getting more anxious and fearful of what he can’t see (including the two cat’s he lives with)”.
Pickles needed help and it was clear he could wait no longer so his handler set out to get him the care he needed. This is when they found a very promising treatment option using pickles stem cells. The treatment involves the removal of pickles own stem cells and re-implanting them into his eyes which has been shown to cause the faulty cells to regenerate and become functional again.
Currently, this procedure is being done at two universities (neither of which was near Pickles) and it has had very promising outcomes with eight out of twelve dogs having full remission and the remaining four having significant improvement. Luckily for Pickles, his handler was able to find a local vet willing to perform the procedure but it would be costly.
After trying to raise funds on her own, Pickles handler turned to WestieMed with this unique story.
As of now, he has undergone his first phase in the treatment and is responding well. After just two days, he’s showing signs of improved functioning in one eye.
Thanks to WestieMed for helping to fund his treatment.
It’s expected that Pickles will go on to live a long, happy and healthy life, working each day and positively touching the lives of everyone he meets.
Update November 17, 2016
Pickles eyes have had some improvement, (not as much as we had hoped for) but at least now, the medications that had stopped working for him are actually working again which is a godsend.
Otherwise, he’s doing well, he seems to be more comfortable overall.
Thanks again for your assistance in helping him. We GREATLY appreciate it.
Amber became a companion and close friend to me for the past two months. Amber is so affectionate, full of so much love.
One day while going about my ways on the street a complete stranger came up to me and said she is getting rid of the dog and asked if I wanted the dog. I asked why don’t you want the dog, what is wrong? She responded she can’t have her in the building where she lives. During this time a million thoughts came to my mind but the one thing resonated was how can I rescue this dog with sadness in her eyes, looking ungroomed. She looked like she wasn’t taking care of. I couldn’t walk away and leave her not knowing what this person would’ve done with her. The fear of not knowing if she would be abandoned on the streets would rest on my mind. So I took her knowing I am on a fixed income.
My sadness came two weeks later when I noticed Amber was hopping and holding her right back leg up. I took her to the veterinarian and found out she has Legg-Calve-Perthes disease that can only be corrected through surgery. If not done quickly inflammation can cause problems to her other leg. My heart was broken not being able to come up with the funds to help my little Amber.
I am thankful to WestieMed for reaching out acknowledging by giving animals a second chance to stay healthy and live a normal life.
Thank you kindly.
Sincerely, Millicent Spence
Update April 2, 2016
Amber – WestieMed Grant Recipient
I just wanted to give you an update on my little Amber. She had the surgery on March 31, 2016, and spent the night at the hospital but is back home and recovering fine. I can’t thank you WestieMed enough on how grateful Amber and I feel. Without you, it wouldn’t be possible. I am sending a picture of her back home. She has to stay off the leg for a while and the collar stays on for two weeks. But I am happy that she will soon be out of the pain and suffering. Thanks so much!!
Sincerely,
Millicent Spence
Update October 3, 2016
Amber – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Hi WestieMed family,
I am so pleased to tell you Amber is doing ok – better than before surgery! I was told by the doctor that I would see significant improvement within three-four months. Well, it’s been five months and every now & then I see her slightly limping on the bad leg! She runs around on it though! To my understanding I thought after the surgery she would’ve picked up much more moving on her foot without a limp, but I guess it’s taking her more time to heal completely! But she is doing ok.
I want to thank you so much for your help, it is greatly appreciated.
Millicent
Update May 18, 2017
Amber – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Amber is doing ok but not 100%. She still hops on off the right leg that she had surgery on more when she just had a shower are something to activities she will hop off that leg.
I don’t have the funds to her to another veterinarian facility to get checks up to see if the issue with her leg wasn’t addressed are what did the veterinarian surgeon did at the time to correct the issue she had, but it takes money to do so I am disabled and don’t have the funds to really do so.
Hoping something comes up to help so I can take her to get checked out but for now, she is running around and has happy as can be.
I so thank you for assisting in helping Amber with her surgery expenses
Eight-year-old Samson was walked into his vet’s office one day but not for a regular appointment. His owners asked the vet to have the sweet boy put down because they could not take care of him. One of Samson’s eyes was malformed from birth but that had never slowed him down. When he arrived at the vet clinic that day, he had horrible skin and hair loss, fleas, intestinal parasites, bad hips, and a severe heartworm infestation.
The vet asked Samson’s owners to release him to her care and promptly reached out to Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston (WSRH) for help. The vet treated Samson’s intestinal parasites and started addressing his condition with bloodwork and medications prior to sending him to WSRH. He was in a small town about four hours from our primary location so several volunteers offered to do a relay to transport him and one of our experienced fosters who has taken care of many dogs with heartworms took him into her home.
Samson was taken in to see our vets at Bear Branch Animal Hospital where he was examined by Dr. Kim Hilscher who confirmed he was heartworm positive and assessed the condition of his heart, lungs, and hips with x-rays. It was determined that his bad hips were due to fused vertebrae and the vet recommended pain management for the time. Due to his poor condition, we decided to work on Samson’s general health prior to starting a split treatment to kill the heartworms. After a month of good quality food, medicated baths, and a couple of rounds of doxycycline, Samson went in for his first injection of Immiticide, after which his activities were restricted while the medication did the work of killing heartworms. Vet appointments at two weeks and then four weeks later confirmed he was doing fine, so then Samson was given the full treatment of two Immiticide injections and another month of restrictions.
Things went well for Samson and he received clearance from the vet for successful heartworm treatment so his next job was to find a forever home. While waiting for the right person to take notice, Samson took ill quite suddenly and was rushed to the emergency vet for vomiting and passing blood. Samson was admitted to the hospital where he received fluids and medication to stabilize him and x-rays werer taken to help determine the cause of his distress. Samson spent the next three days on fluids at Bear Branch until he was back to his normal self and returned to his foster home. There was no definitive cause found for this issue but Samson has not had a recurrence.
The next step for Samson is to meet approved adopters who are interested in adding him to their family. We are very grateful to WestieMed for help in treating Samson and making it possible for him to get healthy and find a forever family of his own.
Thank you!
Maggie Escriva
Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston
Update June 28, 2017
Samson – WestieMed Grant Recipient
We are ever grateful to WestieMed for helping us help Samson get well and find his furever home.
Not long after recovering from the emergency room visit, Sam caught the eyes and hearts of a wonderful family of terrier people and it was mutual love at first sight when they met. Thankfully he had finished all his restrictions before meeting his new furry siblings, especially BFF Colleen, an adventuresome Scottie who joins Sam each day running, playing, and watching for birdies. All the running (and digging!) has helped strengthen Sam’s legs and improve his balance. Sam’s furever family loves him very much, stating the highlight of the day is each evening before bedtime when daddy gets on the floor to play and Sam talks to him.
Thank you, WestieMed, for helping us give Sam a well-deserved happily furever after!
Zak was advertised for rehoming. I contacted his owner who told me the reason for her getting rid of Zak was the fact he had growled at her granddaughter. From the picture she sent, I could see he had skin problems. I could cope with that and get Zak’s skin sorted. I was told if Zak did not have a new home in a few days he would be put to sleep.
I arranged to rescue Zak so I drove to her place seventy miles away. I was very saddened to see Zak when I arrived. He was in such a mess. He wouldn’t leave my side. He never went back to his owner – he just wanted to be with me.
I took him home and during the course of that evening, Zak became lame and really struggled to walk. I got Zak to s vet the next morning for a health check-up. This is when I discovered how badly Zak had been neglected. His nails were so long they were curling. He had a problem with his testicle and his small body riddled with infection. His gums were so swollen he could barely eat and his teeth were black.
Zak started on antibiotics he was sick when he ate. Zak has now been neutered and had dental work done. Seven (7) teeth were removed as well as two large warts removed from his face. It has now been discovered that Zak may have hip dysplasia. He has an appointment on February 29th with the joint/bone specialist vet so his care will continue. He is now in a safe and loving home for the rest of his life.
Will
Update May 24, 2016
It is with a very heavy heart I have to inform you our beloved Zak whom you helped and we rescued, passed away suddenly in May. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the help you gave us to allow Zak to have the operations. We are missing him terribly.
Annie (aka Annabelle) was originally a breeding female in a Missouri puppy mill. It is unclear how many years Annie was breeding in the puppy mill before she was sold to an individual in Springfield, MO. Although it appeared Annie’s life would take a positive turn and she would soon be in a loving home with her new owner, Annie’s happy ending did not occur. Annie’s new owner simply chained Annie to a tree in their backyard. She did not have shelter in the backyard for protection from the elements nor did the family provide her with any love or attention. Annie remained outside chained to a tree where she sat in mud and dirt the entire day. She was filthy and flea-infested when she was saved by the Westie Rescue of Missouri, Inc. program in the fall of 2015. It is unclear how long Annie endured these horrible conditions.
Westie Rescue of Missouri’s mission is to prevent cruelty, abuse or neglect of Westies. They have amazing volunteers who want to see that all Westies have a warm, safe and healthy environment where they can develop to their full potential while we search for their new “forever” home. Westie Rescue provided Annie with veterinarian treatment where she was shaved and treated for fleas to relieve her infestation issues. She was also diagnosed with arthritis in her legs and hips at that time. Annie was then transported to her assigned foster parent, Ben M., where she was nursed back to health in preparation for adoption.
We were looking to adopt a rescued Westie, and we contacted the Westie Rescue of Missouri in the fall of 2015. Annie’s foster parent contacted us at that time to tell us that Annie was a five-year-old female, and she was almost ready for adoption. Ben advised Annie had difficulty jumping up on furniture or climbing stairs due to her arthritis; however, she was taking Rimadyl for pain twice a day, and she seemed to be improving. Ben also advised he just received a five-year-old male Westie in excellent health who was ready for adoption as well. He advised Watson was very energetic and active in comparison to Annie. I couldn’t resist rescuing two Westies at the same time! We were very happy to adopt both Annie and Watson!!
On November 15, 2015, we welcomed Annie and Watson into their “forever” home! When we took Annie to our local vet for a checkup, he advised Annie had significant arthritis and he suspected she was older than five and suggested she may be seven or eight years old. He recommended we continue to treat her arthritis with Rimadyl twice a day. Annie and Watson have become best buddies and they love chasing each other in the house and in the backyard. After chasing Watson in the backyard, I noticed Annie was not placing any weight on her right rear leg. This continued for a few days, so we took Annie to the vet. He has diagnosed her with a torn ACL. She will need to have her ACL repaired to allow the sweet girl to walk on her right rear leg.
We are very grateful to WestieMed for being available to help our sweet Annie and so many other Westies. Thank you so much! Kim and Don Knoche Bloomington, IL
Update March 8, 2016
Annie WestieMed Grant Recipient
Annie had her ACL surgery yesterday and everything went well! She’s at home now resting comfortably.
The vet advised all of Annie’s joints are full of arthritis and her left rear leg has a minor tear in her ACL as well, so, unfortunately, I’m sure more surgeries are in her future.
Thank you WestieMed for the financial assistance your organization has provided to help Annie!
Kim Knoche
Update October 25, 2016
Annie WestieMed Grant Recipient
Annie is doing great! Her surgery went very well.
She has a little stiffness in her joints in the morning, but once she gets moving, she’s fine! Annie can now go for a long walk now, and she just started jumping up on the couch to sit next to me a few weeks ago, so she’s almost back to being herself!!
I actually adopted two Westies at the same time. Watson is a male, and the vet thinks Watson is approximately three years old. The vet thinks Annie is approximately seven or eight years old…she definitely is an older Westie because this little girl has arthritis in all of her joints!
I’ve attached a photo of Annie walking with Watson!! As you can see, she is doing very well!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping our family with the expenses to pay for Annie’s ACL surgery! It was an unexpected cost we weren’t prepared for!
Hi, my name is Sharon and I’d like to tell you about a gorgeous little Westie named Betsy.
I previously adopted Sally (formally Phylan), a Westie, from Many Tears Animal Rescue and occasionally checked out the MTAR website to see how other Westies were doing.
I noticed a very small scared-looking Westie called Betsy on the website that wasn’t up for adoption because MTAR was trying to sort her ear infection/abscess out before she became available. She was an ex breeding bitch that was not treated for her ear infections, which lead to a blocked ear canal and a very large abscess. Betsy needed a major operation called a Total Ear Canal Ablation but the vet based near Many Tears Animal Rescue in Wales was unfortunately unable to carry out this vital operation on her because of the complications of the infection, abscess and the pain she would have to endure during. He suggested that she be put down
Sally Wallace, a long-standing fosterer for MTAR took on Betsy in the hope her local vet would be able to do the operation. Unfortunately, he was unable to carry out the TECA as he thought it would be far too painful for Betsy to be put through. The only solution left was to put Betsy up for adoption on the understanding that she may only have days, weeks or months to live and to have a final chance of as much pain-free peace and quiet, in a loving home, as possible.
I happened to check the MTAR website a few days after she was put up for adoption and my heart went out to her instantly. Reading her prognosis cemented my resolve to give her the best possible end to an otherwise neglected and painful life. I have two other Westies and they instantly took to Betsy when I visited Sally to collect Betsy. The very next day I took Betsy to my local vets called Newnham Court Veterinary Hospital to register her and have her ear checked over. Blood tests were taken and it turned out the infection in her ear was a nasty one (MRSA) that is resistant to all antibiotics bar one, which is injectable only. On hearing this I thought it would be all over for her but it turned out this practice had a specialist in ear complications such as this one. Martin Smith BVSc MMedVet (Med) CertVD GPCert (EM&S) MRCV is the specialist that saw Betsy and confirmed that he could do the operation. Because of this nasty bacteria that has infected Betsy’s ear, it would make the operation particularly difficult to do, due to removing as much of the infection as possible. There was also the possibility of facial nerve damage during the operation because of the very large abscess, scar tissue and possible growth around the facial nerves. The nerve damage would be cosmetic only and would not affect her quality of life. The ear canal had to be removed because the ear was completely blocked and the infection was trapped inside the inner ear and had burst through the inner ear wall to below the ear lobe causing the very large abscess.
The initial quote for the TECA operation was about £2500 including medicines required. She needed the operation ASAP so, on the advice of Mrs. Sally Wallace, I set about starting a Go Fund Me page. With the help of the Westie community on Facebook, Sir Hamish McTavish Westie Rescue Fund, Westies Rescued UK and many other very generous people the donations to date have reached £2855. The vet’s bills have so far totaled £5,450 due to her staying in the hospital for two weeks following the operation trying to fight the MRSA. The MRSA infection has been eradicated but she has another infection that’s taken its place. Luckily this is treatable with antibiotics at home. She also recently needed a small piece of the ear lobe tissue removed because it wasn’t healing as expected. It’s been so painful for her to have her ear flushed clean that she’s been sedated for each one.
With the vet bills mounting each day I had to ask for help from WestieMed. I wasn’t guaranteed funding so when I received the email saying that the Board of Directors had approved funding and the full amount available, I broke down in floods of tears. I am eternally grateful to WestieMed for helping me to help Betsy.
I was expecting not to have Betsy for very long but it turned out she had a chance of recovery and a possible fulfilling life ahead of her. This is meant to be for Betsy. Her journey had bought her to one of the very few vets in the country that was willing and able to carry out this type of operation with the complications and increase her chance of survival. (Nothing was guaranteed).
Betsy is now recovering at home and her ear still has a way to go in the healing process but this has not stopped her happy sweet nature and she sure loves her hugs and kisses.
I owe a great debt of gratitude to so many loving and generous people. Thank you to all who have helped Betsy and all the other Rescue Westies out there around the world.
Sharon
Update November 17, 2016
Sorry I’ve not got back to you. I’m in the middle of moving from Kent to Somerset, starting a new job and it’s hectic.
Despite all the vet’s efforts, Besty didn’t make it. She went in for an operation to open her up further because the infection just kept coming back and the drugs were being changed to tackle it regularly. We ran out of options.
When she was opened up, it was found that the infection had spread down her neck and under her chin to her other ear. I got a call while she was on the operation table and still under anesthetic to say it would be kinder to put her to sleep. It was devastating but the right thing to do for her. I cried my heart out for her.
I can honestly say I’ve never met a dog like her and no other dog will ever match her. I miss her so much every day.
Thank you for your help and I’m so sorry that she didn’t make it. Without your help, I would not have been able to help her as much as I possibly could. We really did take it to the last hope.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I will be donating in the future, just very tight on money due to losing job. xxx
We recently received a call from a local vet about a Westie in urgent need named Rupp. He is five years old with severe skin allergies and his owners dropped him off to be euthanized. The vet knew that with the proper medical care, right home, and time, he could recover. Unfortunately, his family felt that they didn’t have the time, resources, and energy to care for him any longer and wanted him euthanized that day. Instead, the wonderful vet convinced them to surrender Rupp to the clinic to give him a chance. The vet called our rescue group and asked if we could take him in.
We didn’t even pause and said what time can we pick him up? When our volunteer arrived she said Rupp had the worst case of skin allergies she had ever seen. He was covered head to toe with open sores, oozing wounds, scabs, flaky itchy skin, and extensive hair loss. He was immediately put on antibiotics, anti-fungal meds, pain medication, and medicated baths daily. Even though his skin was really bad, the worst part of his condition was you could look into his eyes and see he had given up on life. He was in a lot of discomfort and felt defeated. He just wanted to be left alone to lay in his bed and had no interest in eating (and what Westie doesn’t want to eat).
We knew that besides healing him physically, we needed to help restore his Westie spirit. After a few weeks, his skin improved and his wounds were healing. Best of all, he started to perk up, bond with his foster family and started to play with their Westies. Toys started to interest him again and he even destroyed his first plush toy in true Westie fashion. Despite all his progress, his itching was not improving. The vet determined that we could continue to treat his flare-ups with medication, but his best chance of complete and full recovery was to see a dog dermatologist and start allergy treatments.
Allergy treatments can work miracles, but they are expensive and cost more than we can afford, especially as a new rescue. Fortunately, WestieMed has stepped-in to cover his allergy testing and treatment so Rupp can have a long, healthy, and happy life.
We are so extremely thankful to WestieMed for being Rupp’s guardian angel and providing the funding for medical treatment he so desperately needs to he can recover and find his new forever home. Thank you again so much!
Preston Cares Network/Kentucky Westie Volunteers
Update December 23, 2016
Rupp – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Thanks to WestieMed, Rupp was able to receive allergy testing, allergy shots, and daily medication to help control his severe allergies. It was a long road for him to recover and for his hair to regrow.
We had many setbacks with flair ups and more medical treatment, so he stayed in his foster home for ten months total.
However, after a lot of searching, we found the perfect home for him in Louisville Kentucky. It seemed like it was meant to be since new mom Megan is a pharmacist and is very knowledgeable and comfortable giving allergy shots, medication, and lives only a few minutes from his vet dermatologist!
He now also has a new Westie sister named Lexi who has shown him the ropes including where the squirrels like to hang out in the back yard.
Without WestieMed Rupp would not be starting his new life. Thank you so much for helping these little white dogs!
On September 15th, I was contacted by a local veterinarian who had been caring for Rory, an eight to ten-year-old Westie for the last couple of years. Rory suffered from severe allergies, skin issues and extremely serious ear infections, which she had been doing her best to treat.
Unfortunately, Rory’s owners were a special needs couple who were incapable of following through with the home care and meds that Rory needed between vet visits. They did not understand that some of his skin problems were the result of allergies to grain and were feeding him a very low-quality dollar store dog food that was aggravating his problems. Since it was clear that his owners, despite how much they loved him, were incapable of providing the daily care needed to help Rory to recover and live pain-free, the vet recommended humane euthanasia because Rory was in so much agony and his parents agreed. Then she called me and asked if we could rescue and help Rory if his parents would agree to surrender him to us. After discussing it with Gloria, we agreed to take him, and I agreed to foster him since I had experience with both skin and ear issues.
When we got Rory, he was in pretty bad shape and in a great deal of pain. His ears were so badly infected that they were bleeding, very swollen and extremely painful; the prolonged infections have destroyed most of his hearing. His skin was infected and had oozing lesions, and he was significantly underweight. Several large, painful interdigital cysts on his paws made walking agonizing for him. His eyes were inflamed and infection had clouded his lenses. It took two months, lots of meds, lots of medicated baths, a diet change and lots of trips to the vet, but we finally got Rory’s ear infection and the accompanying swelling to a point where the vet could actually see inside the ear. He discovered a tumor that was complicating the infection and after consultation with the specialist, it was determined that surgery was required as soon as possible. The specialist recommended a Total Ear Canal Ablation.
Rory has made a lot of progress in the last two and a half months. His fur is coming back, his skin is getting pinker, the interdigital cysts have resolved and he is back up to a healthy weight. However, his ears are still problematic and painful. Rory is a sweet, lovable little guy who is learning how to cuddle and every day he makes progress. He deserves a life that is free of pain. Although he has challenges, he maintains a sweet and loving disposition in spite of the constant pain he endures.
The grant from WestieMed for his surgery will be a miracle for this sweet boy and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I can’t wait to write the follow up after he has begun to heal and we see his personality blossom as he begins to enjoy a life without pain.
Josie Smith New York Westie Rescue
Update December 16, 2015
Rory – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Rory is doing extremely well after the TECA (Total Ear Canal Ablation) which is such an invasive major surgery. There is no redness or draining at the surgical site, just a little swelling, which is less every day.
He is almost back to his normal “Happy Feet” self and I can see his energy levels increase every day. He really got through the surgery very, very well and is doing better than anyone, including the vet, expected.
He goes back to see Dr. Brown on the 23rd to have the sutures removed and we expect an excellent report. He is doing so well, in fact, that I’m going to try stopping the pain meds tomorrow and see how he does without them.
He’s eating well and wants to play. You can see him plotting his next round of shenanigans in this picture. He sure doesn’t act like a ten-year-old dog that just had major surgery. And he’s full of kisses. He even kisses his “sister” Queen Lola, (another WestieMed alumnus) every single morning.
Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts! This little guy is FINALLY, FINALLY pain-free after years of agony!
Where would we be without WestieMed?
Josie Smith New York Westie Rescue
Update December 24, 2016
Rory saw Dr. Brown last evening to have the sutures removed from his ear. That ear is well healed now, but we are still fighting on again off again infection in the other ear. Dr. Brown flushed and deep cleaned the other ear canal and we now have a new regime to try to keep the infections at bay. So more meds and flushes for poor Rory, but we must do what we must.
Unfortunately, the news on the biopsy was not what we wanted to hear. It came back as positive for Squamous Cell Carcinoma. The good news is that they believe that they got it all and that it did not penetrate the cartilage. That said, there is always the chance that it has already metastasized. For now, we are going to monitor his lymph nodes closely. Dr. Brown will be having a discussion with the oncologist as well.
Radiation is an option if needed, but it would be pretty tough on a dog as old as Rory is, and require that he be anesthetized for each of the eighteen treatments. He would also be required to spend an entire five days of each week of treatment at Cornell, and only come home on the weekends. It would be hard on him, and us as well. At this juncture, we don’t feel like that is something that he should be put through after all he has already endured. No decisions will be made until we have more information. At any rate, we are hoping that since the biopsy revealed that the tumor had not gone through the cartilage, that
There is also still a chance that he may require TECA on the other ear unless we are able to lick this infection for good. It’s just gone on for so long that Dr. Brown isn’t optimistic. I’m encouraged about facing that prospect if it comes to it though, because of how very well he came through this one. He did really, really well, and healed quickly.
That said, Rory is like a different dog he is much more comfortable, full of energy and curiosity and loving life.
Thank you so much for helping this sweet old boy! He is a sweetheart and deserves to finally to happy, safe, loved and comfortable. He will remain with us, in his forever hospice home and be spoiled rotten and watched over by Her Royal Highness, Queen Lola.
When Felix found himself in an SPCA shelter with a leg injury, things were not hopeful. Being a large, urban open-admission shelter, animals in the facility needed to be claimed by owners or adopted: there was no room for a dog requiring surgery or extensive rehab. Fortunately for Felix, he had a guardian angel who reached out to Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston for help.
The SPCA vet’s initial assessment stated that Felix had an old injury that may require amputation of the leg, however, Felix continued to use the leg and the vet reported that “Due to extent & chronicity of injuries, amputation may worsen prognosis.” Because the SPCA requires that animals be altered before leaving the premises, we requested that their vet staff take x-rays of the injury while Felix was anesthetized for surgery and they agreed, sending the radiographs to our vets at Bear Branch Animal Hospital. Together we coordinated volunteers to pick up Felix and get him to BBAH where, following examination and review of x-rays, he was referred to North Houston Veterinary Specialists and scheduled an appointment with a surgeon the next day.
It did not take long for Dr. Michael McFadden to see that Felix had a distal femur fracture requiring surgery to align the bones and a plate to keep them in place. We agreed with Dr. McFadden’s prognosis that Felix would have a much better quality of life with the leg repaired than having it amputated so we set the date for surgery on the following Monday and contacted WestieMed for help. Surgery is quite costly and Felix was just one of several high-needs dogs who came into our program within a very short period of time. In addition to follow-up care in the next eight weeks following surgery, Felix will also need dental cleaning once he has been cleared by the vets.
The surgery went well for Felix so now he is on the road to recovery. He is quite the trooper, walking around using the once broken now repaired leg as soon as he was awake. He will be required to remain in confinement for eight weeks following surgery with no jumping, running, or playing as terriers love to do, but he does get extra lap time as his foster mom goes through range-of-motion exercises with him daily to help him heal properly.
We are very grateful to WestieMed for being available to help Felix and so many other Westies. Thank you!
Maggie Escriva Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston
Update November 11, 2016: (Felix now called Murphy)
Felix – WestieMed Grant Recipient
We recently received an update on our little Felix, now “Murphy,” from his forever mom and wanted to share it with the wonderful supporters of WestieMed.
Murphy has completely healed from his broken leg and was adopted this spring by a lovely lady who lives in a senior apartment complex. She reports that he is an absolute joy. He is very particular about his walks and has the walk of a Westminster Show Dog.
Although he barked at everyone he met at first, he now does not bark at all (unless he is surprised by someone) and is known and loved by all the neighbors. She finished her note with, “I am so blessed to have this little guy in my life.”
Thanks to WestieMed, we were able to fix Murphy’s leg so he would be out of pain and live a healthy, normal life, a life that impacts more than his immediate family.
Snowflake is a senior Westie male who came into North Atlantic Westie Rescue’s program under tragic circumstances. One typical afternoon, Snowflake and his Havanese fur brother were waiting for their owner to come back from routine surgery. But instead, a stranger came and brought them to a shelter. Their owner had passed away and her family asked the shelter to take the dogs. Snowflake’s world changed, even more, when his fur brother died shortly thereafter due to diabetes complications.
The shelter staff knew Snowflake needed experienced help to ensure Snowflake would live the rest of his life in a loving home. So off went Rita and Tim, two of North Atlantic’s volunteers. Within a day or two, Rita noticed Snowflake was very lethargic, had diarrhea that just would not get better, and he vomited a few times. A trip to the vet revealed Snowflake’s abdomen was full of fluid, and his blood work showed elevated liver values. In order to better get a handle on Snowflake’s condition, North Atlantic authorized the vet to perform an ultrasound and aspirate some of the fluid from Snowflake’s belly. The ultrasound did not reveal anything conclusive about why there was so much fluid in Snowflake’s belly. With each passing day, more fluid-filled in his abdomen. The vet recommended endoscopy be performed urgently, as further fluid buildup could lead to pulmonary and heart problems.
With a generous grant from WestieMed, Snowflake had his surgery. The endoscopy revealed severe irritable bowel disease, but no cancer as we had feared. The doctor noted his intestine looked like “cobblestones!” We suspect that Snowflake has been suffering from IBS for a long time, so the vet prescribed a very specific set of medicines to begin healing Snowflake’s gut. Snowflake, now in his adoptive home in Vermont, is improving every day. With a consistent special diet and regular veterinary care. Snowflake’s prognosis is excellent!
North Atlantic Westie Rescue thanks the WestieMed board for enabling timely diagnosis of Snowflake’s condition. We also want to thank Rita and Tim for being vigilant and getting Snowflake the care he needed when he started to show signs something was wrong. He has begun his new life is his forever home with a solid treatment plan and a family with much love to give him for many years to come!
Rachel Scott Director North Atlantic Westie Rescue, Inc.
Update October 3, 2016
Thank you again for your help with Snowflake. Snowflake ended up having cancer and he passed away about four months after we worked with your team.
