Albert is a 12-year old Westie boy who was surrendered to our Westie Rescue of Northern California by his lifelong owners who are divorcing. Both moved to apartments where they cannot have a dog and want him to be in a home with a yard and the opportunity to have proper care and attention. He is a diabetic Westie who is totally blind from cataracts and his hearing is also impaired.
He is being fostered by a retired RN who practiced as an Emergency Room nurse her entire career in Napa, California. I had trouble finding a Foster who was comfortable giving Albert insulin shots and managing his loss of sight. Albert is quite content to be a laid back boy and it is my hope that she requests to adopt him once we have taken care of his cataracts.
I picked him up in Milpitas, CA and made a stop at Veterinary Vision in San Francisco en route to Napa. Dr. Cynthia Cook has performed cataract surgery on one of my own Westies and also for one of my rescues, Darby, who received a grant from WestieMed. She gives us a 20% discount and strives to come in at the low end of her estimate for surgery. Our Rescue will pay the remaining costs of his surgery after the WestieMed grant is sent to her. Dr. Cook has confirmed that he is a good candidate for surgery. He is having his pre-op blood work and vet exam on May 11 and I am going to try to schedule his surgery for May 20th.
Albert is a very sweet little guy. He has another dog to play with in his Foster home and has become fast friends with a Golden Retriever named Connor. He learned his way around the house fairly quickly and is favorite spot is on the sofa with the Foster. He also naps in the sun on her deck and is able to ask to go outside after only a few days. He is affectionate and tries to play when he is on the floor. Here is a quote from the last update from the Foster: “If Albee had his vision again he would be a playful lil guy, likes to lay on his side next to you and have his tummy rubbed.” It will be wonderful to observe what he thinks when he is able to see after three years being blind.
Our thanks and Albert’s gratitude to all of the people at WestieMed for giving him the gift of sight with your funding of his surgery.
Mary Young Westie Rescue of Northern California
Update July 28, 2015
We lost our little Albert to congestive heart failure last weekend. We are so sad. He was the best boy and at least had his eyesight for his last two years. It hurts to lose these rescues as much as if they were my own dogs.
Thanks WestieMed for your support of Albert and our other rescues.
I rescued a three-month-old puppy (now five months) from the East Valley Animal Shelter in Feb. She and her sister had been abandoned in a backyard. We are guessing because Valentine (my dog) is missing one eye, and her sister only has three legs.
All adopted dogs are required to be spayed before you can even take them home but they called me to pick up Valentine early because they detected a heart murmur and it needed to be monitored during the surgery and they didn’t have the equipment to do that at their facilities. Upon taking Valentine to the Vet for her initial check-up we found out that the heart murmur was extremely high grade (6/6) and the odds weren’t too great for a puppy so small and blood work and an ultrasound needed to be done before we could find out what was wrong and what she needed.
Those are, unfortunately, very expensive tests. I spoke with the shelter and they said I could give her back and choose a new dog within thirty days but they didn’t say too much about the fate of Valentine. Even after a day, I was so in love with this sweet dog I couldn’t let her go. The vet recommended waiting a month to see if she grew out of the murmur, then getting the tests if she still needed them after that. The month passed, and the murmur was still there so we went ahead with the tests and discovered that Valentine has a PDA (patent ductus arteriosis) and all the extra work is enlarging her heart. Basically, when you are in utero, there is a valve that bypasses the lungs because you are getting oxygen from your mommy. It closes when you are born, but Valentine’s didn’t so her little heart was working extra hard and going all around trying to pump blood throughout her body. The good news is, that with the surgery, she should be a happy healthy puppy just like her sister!!!
Valentine is the most amazing dog, she has the most amazing personality! Even though I want to smother her with kisses she loves her “space” under the bed, she thinks she’s a big dog (and struts around like one too), and she is amazing with dog, cats, guinea pigs, and humans alike. She loves to give kisses and play! Sometimes she acts like she needs to go out to potty, but really she’s just trying to meet more dogs to play because when we go out she’s just looking around wagging her little tail, you can’t even be mad.
I am SO grateful to WestieMed and their generosity. With their help, my baby is going to be able to have the surgery she needs and the fabulous life she deserves.
When we received an email from the Westie Yahoo Group that a female senior dog was in a desert shelter, we sent a volunteer right over. Nilla was brought in by a couple that said she was thirteen years old, and they found her wandering the streets. They adopted a puppy and left. More often than not, seniors that end up in shelters are brought there by their owners because they have aged. Upon her veterinarian examination, it was noted that she had severe osteoarthritis in her front shoulders, spine, and hindquarters. Nilla was up for adoption, but those that inquired about her eventually declined. Not because of her age, but because of the cost associated with keeping her comfortable. Though we were managing the pain with medication, it became clear that Nilla would need much more help physically and that becoming a WROC Forever Foster was her best chance of getting everything she needs.
We started to notice that Nilla’s appetite was being affected by the pain associated with the osteoarthritis and it was getting much worse much faster so we brought her to our vet for another consult. Because Nilla is spry and so wants to enjoy all the pleasures that senior hood brings our vet suggested stem cell treatment would be Nilla’s best bet. After doing the research and talking with other owners that have done SCT, and because our vet facility specializes in SCT, we’ve decided this is the way to go.
Nilla is an ideal candidate for stem cell treatment which is a procedure that collects fat cells from the dog’s body. The regenerative cells that are collected do several things: They release chemicals that help decrease inflammation; they send out chemicals to the body to bring healing cells into that area; and they have the potential to regenerate damaged tissue – in other words, nearly reproducing tissue as it was at a younger stage. Under local anesthesia, the cells will be re-injected back into Nilla’s arthritic areas in greater concentration than her own body could’ve accomplished.
The cost of the procedure is very expensive but it is worth extending the quality of Nilla’s life. With the generous sponsorship that Nilla received from a previous adopter and WestieMed, Nilla now has the funds to start treatment!
Rescue is their last chance, so we are going to make it their best chance!
Thank you WestieMed for helping us fulfill our commitment to our seniors!
Karen Simondet Westie Rescue of Orange County & Beyond
Update July 3, 2014
We don’t recognize this dog! We are approaching three months since Nilla had her Stem Cell Therapy. It appears she reacted to the stem cells rather quickly and we saw rapid improvement in her movement, mobility, agility, and temperament. We have eliminated all medication and today, she struts with confidence and gets up off the floor with ease. Her appetite has returned to normal with a weight gain of two pounds which we couldn’t be more pleased! Should her improved condition plateau, enough stem cell was collected to repeat the treatment; typically done six months apart.
We are impressed by the ease of procedure, with little in the way of invasive surgery (primarily, anesthesia for the collection of fat and re-injection two days apart) which meant that Nilla left the hospital as though nothing took place.
Currently, the process is open for the treatment of osteoarthritis, tendon and ligament injuries, and poorly healing fractures, however studies are presently ongoing for use of this therapy in the treatment of liver failure, feline kidney disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and various autoimmune conditions. Thus far the procedure is most commonly used to arthritis and the results have been impressive. Decreased pain with improved mobility, a win-win combination. It is exciting to think where this therapy could lead us. Because the fat cells are taken from the patient, there is no chance of rejection. What it has to offer presently, and what it could offer to our animal companions in the future could change the way we look at traditional veterinarian medicine.
Thank you WestieMed! Improving the quality of life for our seniors is our mission; one we take to heart.
Karen and Kay Westie Rescue of OC & Beyond (WROC)
Update July 14, 2015
My sweet girl passed away in December from kidney failure.
Max entered foster care in August 2013. Max, seven, was surrendered due to his owner having health problems that caused her to be placed in a nursing home. Max was left in her apartment for a month prior to being surrendered to Westie Rescue Michigan. Max was confused and lonely.
Due to the owner’s health problems, Max’s vet care was inconsistent. When he entered foster care he had atopic dermatitis, and skin, dual-ear and eye infections. He was also diagnosed with dry eye syndrome. He needed all of his vaccinations and dental. He also demonstrated a fear response and was emotionally shut down.
He required a lot of medication and care in order to resolve these medical issues. Just when his ears cleared of the ulcers, narrowed ear canal and infections, two tumors were located in Max’s ears. He underwent surgery to have these removed. They were benign.
A week after the tumors were removed from the ear, Max’s anal gland ruptured. It was determined that he had an infection and it finally ruptured. He was immediately placed on antibiotics.
The next week he ruptured his ACL on his back leg. He underwent surgery and is recovering very well. During this time he went through a dog training class and graduated.
Max is one of the most resilient foster dogs I have ever fostered. It has been a wonderful experience to see him start acting like a dog. Initially, he kept his tail between his legs and would growl when trying to hook him up to a leash. Today, he wags his tail and holds the leash in his mouth. He is excited about going for rides in the car and going for walks. His hearing returned and his eyesight is much improved. He can see a rabbit from quite a distance.
With the gracious help from WestieMed, Max was able to have his ACL surgery and has a wonderful chance of being adopted into a perfect home for him.
Julie
Update July 14, 2015
I regret to inform you that Max passed away. He was doing very well but the vet believes Max had a heart attack. Max lived with me for two years and died suddenly. Thanks to your organization, the last two years of his life were the best. He could play and run around the yard. He was a very happy and loving dog.
I miss him very much. He was very special. I thank WestieMed for helping me give him a good two years.
Merlyn came to New York Westie Rescue from a shelter. His owners had surrendered the old boy saying that the wife had ‘suddenly developed allergies’ to him, but his condition told another story. He was underweight, arthritic, his coat was very thin and his skin was not in good shape. His teeth were a mess, as well. He was old, grumpy and didn’t see or hear very well and walked with an odd gait from arthritis. He also had a growth in his left ear and an ear infection. He’d never been neutered, so his prostate was quite enlarged and like a lot of old men, he dribbled a bit. Poor Merlyn really wanted to be loved but wasn’t sure how to respond sometimes when he got it. He startled easily and would snap out of fear sometimes. We weren’t sure of his exact age, but the vet estimated that he was probably at least twelve or thirteen if not older. He didn’t have any adopters that were very interested in taking him on, so NYWR made the decision to keep him in the sanctuary.
After proper vetting, a new diet, dental cleaning, and neutering, he seemed a bit more comfortable and began to settle in, although because of the damage done by the severely enlarged prostate prior to coming into rescue, he would have to wear a belly band most of the time. He soon appointed himself the Lord of the Manor and when we got another little old fellow, Egan, who was in really terrible shape, he took up his post as Egan’s guardian and would watch over him, a task that he took very seriously and continued until Egan was well on his way to healing.
Unfortunately for Merlyn, his ear was not responding well to treatment. The vet tried a number of things but nothing was working and his ear began to get worse. We finally made the decision to get a second opinion. The vet we took him to decide that the only thing that was going to end Merlyn’s constant discomfort with his ear was a partial ablation of the ear canal, which is a very expensive procedure.
Thanks to WestieMed, we are able to schedule this surgery for Lord Merlyn, and provide him with some comfort and relief in his old age. Thank you WestieMed for the great work that you do and making it possible for Merlyn to start feeling better!
Josie Smith, Director New York Westie Rescue
Update July 14, 2015
I am sorry to tell you that our sweet, loving little Merlyn passed to the Rainbow Bridge on June 4th of this year. After the surgery that Westie Med provided the funds for, a biopsy of the tumor that had invaded his ear canal revealed that he had a rare form of cancer, ceruminous adenosarcoma. There was nothing at that point that could be done to help him so we kept him comfortable in our hospice program and he survived with a good quality of life for several more months. Unfortunately, the tumor caused a stroke and when he lost his quality of life we made the decision to let him go.
Thank you for making the surgery possible, and allowing him to live without the pain of the tumor pressing on his nerve, and being loved and cherished. All of our Westies are special, but there was something about Merlyn that made him extraordinary. He was an extremely loving, loyal fur baby who was grateful for every little kindness and always thanked me for everything with a kiss. It never failed. Before he would eat, he would say thank you. When I tended his ear, he was grateful and would say thank you. Right up until the end he took his thrice daily house patrols quite seriously and would check each room and door to make sure that there were no intruders. He guarded me with devotion and never left my side. I miss him terribly.
I am more grateful than I can ever express for the help that WestieMed provided that allowed us to be blessed with him a while longer, and for him to experience the love and care that he was so grateful for. There are not enough thank you’s in the world to fully express our appreciation for the wonderful work that you do. So many Westies count on you.
I am with The Blue Bonnet Yorkshire Terrier Club Rescue, which serves the North Texas area. While picking up a Yorkie around Christmas, I saw a happy Westie carrot tail, frantically trying to get my attention at the Dallas Animal Services Shelter.
This poor ten pound Westie had no chance of adoption and had used up most of her 72-hour hold because she has an enormous tumor coming from the back of her neck and hanging over one shoulder.
With a tail that worked so well and happy eyes, I knew she had to get out of the shelter quickly, so “Benet” came to the Yorkie Rescue.
The first tumor removed from her neck weighed two pounds. Once that was off, we realized there were still two more large tumors that were obscured by the first one. One was 10 cm., per the pathology report.
These large tumors were sent to a pathologist and found to be a very rare type called a “Trichoepithilioma”.
Bernet – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Released of the burden of wearing very large tumors around, little Benet has blossomed into a fun-loving, tennis ball chasing girl.
Originally, I thought she would remain at the rescue, in hospice care. I now realize that it is ridiculous to think of her as a sick dog.
She is very deserving of a new family and will contribute a great deal of joy and kisses to the mix.
I will follow up with you when she starts the next chapter of her life.
We had recently lost our beloved seventeen-year-old Cairn terrier, Tesla and thought that our fourteen-year-old Westie, Sully, would be okay with being an only dog. After just two weeks of depression, we knew that we needed to bring another terrier into the family. We went to Petfinder.com for the third time in our lives to look for an older Westie, Cairn or Scottie we could adopt. There we found ‘Snowball’, soon to be Fiona. We knew right away she was the one for us just from her description: a female ten-twelve years old Westie pulled from a kill shelter somewhere in western Kentucky, described as active in the yard, chasing anything that was in her territory, okay with the foster Westies and loving with her people.
We filled out an application and two weeks later Fiona came for a visit. Things went well with Sully. We asked about her health and were told she was a healthy dog, and she seemed to be other than a skin fold sitting on her lower back at the start of her tail, and her tail which seemed permanently curled under her body. Despite being told we’d need to wipe the pouch out once a week, we decided the two dogs got along well enough, and she liked us too, so she stayed for the week. During that time, she stole our hearts! She gave Sully exactly what he needed to start eating, playing and sleeping through the night again. She gave us all the love we could take! After just three days with us, we decided to adopt her, contacted the rescue to let them know, and scheduled a veterinary visit for Saturday morning. We knew going into it that she had the skin fold, her tail was curled under and she was very itchy with allergies. We were not at all prepared for what the vet would tell us.
Veterinarian Dr. Nicole Harris met Fiona and began her examination. She knew immediately that Fiona previously had a broken back. This was confirmed on x-ray minutes later, and by determining that she had no feeling in her tail. Dr. Harris said that she most commonly saw this type of injury from when a cat, more often than a dog, had been swung by its tail or been run over by a car. Also, Fiona was diagnosed with a horrible case of demodectic mites – confirmed with scrapings off of her back feet and heels. And to top it off, she has probably never had a dental cleaning.
The vet advised us to eradicate the mites and ear infections first, and then to address the tail and skin fold removal. The tail removal being essential to Fiona’s future health, since the way the tail is curled under her body, the fecal matter gets on the tail and then right into her urethra. We spent three months killing off the mites with dips and pills and twice-weekly two-shampoo baths – all of which Fiona took in stride! She is such a sweetie and during bath times we really bonded.
Despite asking the rescue for help with some of the medical costs they have avoided us and will not respond to any contact via phone, email or even Facebook.
We found WestieMed out of pure luck or karma. A friend of mine posted a link to a dog magazine on Facebook, which led us to RedRover.org, which had a listing of breed-specific medical help organizations. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the site for WestieMed. We read everything then went ahead and applied for assistance following Wendy’s lifelong motto of “I’ll ask – the worst someone can say to me is no.” We are scheduling her surgery to happen within the next couple of weeks and cannot wait for her to be fully healthy! Although we miss a wagging Westie tail on her, we know that she is happy in our home as she shows it us continuously, coming more and more out of her shell every day. Especially while protecting her yard from birds, squirrels, and even the local woodchuck!
A sincere thank you to all those at WestieMed and its supporters, Wendy, Lonnie, Sully & Fiona Eubank
Update July 14, 2015
Fiona – WestieMed Grant Recipient
To WestieMed – thank you so much for your help with Fiona. She is such a wonderful little creature. We just love her to no end! The surgery removed her tail as it was dead, and left her with a little cottontail, so we still have to clean her bootie once a day to make sure no-poo gets where it shouldn’t cause a UTI.
Fiona lost her Westie brother a year ago to lymphoma. After very careful consideration we had her meet an older Scottie and they got along so well he came home with us. Jack is an eleven yr old Scottie, from the TN Scottie Rescue. He lets Fiona run things and they are both quite happy with that arrangement.
Fiona is doing quite well, although allergies are tough this season, our vet is helping us get through it! She is such a little princess – a true terrier princess!
We would never have been able to get her all the medical care needed without WestieMed to help. We are forever grateful!
Wendy Eubank
Update January 24, 2018
Unfortunately, Fiona passed away in July 2017. She was approximately seventeen -eighteen years old. In the end, she had lymphoma and was blind. But thanks to your grant four years ago, she was happy and healthy. We miss her.
Daisy was a tiny ten-month-old Westie who was in a lot of pain. She had fractured her leg – how we don’t know. Her owner eventually took her to a vet to see about repairing the complicated break, but could not afford the surgery. So Daisy’s leg was splinted in hopes that it would heal on its own. However, without the surgery, her leg had begun to heal in a way that would have caused Daisy a lifetime of pain and impaired mobility.
Not long after, Daisy found herself scared and alone in a shelter in Evansville, IN, where her owner had dropped her off to become somebody else’s concern. Fortunately for Daisy, one of the shelter’s caring employees was concerned enough about this little pup to contact Westie Rescue Indiana (WRI) seeking help.
A WRI volunteer from western Kentucky met the shelter worker the very next day and immediately took Daisy to her vet in Owensboro, KY. Ultrasounds and X-rays were taken and showed the fracture to be far more extensive and complicated than originally thought. So Daisy was referred to an orthopedic specialist in Louisville where she subsequently underwent extensive surgery.
Daisy’s vet bills soon climbed into the thousands, but one look into her trusting eyes and there could be no question that whatever had to be done for her would be done. This sweet little pup was a trooper, making friends and admirers wherever she went, doing all that was asked of her without complaint and always, always bestowing kisses!
Our dedicated WRI volunteer devoted much of her life over the next several months to making sure Daisy got the loving care she required. She said that the most difficult part of the recovery process was keeping this naturally energetic Westie pup quiet enough to properly heal.
After several weeks of enforced confinement, Daisy was pronounced well enough to begin a course of water and physical therapy necessary to ensure she would be able to put weight on the leg and eventually walk without a limp.
Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, to a concerned shelter worker and some very accomplished vet and PT specialists, Daisy now has a full and happy life ahead of her. And thanks to help from WestieMed, Daisy’s bills can be paid in full without jeopardizing Westie Rescue Indiana’s ability to help the next Westie in need who comes our way!
Update August 6, 2015
Daisy – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Daisy has adjusted quite well to her life as a very spoiled member of our family. She loves to cuddle, sleep on the bed, and run in the backyard. She is very much a tom-boy and bosses around her brother Westies Elvis and Preston.
Now, she even has a job on her brother’s website PrestonSpeaks.com where she has become a fan favorite and an internet celebrity in her own right. She has even started traveling to pet expos and a few months ago she flew on an airplane for the first time when she went to the Dallas Pet Expo.
She has recovered very well from her extensive leg surgery back in 2013 which involved several months of rehabilitation. Unfortunately, last fall, the pin in her leg started to shift and she had to have a second surgery to remove the pin.
After another long month of crate rest, she made a complete recovery and the vets say she shouldn’t have any more problems in the future. Since then, she has been back to chasing her brothers in the backyard.
Daisy has been a wonderful addition to our family and we can’t imagine our house without our “Daisy May”!
Thanks, WestieMed for funding the surgery that allowed our little girl to walk, run again, and lead a normal life!
Duchess arrived at Westie and Scottie Rescue Houston in July 2013 after her two moms died; the first when she was 3 1/2 years old and the second, her original mom’s sister, four years later. Because she is diabetic and blind from cataracts caused by diabetes, no other family members were willing to care for her. Daily insulin injections and the cost of insulin, along with caring for a blind dog, were overwhelming for them. After seven weeks in a kennel at her veterinarian’s office, the family released Duchess to WSRH. Her first stop was the intake house, where she was introduced to the resident pack and other fosters waiting for new homes. Duchess also was put on a healthy diet of grain-free food and was taken to see WSRH’s vet, Dr. Keith French at Bear Branch Animal Hospital. When Dr. French finished his initial exam and blood work, he implanted a microchip and a video of the procedure was shared on Facebook. To watch the video click here.
Duchess had always been an only dog so understandably was a bit overwhelmed with all the action and new dogs around her. She was able to maneuver around the dog room after a few days there but demonstrated her love of “caves” by crawling onto an open shelf in a cabinet. This became her daytime safe area. Fortunately for Duchess, it was only a week before first-time foster parents Dewayne and Cathy took her to their home. Although blind, she quickly learned to navigate the furniture in their house and established cave areas under furniture where she could hide after meals to try to avoid her insulin injections. This has become a game for her; lead Mom and Dad on a hunt for Duchess in her caves.
One discovery in her new foster home is that Duchess is a barker; when she is unsure of her surroundings when she can’t find the toy she dropped when she wants a playmate, the barking begins. Duchess has a strong prey drive and spends hours daily “looking” for squirrels along the backyard fence. She and her foster brothers run along the fence line while the squirrel runs along the top. When the squirrel is gone, the boys go into the house but Duchess continues to run along the bottom of the fence, barking. She likes to play with squeaky toys or toys with bells in them, however, when she drops the toy, the barking begins while she tries to find it.
Duchess and her foster brothers, two Westies and a Schnauzer mix, frequent the local dog park where Duchess is happily playing with smaller dogs. She tries to follow her foster brothers but they always run too fast for her to keep up. While the dog park has lots of open spaces for her to play, Duchess runs into fences and has fallen into the shallow pond. Duchess is socialized with other dogs, but her vision loss makes meeting new dogs difficult for her. When new dogs approach her too quickly or bark near her, she becomes frightened and looks for Mom or Dad to pick her up.
After monitoring Duchess’s blood sugar levels, Dr. French suggested that Duchess might be a candidate for cataract surgery because her diabetes was under control so he referred her to Gulf Coast Animal Eye Clinic. Dewayne made an appointment and took Duchess to see Dr. Jim Swanson who started her on a regimen of twice-daily eye drops to control swelling behind her corneas. After a month of this treatment, Dr. Swanson approved Duchess for cataract surgery and agreed to waive half his fee of $3600. With the help of WestieMed paying the remainder of the surgical fee, Duchess will soon be able to see the squirrels she loves to chase.
Duchess will always be diabetic but cataract surgery will make her more adoptable and allow her to lead a fuller, safer life. We are very grateful for WestieMed and all of its supporters for the assistance provided to Duchess and the other Westies who need extra help in getting them ready for forever homes.
It seems the holidays, more than any other time of year, remind us to be grateful for the blessings we receive. Duchess was one of those blessings and WestieMed multiplied the blessing tenfold. When we took Duchess in, she had outlived two owners and was blind due to cataracts caused by diabetes. Our wonderful vet helped us get and keep her blood sugar under control and, thanks to a grant from WestieMed, we were able to have the surgery done to remove her cataracts and restore her eyesight. Duchess was still healing from the surgery when a wonderful person whose Westie also was older and diabetic, saw her profile and knew that she had to have Duchess in her life. As as soon as the surgeon cleared her, Duchess moved to her forever home.
Duchess’s forever mom sent us the attached photo showing how happy this beautiful girl is now. We always will be grateful to Dr. Keith French at Bear Branch Animal Hospital, Dr. Jim Swanson at Gulf Coast Animal Eye Clinic, and WestieMed for making this beautiful creature’s life brighter.
Kind regards,
Maggie Escriva Volunteer, Director Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston
Update July 29, 2015
Duchess – WestieMed Grant Recipient
We are happy to provide additional updates as the gift WestieMed helped provide is a lifetime of vision for this dear girl.
Duchess was adopted by a wonderful woman who has another older Westie girl who also is diabetic so she is quite familiar with dietary and medical needs.
Her mom told us that Duchess and her sister, Leia, had good reports at their recent vet checkup.
Thank you to WestieMed for enabling happy tails like this.
In April 2013, Stewart (a nine-year-old male Westie) was found huddled in the corner of an outside apartment storage closet. The tenant of the apartment had terminated his lease three days earlier abandoning the westie. Stewart was filthy and it was initially thought his collar was embedded in his neck; however, his collar was entangled with the mats of fur covering his body. The closet was littered with his feces. The only sign that there had been a human providing the minimal care/shelter for Stewart was the empty food bowl, small water bowl and wet cardboard box draped by a towel.
Stewart was picked up by the city of Austin Animal Services and taken to the Austin Animal Center on April 10, 2013. The veterinarian that initially examined him at the shelter recommended he be euthanized. Stewart was diagnosed with severe ear infections, severe eye discharge with scarred corneas and possible blindness, severe dental disease/ gingivitis and severe internal parasite infestation.
The individual that abandoned Stewart had told authorities that he found Stewart in a barn late 2010. Since then, there were only two known veterinarian visits – both within the first three months. Stewart’s ears were noted to have infections at the first visit and treatment provided; however, during the second visit (two months later), the ears were still infected but the individual did not want to pay for the ear cytology leaving Stewart’s ears untreated since January 2011.
We had been contacted by another Westie owner that lived in the same apartment complex when Stewart was taken to the Austin Animal Center. She and others that knew Stewart were concerned for his well being. We asked at the Center about Stewart when we were pulling another westie from the Center three days after his intake. We were told of the initial recommendation to euthanize but because it was a weekend day, the coordinator didn’t have the most current info and promised to get back with us.
Approximately thirty days after his arrival at the Center, we were contacted to see if we would be able to take Stewart into our rescue program. The Center provided us with a copy of Stewart’s lab work taken with his initial examination at the Center. We asked our veterinarian to review for her opinion. She told us that the results showed signs of starvation and suggested to ask the Center if they would be willing to do Stewart’s blood work again since he had been in treatment for thirty days. This new blood work did show that Stewart’s body was responding to the treatment; however, the Center still stressed that Stewart might be considered a “hospice” for our rescue.
Meeting Stewart…there was really no hesitation that we had to bring this guy into our rescue and show him the good life regardless of how short-term or long-term. It was still not really known if Stewart had any vision or hearing, but he clearly had the zest for life that westies are famous for. Stewart walked out of the Austin Animal Center holding his head high and enjoying the smell of freedom. Stewart’s past baggage was clearly left in that nasty apartment storage closet.
We took Stewart straight from the Center to our veterinarian clinic for an exam. He was very generous with his kisses (everybody overlooked the odor attributed to his extreme gingivitis) and won the hearts of all the staff at the clinic that met him. We were sent home after Stewart’s initial exam at our veterinarian clinic with a plethora of medicine and a lengthy checklist. Even though Stewart had been receiving treatment for the last thirty days at the Center, his ears were still infected. Initially, it was difficult to determine if the “goop” in both ears were medicine or drainage – sadly, it was drainage. His right ear canal was completely blocked which initiated the discussion of the Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA). His left ear canal was horribly infected with a small opening. His eyes had some crust around them – when tested showed no evidence of tears. Stewart’s skin was dry with flaking and scabs – chronic dermatitis. Stewart was to return in fourteen days for a check on his response to the meds and treatments.
Stewart walked into his foster home without hesitation. We were still trying to determine his vision and hearing status but he was not content to be “sheltered” from the other furkids. Stewart wanted his freedom that he had been denied for so long. We let him out of the dog run and he began to explore the huge backyard. As happens so many other times, it appeared that the other furkids knew Stewart was special and they never challenged him but let him do his own thing. Stewart had the run of the house as well as the big backyard – this boy was not going to be crated or contained again.
At the follow-up visit with the veterinarian, fourteen days after his initial exam with our vet, Stewart’s left ear had shown good improvement. They were able to see inside the left canal at this time but treatment was still needed. The right ear showed no real improvement. His eyes were still crusting so Tacrolimus was prescribed to provide relief. We also learned from the earlier blood work that Stewart was hypothyroid and began Soloxine.
We were referred to Central Texas Veterinary Specialty to get another opinion regarding Stewart’s ears. Again, he kissed his way through this exam. We felt hopeful with the initial comments by Dr. Zacher; however, after her thorough exam in conjunction with the dermatologist, it was agreed that Stewart’s right ear canal was completely blocked and would require surgery. They both said without the surgery that Stewart’s prognosis was guarded and with the Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA) surgery his prognosis was good. During the initial month that Stewart had been with us and since, he never exhibited any discomfort because of his ears. Without this surgery, Stewart would be at risk of continued infections in his ear which could result in a ruptured eardrum. Dr. Zacher agreed that it did not appear that there was an urgent need for the TECA so we opted to wait to allow Stewart some time to stabilize his other health issues but also learn to savor his new life.
Now, there is no doubt that Stewart is unable to hear anything. He sleeps through the loud barking of the other furkids when someone walks into the house. Since his arrival, we have determined that he does have some vision but limited. He compensates for his deafness and limited vision with a keen sense of smell. He loves to go outside and explore the backyard. He clearly loves his independence, yet he is content to sit in a lap and give out kisses. Stewart shows no pain even though his teeth are in horrible condition. He has a healthy appetite and enjoys supplementing his diet with carrots, apples, bananas, green beans, strawberries, and homemade chicken liver treats. Our veterinarian has said Stewart will require two sessions for proper cleaning; however, his right ear is a higher priority.
Just six months ago, Stewart was abandoned in a dark closet, scoring a five out of five (with five being the worst) on a Tufts physical care score and a recommendation to be euthanized. Five months ago, Stewart was on seven different medications to clear up various infections and currently he is only on two routine medicines (eye drops and Soloxine). He learned the routine of the foster house quickly and adjusts to days that are not routine. He wakes up each day in freedom and enjoys life. With the help of WestieMed, Stewart will be scheduled for the TECA – eliminating the risk of future emergencies. He is safe, dry and warm – loving life and people!
We are grateful for an organization like WestieMed that provides support for these precious little white furkids. This organization and their support go a long way to help large and small rescues. WestieMed is like a safety-net for so many. Stewart sends a bunch of kisses to all who have made this possible. Thank you just doesn’t seem adequate to express our gratitude.
Linda Duncan Westie Rescue Austin
Update November 12, 2013
I was able to go by and visit Stewart this afternoon during the visiting hours. He surprised them with his readiness to eat yesterday after his surgery. I took some Cinnamon Apple muffin treats I had made earlier this afternoon for him to enjoy and he did. I wish I had taken more but really wanted to be cautious and not jeopardize his recovery. He doesn’t have any dizziness which is good. He has a short-term nerve side effect with not being able to blink his right eye but they expect that to disappear within two weeks. The nurse told me when I was leaving that if he keeps going as well as he is, he will be coming home tomorrow! Yea! They suggested a Pro-Cone or is it Pro-Collar. The blow-up collar won’t be good for his surgical area. So I will be getting one before I go pick him up tomorrow. Again, we are grateful for the support of WestieMed for Stewart’s surgery. He is just one of many benefiting from this fabulous organization.
Linda
Update April 10, 2014
Stewart – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Stewart continues to thrive. His dogtor was pleased with his smooth recovery and no complications from his TECA (Nov 2013). Stewart had already lost his hearing in both ears prior to this procedure because of the neglect and lack of treatment for his ear infections. We do continue to fight his two other issues – skin and eyes. He gets the prescription eyedrops in both eyes daily along with GenTeal gel. We are giving him medicated baths which help provide relief to his itchy skin. Because of his surgery, he had almost three different lengths of fur all over his body so early February we groomed him giving him a short fur cut. With the unusually cold winter we experienced and his short fur, we had to find him a fleece sweater and discovered that Stewart is a clothes hound! He actually pranced when we put his new hoodie on him!
This month (April) also marks the one year anniversary of Stewart being taken into the Austin Animal Center after being found abandoned in the storage closet at an apartment. Stewart can now decide if he wants to go out and come in! It brings us great joy when we look and Stewart is far off exploring the backyard!
Stewart continues to perfect his two hobbies. One is eating and the other is sleeping! He knows the feeding routine and eagerly goes to his “station” for his food bowl. Stewart is not shy…he is more than happy to thank you with a kiss. Stewart is a happy boy and blends in well with the other furkids.
In the next month or so, we anticipate scheduling Stewart for a dental. His dogtor has said that she anticipates it will take two procedures. We are sure there will be extractions but know that slow Stewart down when he is eating.
Once again, we are grateful for WestieMed’s assistance with Stewart’s TECA but also for their help with all the Westies that need help. If Stewart could give everybody with WestieMed a kiss, he would!
Thank you again! Linda D/Westie Rescue Austin
Update July 27, 2015
Stewart – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Stewart continues to do well with no complications from the surgery as expected. He is two years older now. His eyesight has gotten worse but that has not seemed to slow him down. He knows the routines of the house, where his favorite doggy beds are (although he sleeps on my bed at night) and when it is time to eat. We are struggling with his skin this year but Stewart practically sleeps through his medicated baths.
It still amazes us that Stewart is so accepting and loving considering the two years (at least) of neglect and chronic health problems. And we are grateful to the support of WestieMed for Stewart and all the Westies in need.
