Harry’s story begins like many other Westie rescues, on the streets. He was found wandering around in the snow in Richlands, North Carolina, back in February and brought to Carolina Westie Rescue in the spring of 2009.
He was brought to us by a wonderful good Samaritan named Susan Collins. Even though he seemed to be a throwaway dog, Harry still had a good spirit and personality. Susan informed us that Harry had heartworms and that a previous vet had recommended that the dog be euthanized.
Well, Westies never give up without a fight, and we were not about to either! We carried Harry to another vet and had a thorough exam performed. Other than his horrible ear infections, our vet told us that Harry’s heartworms were pretty advanced and that we could try and kill them with the slow-kill Immiticide treatment, but that he might not make it.
Our vet suggested we take Harry to the state veterinary school in Raleigh which has a team of cardiologists. And so, a few days later, that’s exactly what we did. We left Harry with those folks all day, and when we returned, we learned that Harry’s heartworms were not as advanced as we had been told. Now, heartworms of any sort are not a cause for celebration, but here we were thinking Harry was in an advanced stage of heartworms and that surgery was the only solution. The doctors at NC State told us that the slow-kill method was the correct course of action to take, but that Harry would have to be perfectly still during treatment. No running around the yard chasing the girl Westies, like he usually does. Harry should be beginning his first of three Immiticide injections very soon.
As of this writing, we are pretty upbeat about Harry’s prognosis and his making it through the treatment. We are looking forward to the days when he can run and play with the other Westies and not be winded. Carolina Westie Rescue would like to extend our warmest heartfelt thanks to WestieMed for all you do for these little white dogs.
Carolina Westie Rescue
Update March 7, 2010
Harry – WestieMed Recipient
I want to thank Westie Med for helping to save Harry’s life. You are all wonderful for helping him.
The long and grueling process of killing the heartworms took months and after going through treating Harry for Heartworm Disease Harry was hit with an acute attack of pancreatitis. Harry was left with an enlarged heart and breathing problems that appeared to be Westie lung Disease. Westies as we know are very resilient and Harry has a strong will to live. Harry has always been a happy, loving, wonderful Westie even during the times when he was so very sick. He has always had a strong will to live.
After having Harry for almost a year we found Harry a great home with a retired couple who had a sweet little girl Westie. They knew that Harry was left with some health problems, but were willing to give Harry a forever home. I miss Harry, but it is comforting to know that he has a great home and can live out the rest of his life with people who can appreciate Harry for the wonderful Westie that he is.
Harry now lives on Hilton Head Island and walks on the beach almost every day with his new forever family. Harry loves the beach and also gets along well with his new little sister.
He is living the good life. Thank you WestieMed!
Sincerely, Sydney Christian Carolina Westie Rescue
I got an email about another Westie in need of rescue, but when I looked at the picture I knew that this was no ordinary rescue. I knew immediately that this would be my dog. Another member of Westie Rescue stepped up to foster first, but circumstances led him to my house shortly thereafter. Thank God for small miracles.
Tavish, as he was named, is unlike any other dog I have had the pleasure of knowing. He was so small and fragile. Because he was kept in a cat carrier all four of his legs were bowed at the knee. His hair was almost non-existent due to stress. This also caused alopecia. He had nasty skin irritations and infections. He had an eye infection. Who knew what else was lurking just below the surface. This poor little soul was just the most pitiful and worst case of abuse and neglect I have ever seen. But, there was a spark there. After all, he had been through, his giant personality still managed to shine. That is what fortunately saved his life. The Bridgeport, Texas Animal Services’ workers saw it. Westie Rescue of North Texas saw it. I saw it. This was a dog who deserved a second chance.
When he got to my house the first thing I wanted to do was give him a name like no one else. This little guy had a sort of élan that was bigger than life. He needed to be distinguished from the pack. I did not want him to be lost in a sea of Tavishs. He was so little – just a little peanut of a dog. Well, we can’t give a Westie a non-Scottish name, can we? So it was born – Tavish McPeanut – thank you very much!
Every day we held our breath. He had so much to overcome. Could he do it? Was he strong enough? Well, the answer was yes and yes. He could and would overcome. He could and was strong enough. Every day he came more and more alive. McPeanut was a legend by now.
Tavish McPeanut – WestieMed Recipient
We take daily walks as a pack and this little guy would prance out in front of everyone else. What a hoot! He knew he was special and everyone else was just beginning to see for themselves just what a terrific guy he was. All the neighbors would stop and pet him. He went and stole everyone’s hearts. He will give you a quick kiss but then he is off – he has things to do, places to go, things to mark. . . after all, he is a little boy.
McPeanut has been the spirit of this family. He is goofy and silly and always up for whatever is going on. He is quick with a tail wag and a kiss. When you call his name he dances around in a little half-circle kind of shaped like a little peanut. This would be the Peanut dance. He is the first one to start playing. He is also quite the Casanova having a wide variety of lady loves from a Chinese Crested named Lola to a black Lab named Lady. He loves to walk and sniff and hike and sniff and run and play and sniff and love. We cannot imagine life without this little firecracker.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for helping McPeanut, who stole our hearts, to complete all of his medical treatments so that he can truly thrive and become the Westie he was meant to be!
Sincerely, Kelly Flanigan Feuling Tavish McPeanut’s Mom
Update July 9, 2009
I just wanted to briefly update everyone about little McPeanut. I picked him up today from Dallas Vet & Surgery Center in Grapevine. Dr. Wells was our physician.
I have good news and bad news. The good news is that McPeanut does not need surgery at this time. They performed a CT scan and then a myelogram. The myelogram is a procedure where they inject dye into the spinal column to see if a disk is ruptured or herniated. So, the good news is that he does not have a condition that can be rectified by surgery. The bad news is, they cannot explain his x-rays. They show such a drastic narrowing in two places and he cries out in pain sometimes when picked up.
Tavish McPeanut – WestieMed Recipient
Dr. Wells thinks there is soft tissue damage due to his being kept in that tiny cage. She said we need to continue to manage the pain and see if he won’t improve over time. Poor little guy. I just hate it that he is having to suffer like this! It is a terrible reminder of all this little baby went through.
I am currently giving him Carprofen and Tramadol twice a day to keep the pain at bay. He has been given orders to keep quiet and rest. Not a problem with this heat. As you can see in the picture, he is doing okay now that he is home and in his favorite chair. Oh, and his appetite is great – that is always a good sign!
Blessings, Kelly
Update August 12, 2009
I am sending out this update on little McPeanut hopefully to bring attention to a major health issue. With all of these horrific puppy-mills around, we might start to see more and more of these specific eye problems. If you look at any of the tapes of the busts, the majority of dogs have obvious eye issues. We need to closely and carefully check these puppy-mill dogs who have eye irritations/conditions.
We took McPeanut to the veterinary ophthalmologist, Dr. Munger, today. He has had eye problems from the beginning, but because no one every fluoresced (stained) his eyes this was not caught until last Monday by Dr. Paul Hendon at Westcreek Animal Clinic. McPeanut had the most unusual pattern of damage to his cornea that Dr. Hendon had ever seen. He immediately recommended the veterinary ophthalmologist and put McPeanut on several different medications.
This is very serious and McPeanut could very well lose his left eye. First, he has been diagnosed in both eyes with uveitis (which is very serious and painful in humans) which is a swelling of the uvea – the middle, pigmented vascular layer of the eye. Second, his left eye has posterior synechia, pupilo seclusio, iris bombe, and glaucoma (caused by the uveitis). What all this means is that his iris is adhering to his lens (synechia), the bulging forward of the iris (iris bombe) has caused swelling blocking the aqueous humor from draining (glaucoma), and he has evidence of hemorrhagic uveitis. The hemorrhages on his eye were what alerted Dr. Hendon to a serious problem.
This did not happen overnight. This condition should have been caught earlier. The first vet that saw him should have noticed his eyes were very red, he squinted a lot, and he had the hemorrhages on the left eye and so the condition could have been treated in its earlier stages. I am just sick over this. This poor little dog has suffered immensely with so many other health problems, and now this.
I am hoping to save another little one from going through the same thing. The fluoroscope is not that expensive ($16.00)-$19.00) and should have been performed on the first exam in this case. Now, we are looking at hundreds of dollars of medical care and the worst-case scenario of his actually losing his eye. Dr. Hendon is our primary vet and he caught it on the first exam. He contacted Dr. Munger and got us in two days later. Meanwhile, Dr. Hendon gave us pain medication, antibiotics, and an anti-cholinergic (to stimulate vasodilatation). This would increase blood flow and healing. Now, McPeanut has additional medication to reduce the swelling (steroid) and to reduce the aqueous humor (Cosopt – a combination of a beta-blocker and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor). I sold Cosopt for Merck for almost ten years so I know that it is a great medication. The dorzolamide part of it is actually more effective in dogs than humans. So, now McPeanut is using four eye drops and four oral medications to try to manage his conditions.
Please pray for little McPeanut. We are hoping for the best – that he responds well to treatment with medication. We will discuss other options if and when they are necessary. Keep your paws crossed!
Kelly Saving one dog won’t change the world, but it will change the world for that one dog!
Update August 17, 2009
Dear WestieMed:
I want to thank you for your help with one of our recent adoptees McPeanut. He was just the most pitiful little pup when he came to us. Unfortunately he was the victim of severe neglect, but he had the most wonderful spirit that saved him from being euthanized. He is just so precious and wonderful to us. He courageously has battled severe infection, spinal disk narrowing, orthopedic deformity, and eye problems.
Everyone who meets him falls completely in love with him. As he is going through his various medical procedures, tests, and treatments I have to keep an army of people informed of his progress. Yes, this little wonder has stolen the hearts of hundreds of people. He dances and twists and kinda yodel/growls at you when you call his name. He is just so absolutely awesome and unforgettable!
Tavish McPeanut – WestieMed Recipient
Something I want to tell you all is that I only adopt the sick, elderly, or special needs dogs. I have some medical problems of my own, and so I have a special place in my heart for the little ones who are suffering with illness or issues no one else wants to deal with. I keep my dogs for life – theirs or mine – and they are provided for in my will. “Re-home” is not a word in my vocabulary. In the two pictures, let me introduce our pack from left to right: Gabriel (foster), Peanut, Queenie, Badger, and Winston. Each has health challenges and a story of their own. Queenie has defied the odds and is 17 1/2 years old – despite being from severe neglect and abuse in a puppy mill for the first five years of her life. Physically, you can not see any signs of her previous life. She has been with me for 12 years and is now quite fat and happy.
WestieMed also helped us out with a dog who was given up almost five years ago because he was “defective.” Winston had extremely thinning hair, dull, lifeless eyes, thin and bony, and was lethargic. The previous owner’s vet had recommended that they euthanize him. Well, I could not sit back and let that happen. I promptly took Winston to my vet who after a thorough check-up recognized, and tested to confirm, that he had a severe pancreatic enzyme deficiency. This poor dog was not absorbing and benefiting from any nutrients he ingested. Everything he ate came right back out the other end.
Tavish McPeanut – WestieMed Recipient
With a strict diet and diligently supplementing every meal with additional enzymes, Winston is now thriving. He just turned six years old and is as vibrant and healthy as can be. He will always have to be on food that is low in carbs, protein, and fats. He also will have to continue to use the enzymes every time he eats. Also, he does have some other digestion issues that require him to be on different medications. You would never know of his conditions when you meet him. He is active, friendly, and quite the ambassador to every foster dog who comes to our house. He is a handsome dog now who has bright, shiny eyes, a beautiful coat, and loves to hunt by sitting on the back of the couch and waiting and watching for the squirrel to try to get to the bird feeder. The second picture is of him and Twinkie (we lost her in June 08) watching for that darn squirrel.
From the bottom of my heart I want to express my deepest gratitude for the help you have given these two Westies of mine and the many others you help with your organization. Financially, it can become overwhelming when all of your pets need special care. I am fortunate to have the time and expertise to give 24 hour care to these pups. We will continue to care for and love them all until they cross the Rainbow Bridge. Thank you for helping to off-set some of the lifetime of expenses. We sincerely appreciate it.
Blessings, Kelly Flanigan Feuling
Update August 26, 2009
I took little Peanut to see Dr. Munger, the veterinary ophthalmologist, today for a recheck of his eyes. His left eye was of great concern as it had several issues: glaucoma, iris bombe, uveitis, posterior synechia, pupilo seclusio, and hemorrhaging. First, the bad news, his left eye will most likely have to be removed. He had some slight improvement with the iris, synechia, and hemorrhages, but his pressure was still very high, 40, even with diligent use of the medication. Dr. Munger said he has no vision in the left eye. His right eye looks good with definite improvement in the uveitis.
I am physically sick over this. Poor little Peanut has been through the wringer and now this. I had hoped and prayed he would not lose his eye. We go back in four weeks, but we would need a miracle between now and then. He is in good spirits in typical Peanut fashion. What a wonderful, sweet, spirit. He has managed and compensated for this very well.
We are not sure just what procedure we will do, but Dr. Munger said if this was his dog he would go for the enucleation (removal of the entire eye) and put in a prosthetic. I just cannot imagine this at this moment. We are doing all we can to keep Peanut healthy and pain-free. Thank you for your continued prayers for little Peanut.
Blessings, Kelly Saving one dog won’t change the world, but it will change the world for that one dog!
Update September 17, 2009
Tavish McPeanut – WestieMed Recipient
Hello, all of Peanut’s wonderful supporters! I have to thank all of you for all the love, support, and words of encouragement that you have given us since this little angel joined our family. We appreciate all of you more than you know. It has been quite a difficult road for this little guy and we have been very busy lately with the most urgent health issue of trying to save Peanut’s left eye. I warn you that the pictures are quite graphic at this point in time. The picture to the left shows how inflamed, enlarged, and hemorrhaged the eye was. It does not show was what caused the eye to be so damaged.
I have been diligently doing around the clock care this entire last month trying to desperately save this little guy’s eye. Unfortunately, the diseases were many and had progressed beyond what could be successfully treated. So, yesterday Dr. Robert Munger at the Animal Ophthalmology Clinic removed Peanut’s left eye. He was in severe pain and distress due to this condition and this was our only alternative at this point. The final diagnosis was intractable glaucoma, secondary to uveitis with iris bombe and buphthalmos. It was treated with enucleation with an orbital implant. We chose not to have a prosthetic because that was more about aesthetics than what Peanut needed to get along.
I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Munger. He is an amazing physician as well as a human being. He lives near us and even offered to bring us medicine if Peanut needed it. He came highly recommended by Paul Hendon at Westcreek Animal Clinic – and I really respect Dr. Hendon. I hope none of you need ophthalmic services for any of your pups, but if you do this is the man to see.
Tavish McPeanut – WestieMed Recipient
I want to say a special big “thank you” to WestieMed and to John and Stacy Workman who have generously donated to Peanut’s medical fund. When he came to us we knew we would have some medical costs and struggles ahead of us, but after you meet this little guy you have to do whatever he needs because he is so special. All of our dogs are special needs and our veterinary costs have averaged $362 per month for this year. Mark and I sincerely appreciate the monetary support as it lightens our burden. We also appreciate all the moral support. I cannot wait for the Texas Westie Walk (October 24, 2009) so everyone can see a healed and happy Peanut. Thank you all for your prayers and support!
Blessings, Kelly Saving one dog won’t change the world, but it did change the world for this one dog!
Update October 3, 2009
I wanted to give you the good and bad news about our little McPeanut. The bad news is that we had to remove his left eye this past Wednesday, Sept. 16th. The eye was not responding to treatment. We were so heartbroken because this little guy has been through so much that we did not want to put him through any more medical procedures. Dr. Munger told us all we needed to know to make the decision: McPeanut was in pain and he had no sight in the eye.
The procedure went well. The eye was sent to the University of Wisconsin for pathology because we wanted to be sure that whatever this was it would not affect his only remaining sighted eye. The diagnosis was chronic glaucoma secondary to granulomatous and lymphoplasmacytic endophthalmitis and retinitis (no cause was found), posterior synechiae and iris bombe, retinal detachment (extensive) optic nerve hemorrhage, and a break in Descemet’s membrane with retrocorneal membrane formation. It sounds horrible and scary, and it is, but that is now over. We will closely monitor his right eye to make sure that this is an isolated event.
The good news is he is back to the spunky little sweetie that steals hearts! It took him a couple of days to recover from the surgery – it was pretty major. The biggest challenge, as you all know, is keeping a Westie “quiet”! I just love it when vets tell you to keep them calm. Good luck. I felt like the mean school teacher constantly stopping him from playing with all the other boys. We have a poodle right now and he is exactly McPeanut’s size and energy level – oh someone help me!
So, we had our two weeks follow up at Dr. Munger’s Wednesday, Sept. 30th and McPeanut is now “coneless” and thriving. He is running the backyard again and giving the other boys a run for their money. Just so you know, Queenie (our 17½ yr old) just sits with me and watches all the foolishness going on. We are truly living in one continuous YouTube video! I wish I was better with technology because we have some absolutely hilarious moments as you can imagine.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. It means the world to us and, of course, to little McPeanut! If you are coming to Westie Walk (in Texas October 24, 2009) he would love to give you a big personal thank you!
Blessings, Kelly Saving one dog won’t change the world, but it did change the world for this one dog!
Update April 15, 2010
Tavish McPeanut – WestieMed Recipient
McPeanut did remarkably well after surgery and surprised all of us. His entire body is all healed up and he spends his days laying in the sun, barking at everything that moves, chases and plays with the other Westies, then eats and sleeps then does it all over again. We love it!
We had to put McPeanut back on some eye drops to ensure his good eye (right side) stayed healthy. Other than that, he is great. He has a thick, luxurious coat, gained weight, and is very athletic.
It is quite difficult to catch him being still enough to photograph! McPeanut is such a good dog and gets along so well with everyone else. He has a new playmate, Stubbs, who came from an eerily similar situation. Stubbs is just now getting his hair and energy back. In the picture below you can see McPeanut stalking and playing with Stubbs. We have a little window in our fence so all the dogs can see what is going on in the street and sidewalk and McPeanut loves to look out and bark just like everyone else. He is as active and sweet as ever.
I am still stunned at the progress he has made and continues to make. We cannot thank you enough for helping out with his expenses. We only take in Westies that are sick and/or special needs. Every one of our dogs has health issues, but we are blessed with the best vets ever. Dr. Hendon actually has Westies himself so he is amazing with our pack. He also understands when I bring all of them in at the same time because everyone always seems to need something. Westcreek Animal Clinic spoils and loves them all like they were their own. We thank you so very much for your kindness and generosity!
Bailey was an owner release from a family of Pearl City, NY to Westie Rescue of NY. Bailey is eleven years old. When his previous owner contacted us, we were told that Bailey had some “skin issues”. They let me know that they tried to help him, but he needed more time and attention that they were able to give him because they have three small children. We were sent a few photos, which we later found out were about nine months old. Upon contact with their Vet, we found out that Bailey had always had skin issues that were addressed sporadically. It seems that they took him into the vet, but didn’t always follow through on treatments. It was the Vet’s opinion that Bailey desperately needed treatment and follow through. We agreed to take Bailey in and deal with all his issues.
Through the great generosity of the volunteers of Westie Rescue of NY, we were able to coordinate transportation across NY state from Pearl River, just outside NYC to Rochester, NY, approximately 325 miles away. Upon meeting Bailey for the first time, my heart broke. This Westie had the worse skin condition I had ever seen. His left eye was almost completely sealed shut. Just to the left of his mouth a large sore broke through his fur. His underbelly was completely black with very tough skin. But, through all this Bailey was a sweet boy. The lady who transported Bailey let me know he was very good during the whole trip.
Bailey arrived in Rochester, NY on a Sunday. The next day I made an urgent call to our Vet and was able to secure a late afternoon appointment. Bailey was diagnosed with an eye infection, chronic Dry Eye, UTI, Malassezia and skin lichenification.
Bailey was put on Clavamox for his infections, for his eyes he was prescribed Mycitracin Ointment and Optimmune Ointment and he was to be bathed with Malaseb shampoo on a regular basis
It’s been over a month since Bailey has been with us. The sore next to his mouth is gone, his eye infection is gone, although he will have to have Optimmune Ointment administered to his eye twice a day for the rest of his life. His skin has greatly improved, although I have been told that he will always have skin issues. We are committed to seeing everything through. On his next Vet appointment, we hope to find out his UTI has completely cleared up.
We will be updating again soon. Gloria Mueller, President, Westie Rescue of NY
I write a column for our local newspaper, the Columbia Daily Tribune. Here is the story of Webster, our little Westie boy currently living at Happy Tails Animal Sanctuary, Columbia, MO.
Several weeks ago, Happy Tails assisted in the rescue of thirty-five West Highland white terriers from a puppy mill. Some dogs were placed in the Kansas City area; we took some dogs; some went to St. Louis, and others went on to rescues in Chicago. It’s so distressing to me to know that these wonderful animals live their whole lives in cages with no social or human interaction.
I met the transport group out on Interstate 70, and as we loaded up our rescues, I noticed there was a little Westie puppy on the front seat. He was only a few pounds and not in the best shape. The rescue group told me when they picked up the original 35 dogs, the breeder wanted “to get rid” of this pup, also. They had already arranged placements for the others but weren’t sure where this sickly pup would go. I scooped him up and away we went along with the other dogs in the car. This is the story of Webster.
He was about two and a half pounds with all sorts of health issues. Most noticeable was a severe breathing issue. He had no hair on his feet and legs or underneath his stomach because of standing in unsanitary conditions since birth. He fit in the palm of your hand.
We treated him for several weeks with little improvement for the breathing problem, so we decided to visit the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine for further tests and consultation. It was determined that he has a congenital disorder called choanal atresia. Basically, what this means is he has a structural abnormality in this nasal passages that does not allow much air to flow through his nostrils. His breathing is labored, and it makes me nervous when he overexerts himself and can’t catch his breath.
Although most of his other health concerns have been cleared up, his breathing problem remains at the forefront. Because this is a fairly rare condition, not many veterinary schools in the United States perform any corrective procedures. We will most likely be working with a veterinary school located out of state and must raise the necessary funds to pay for the procedure. Webster has been a fighter since he arrived, and we will not give up on him. We have made a commitment to him to make his life better.
He will need to grow a bit more before any procedure can be undertaken for the reconstructive surgery. In the meantime, we will nurture and watch him. Care and love him. Comfort and heal him. People sometimes ask me why we put forth so much effort as “it’s only a dog.”
I’m reminded of a tale about a man who is walking on a beach and sees lots of stranded starfish and a boy throwing one back in the ocean. The man asks what difference that makes, and the boy answers, “It makes a difference to the one I threw back.”
Webster deserves this chance for a happy, normal life. Happy Tails will give him that chance.
I will be sharing “Webster Updates” in my columns as he progresses through his surgery, treatments, and recuperation. This is where we are to date…After further consultation with the two out-of-state vet schools we are working with, we have learned that Webster’s condition is more challenging than originally thought. In most of these cases, it’s usually the tissue mass that blocks the way for breathing. In Webster’s case, it is thick bone. They will need to perform an additional surgical procedure prior to stent placement. We are continuing to fundraise to help with his expenses as, with this news, the cost estimate has risen. Thanks to those who have already given to help with his care. Webster is not giving up – neither are we.
Susan Hatfield Susan Hatfield is the president and co-founder of Happy Tails Animal Sanctuary.
Update October 1, 2009
Webster ran into severe complications and he went to the Rainbow Bridge about two months ago. It was devastating for our program and for me personally.
Because his condition was so rare we are hoping that the vets who worked with him gained knowledge that they can use on other dogs that come after him with this rare condition.
Thanks for helping and giving him additional “lifetime” that was very precious to me, my family and the individuals in our program.
A young lady that worked in a pet store at the local mall had gone into the restaurant that a friend of mine worked in and asked her if she wanted or knew of someone who wanted a free puppy. She text messaged her mom and it so happened that I was over and she asked me if I was interested in a free puppy. Well at first I was hesitant in saying yes because first off a puppy is a lot of work and also my thoughts were “what’s wrong with him”? Fifteen minutes later she texts again saying it’s a West Highland Terrier…still with some doubt I said to tell her I want him but first to ask the girl what was wrong with him. Her reply was that he had a low immune system and that he was kept in the back away from the other puppies and that’s why they couldn’t sell him. So I figured ok a low immune system that’s something simple that can be taken care of.
When he came home with her that night he was interested in all of us but still not too sure. The little guy had a crusty nose and smelled. As he sat there taking in his new surroundings he started coughing this retched cough. And when I held him to comfort him I could hear he was wheezy. Right away I felt bad for this little guy and I was glad that I had taken him in and was going to love him. That night at home I decided to name him after a character in one of my favorite movies, The Nightmare Before Christmas, I figured Zero was a perfect name for a Westie.
The next day at the vet I told him the story of how they were giving him for free and how they told me he just had a low immune system. To make a long story short turned out the Zero more than likely came from a puppy mill, had surgery to fix his hernia and at the same time, he was neutered. The “low immune system” turned out to be two ear infections, which one ear was already yeasty, and the cough was already turning into pneumonia. Zero was treated with two different types of antibiotics and an ear ointment plus an ear wash every other day. While Zero was on the antibiotics his cough did settle down.
About two weeks had passed when one early morning he started up again and the runny crusty nose and the coughing at this point were back full force again. I took him back to the vet as soon as they opened. Turned out that Zero’s bronchitis was back and he was going to need a treatment that I wasn’t able to afford, so the vet gave us the option of putting him back on a stronger dose of antibiotics for seventeen days with weekly check-ups. The vet did say that if the cough came back I had no other choice but to do the recommended treatment for his lungs to get rid of the cough. And two weeks later his cough was back again with the snotty crusty nose. He was not able to run around like he does because starts to cough and at times causing him to throw up and depending on how he feels his breathing at night is very rapid.
I have only had Zero for a short time but during this short time he stolen my heart and I would be devastated if anything were to happen to him. That is why I am very thankful and blessed that I came across the wonderful people at WestieMed! Because of them, Zero will soon be able to sleep well at night and run around like I know he wants to without the need to stop because of a coughing spell.
Update June 25, 2009
Zero – WestieMed Recipient
I just wanted to update you on Zero. Zero had his treatment the very next day we receive the check in the mail. The lab results had revealed that he had a really bad case of kennel cough and his vet prescribed a much stronger dose of antibiotics to clear him up of the infection.
Well, the antibiotics helped Zero while he was on them but once he was done with the medication his pesky cough came back along with the snotty nose. So Zero is taking antibiotics almost every day to keep the infection from getting worse.
His Vet said the next step is taking him to a specialist (which I know it is going to cost me money I don’t have) because it seems that his respiratory system isn’t functioning properly by “filtering” out the icky stuff he breaths in. He fears that it could possibly be the death of such a good pup like him. But Zero doesn’t let this bring him down! He still loves going out for walks to the dog park and play fetch or just crawl into my lap for a quick nap.
I want to thank you again for the help! Ana & Zero
Update October 8, 2009
Zero – WestieMed Recipient
Zero still, of course, has his cough, but that will always be part of him. He currently is on a two week round of antibiotics since the weather change has had a little effect on him and just to be safe we decided to put him on antibiotics.
This time he went three months without any medications, thanks to his vet’s suggestion of giving him a children’s chewable vitamin C tablet every day to see if it helped to strengthen his immune system and it has helped him extremely!
We will keep you posted on his well being in a couple of weeks once he’s done with his antibiotics.
Meanwhile, enjoy a picture of him on his first birthday! What a milestone for him considering how he was when I first got him!
Thanks once again to you guys!!! Ana
Update July 10, 2010
Zero – WestieMed Recipient
I just wanted to let you know Zero is doing great!
He had his second comprehensive vet exam a few months back and the vet said he was great!
Of course, he still has his little cough but that makes him special! He hasn’t had a need for a round of medication, so that’s good.
For now, here’s a picture of him getting out if the bath.
And we will be celebrating his second birthday next month, yay!!
March 16th started out like any other day. Woke up, let the Beagle man out, made coffee, checked email – Subject caught my eye: WHO CAN CARE FOR ME? I’VE BEEN ABANDONED!!! – I had to read on….
‘… as people struggle in this difficult economy, it is often our loyal and loving animal companions who suffer the most. This sweet little girl was found abandoned on a blanket, in a park in Framingham day-before-yesterday. The dog officer surmised she had been there all night, in the 19 degrees cold and rain. She is a sweet young dog who, as you can see, has a skin condition. She has had three skin scrapings to test for mites and they were all negative, however, the results of the tests confirmed a yeast infection. If no home or foster can be located for her, she is scheduled to be euthanized this coming week.”
LOOK at that face! I was smitten! When I arrived at the Framingham Animal Control office that day, she was standing in the back of the large concrete kennel — she had no hair, her skin was red, full of sores and lesions, her nails were long and curled, and HOW, HOW could a small dog smell so terrible? The Officer walked her out to my car – every three to four steps she would stop to pee — what was wrong? To be honest, I was wondering if she would make it at all… she was bleeding. Off to the most amazing Vet in MA – Dr. Holly Kelsey – her techs took this little one from my arms, washed her and soon after the Dr. started the examination, blood work, urine cultures, skin scrapings, x-rays, etc. Beenie was so agreeable. She was, no doubt, in pain yet not one growl, bite, or flinch. She had just surrendered.
Results: yeast infection, allergies, skin infections, bladder infection, ear infection, anemic, underweight, and the worst was the X-ray showed a bladder full of large stones. Stones that were too large to dissolve or pass; surgery was needed immediately. (I started to panic) I want to help, but how can I do this? What is going to happen to her? I can’t afford a $1,400. surgery… I wanted to cry. I thanked the Dr. and I took Beenie home. That evening she curled up on my lap on a towel and slept – I could feel the weight of her little tired body. For the next three hours, I made phone calls and emailed and I learned of WestieMed – and soon of ‘Bette’ – wonderful, unbelievable – with their support and this little girl’s determination, I thought pffft…she’s going to MAKE it!
After surgery, staples, antibiotics, allergy medication, special food, ear drops, medicated baths, up-all-night peeing, diarrhea, vomiting, etc… I can say that seven weeks later…
Tavish McPeAllie – WestieMed Recipient
She’s the boss! She’s my little CEO. (True to this breed I’m told) She talks a lot, and she’s quite the conversationalist, she has opinions on EVERYTHING! She’s definitely a ham and a camera hog, but the best thing is her spirit. She is just so happy to be alive that it shows in her face every minute of every day.
I would have expected her spirit to be broken, or fearful of people, or overly aggressive. I mean, I would have more issues than The Reader’s Digest if I’d been in pain for that long. If you could translate her ‘Beenie-speak’, I would bet she says “LOOK, I’M SMILING! I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO TODAY! I LOVE MY FRIENDS, BROTHER, MOM, NEIGHBOR, MY FENCE DOG FRIEND JOYCE, PETCO, BELLY RUBS, PARK, CHICKEN, BALLS, EAR SCRATCHES, NURSING MY STUFFED MOUSE TOY, CHASING, RUNNING…’ She stole my heart from the very first time I met her!
She’s gained plenty of weight (because her Mommy is definitely qualified to fatten up a dog!) and now I can’t feel her ribs or backbone anymore. Her skin is healed and soft, her fur is completely back thick, shiny, soft and full.
We could all take a lesson from Ms. Beenie – happiness is a choice, a state of mind, not the result of your current circumstances. She’s made it!! Lucky me. My little Been Bag today! twelve pounds!
Crystal
Tavish McPeAllie – WestieMed Recipient
Update September 22, 2009
Allie is my heart!
She has a chronic urinary problem, but we address this every day with antibiotics (two pills a day), and one allergy pill every other day, with a side of prayer that bladder stones do not form again. She sleeps in bed on a towel and she knows just where to go when she’s allowed up. Of course, the towel is right on the passenger side of the bed at the pillow for comfort. 🙂
She looks extra cute these days and super feisty with the weather change.
Kind regards, Crystal
Update February 22, 2010
Allie’s SUPER!
She has had no further problems. At all. Nothing. Not one thing. No bad urine samples, no stones, no allergies, etc… She’s on a daily regime of one chewable vitamin C, bottled water, and WD Chicken crunchies. She snacks on carrots, apples, cucumbers, and the occasional biscuit.
She’s as healthy and happy as could be.
She’s the most determined little girl ever… sometimes I get frustrated and then I look at her (and I say this out loud), ”I LOVE THAT ABOUT YOU”… she wags her tail….
Little girls are made of sugar and spice, mine has spirit and moxie…. I LOVE HER
Hope came in to rescue on March 6th, 2009 from a puppy Mill release located 3 hours North of Montreal.
She arrived together with another female Westie and 57 various breed dogs, when she arrived she was still a lactating Mom I am told by the inspector that she had her litter taken away from her and that however hard the SPCA inspector tried to plead with the puppy miller, she would not release her puppies, she planned on force feeding them to plump them up and then sell them to a pet store, poor little Hope, we placed her in our ICU room and had the veterinarian administer her medication to dry her milk up, she sat there in total shock in the back of her cage and would not eat or drink volunteers took her out and cuddled her.
CWHWTC president Monique Courtois was called immediately to see if she could take both the Westie rescues without any hesitation she informed me she would come and get them ASAP.
Hope has since had surgery to remove large stones in her bladder and have dental work done to improve her health conditions and is awaiting a new forever home.
From Monique Courtois:
When I first saw Hope on March 7th in the early afternoon, she was crouched in the back of a crate, in shock, not daring to move, shy and afraid of us and of any human contact. She was thought to be about 2 to 5 years old.
Her hair had never been cut and was matted with feces, urine, whelping matters. Her mammary glands were full of milk. Her teeth were in horrible condition: they were crusted with thick tartar and the root of one molar was exposed because of severe periodontitis despite her age.
She smelled so bad that it was unbearable. Because her nails had never been trimmed, her feet were splashed and she could hardly walk. The toenails dug into her skin. She was too much in shock to be groomed the first day, so she was left to rest, given water and moist and appetizing food over some kibble to entice her to eat. She refused it the first night after her arrival, but the next morning accepted to do so. This is when she was groomed for probably the first time in her life. The hair was so bad, tinted and burnt with urine, that she had to be clipped to about ½ inch long. She was then washed with soft soap and dried. Throughout all this, she stood still, patient and grateful, still trusting us despite the terrible conditions she had been kept in.
She had 2 luxated patellas for which the vet didn’t recommend corrective surgery at the moment.
The worse was that she was peeing blood every five minutes. She was in obvious pain and made efforts to urinate a few drops at a time. The vet at the SPCA wasn’t sure whether this was due to a mass in her abdomen (tumor?) so she was taken to a vet hospital where a clinical exam and x-rays show 2 large stones the size of small prunes in her bladder. She was scheduled for surgery (cystotomy) in a week and given antibiotics and some medication to reduce the inflammation. The vet preferred to wait until the antibiotics were effective to operate to reduce the risk of contagion to the abdomen during surgery.
Hope – WestieMed Recipient
After a few days of rest in a calm environment with classical music and with frequent but short positive interaction and social contact, she began to respond by slowly approaching us by herself instead of hiding in corners.
On March 11th, she had her surgery: teeth cleaning and tooth extraction, cystotomy and spaying. She received new antibiotics and some more anti-inflammatory medication. She will have to be on a special diet all her life to prevent the reoccurrence of stones in her bladder.
She came back to her foster home on March 13th. Free from pain for the first time in months, Hope was a completely different bitch. She could now pee normally, without pain, and she showed her contentment and her relief by happily greeting me each time she saw me, standing on her back legs to be petted and licking my hands. She is starting to learn how to walk on a leash, and is now ready to have a loving forever home.
Update September 26, 2009: Hope is now named Bonnie.
Bonnie (formerly Hope) is doing wonderful. She went to the groomer a couple of days ago and looks so beautiful. Her Dad just came back from the doggy nutritionist and the nutritionist says that Bonnie has to lose a few pounds. She’s a little on the pudgy side. She’s had to have her food and treats cut back because she tends to pack on the weight.
Hope – WestieMed Recipient
Bonnie now has a big fenced yard to play in and goes out for regular walks. Bonnie walks really well on the leash. She still has some shyness issues and doesn’t like to be away from Dad when she is in new areas and with strangers. She tends to be very clingy with Dad in such situations. With time, hopefully, Bonnie will forget her previous life at the puppy mill and feel more confident.
She truly is one of the most beautiful looking and best tempered Westies Dad has ever had. Bonnie was very fortunate in that her owner adopted two Westies from the same puppy mill. The other one, Braiden, is about a year old now and the two are good company for each other. Here they are shown with their Dad (Bonnie in pink and Braiden in Blue).
Brigitte Dimock
Update March 4, 2010
Just a little email to let you know that Bonnie Bundle and Brady Bundle are doing very well. Today is March 4th and yesterday was Bonnie’s seventh birthday. A year ago Bonnie spent her 6th birthday at a puppy mill in Quebec. Unlike her 6th birthday, this year Bonnie had a wonderful day. Both she and Brady got a nice long soapy bath the night before so that they were fresh and clean for Bonnie’s big day. After their baths they got towel-dried and blown dry and brushed. Brady isn’t a big fan of baths but Bonnie is an angel. She loves human contact even if it is kisses while getting her bath. On her birthday we went for Bonnie and Brady’s favorite activity – Walkie Walkie. When we got back after lunch they both enjoyed some nice white mozzarella cheese for a snack b4 resting for a while with their Dad and cuddling and getting lots of cuddles, loving and kisses. Because it was Bonnie`s first birthday out of the puppy mill we celebrated with a bbq. Brady, Bonnie, and their Dad had a beautiful beef tenderloin each. Bonnie and Brady had theirs done blue rare, just the way they like it. Both little munchkins appreciated having Dad cut up their steak in very small pieces for them. For dessert, they both had some fresh baby carrots and organic plain yogurt (Bonnie`s favorite dessert). After an hour or so we had a bit of nightly fun time with ‘Ballie’. Brady is a bigger fan of playing ball than Bonnie, however. Bonnie does play a little by herself with the ball, She is so cute to watch playing with the ball. She always seems so amazed at how the ball rolls when she pokes it with her nose. Bonnie continues to come out of her shell, a bit every day. Brady doesn’t know what shell means, he’s such an outgoing little Westie and so full of self-confidence.
Bonnie and Brady continue to exhibit lots of signs of happy healthy little Westies. Carolanne, their canine nutritionist, continues to be very pleased with their weight, health, and socialization. This weekend is my weekend off and Bonnie and Brady and their Dad are going to visit Bonnie and Brady’s nanny and poppy. That’s always good for a few extra treats for them. I haven’t taken any new pictures of them in a while but will try to get some in the next few weeks. Will forward them when I get them.
Hoping this email finds you and all your Westie Bundles healthy and happy as we are.
We remain eternally grateful for helping us find each other.
Four-year-old spay female. I received a request to surrender from the owner in May 2008, however, they changed their mind. I asked them to please surrender her over to me when they called before her operation would be more costly the longer they waited. They wanted to try other options, changed dog food, and so forth. I tried to keep in touch, alas it was a cell phone and the calls went unanswered. Nine months later a four to five-old female showed up in Tacoma Shelter as stray on the street. (aka the name Tacoma Dolly) I am certain that this is the same dog as the odds of two dogs, same age, same tumors, same-sex, and same geographic location are probably impossible. In our state, the Humane Society and Shelters charge you $75 to dump your pet. If it is found as a stray then there is no charge. Since the people who FOUND Dolly said they had taken it to Banfield vet for an estimate, and since I know the previous owners had taken her to Banfield vet for surgery and that was the same vet the owners told me they went to. It is the same dog hands down.
Dolly – WestieMed Recipient
As you can see from the tumors she has a severe calcification of tumors in both ears and which are also coming out the back of her ears. After speaking to four Veterinarians and understanding the surgical skill of the procedure, we have found a specialist for this operation (see description of the procedure below). Four Vets in two separate clinics agreed that Dr. EB is the best to do this operation and he ironically was the cheapest. We are also getting a discount from the clinic.
Diagnosis: Dolly has had chronic ear infections and underlying Malassezia. The chronic ear infection was not kept in check and this is the outcome. Otitis Externa. This disease is mostly seen in floppy-eared dogs like cockers, and such.
These are tumors that have calcified. You cannot un-calcify tumors so no amount of antibiotics or medicine will make them go away. Alas, we are very far past the simple solution for recovery. The middle ear has built up an infection and has now burst through the inner ear canals and is seeping pus. The calcification of the tumors are the consistency of stone.
My primary vet explained this operation in layman’s terms for me. Since she gives me a discount on surgery – I asked if she could perform this operation. She said it is a very specialized operation and you must have an experienced surgeon to perform this procedure. Ironically there are only four in the Seattle area, and one who works out of both the Clinics I use for my rescues!
Procedure: Splay/cut open the ears and work off a CT scan or an X-ray to see how deep the tumors go (as she now has them jutting out the back of her ears)
Remove the outer tumors (which have calcified into rocks) and lay open the ear and remove the inner ear canals (I believe the middle and inner are also scaled/removed) which the infection and tumors grow out of. Go deeper into the eardrum and microscopically shear layers of the skin off the eardrum slowly so you can make sure it forms scar tissue and nothing can grow on it and no bacteria can ever form on it/in it? .. then they come back out. The inner canal is now gone… which has produced all the poison/toxin of this disease, and they sew it up. The dog has loss of hearing but can hear muffled sounds
She will be at the vet for three to four more days after surgery due to the pain of this surgery and she will be heavily medicated. She will be released into foster care, and come back in fourteen days for suture removal and then have a six-week recovery.
She also suffers from a bad immune system, and she is being treated for and of course Malassezia and she is on antibiotics. Dolly also needs dental care and has some bad teeth but we have rescue funds to cover that.
I have never in my life seen anything this gruesome and Dolly is in a lot of pain, but she is a very happy and sweet dog, is great with kids and other dogs even in this pain. She is fifteen pounds. She is happy and cheerful and pleasant and will make someone a fabulous dog. We are grateful to have you as our safety net and guardian angels. Sometimes in life, you are our only way out of a situation when we are pinned against the wall for funds.
Karin Parish, Rescue Coordinator Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue, Westies Westie Club of America, Rescue Rep for WA/OR/ID Westie Rescue USA Rep for OR/WA/ID
Update April 13, 2009
Dolly is doing well after surgery. Her ears are healed and she can hear – not clearly but she can hear! We are waiting a bit longer and then going to have her dental work done. Then she will be ready for adoption.
Karin Parish
Update May 26, 2009
Dear Dolly Supporters:
Before you check out the photos….
My question was … are you going to keep her? …. and the answer was “what do you think?”
WELL, she finally got adopted but my gosh have we had more setbacks with this little girl. Our little tumor girl.
To date, she has cost me at least $3700 with one trip to the ER… (However, we had the funds to cover it with the two grants and money raised by donors) … And she had her dental done, and her ear on one side never was cleared up (which we weren’t too sure of).
However, after she was adopted, her other ear became infected again and the new owners had to take her back into the vet… Lo and behold if she didn’t have estrus.. and go into heat! There is no hum-drum in the life of Westie Rescue!
Two vets told us she was spayed. Apparently it was a c-section scar! Poor Dolly is like the “never-ending story”.
She is getting spayed in a month, and she is back on antibiotics, and the new owners adore her. Here are their latest photos of her. Her new owners will be RV-ing around the country and she will be a copilot. I do believe she has her driver’s permit as we speak. Since her recovery, she has a stellar coat and no allergies to speak of.
Before you check out the photos…
My question was … are you going to keep her? …. and the answer was “what do you think?”
Look at the photos.
Enjoy!
Thank you again for all your support… hope to see you at the Westie Walk on June 27th.
Karin Parish Westie Rescue Rep (OR/WA/ID) Scottie Rescue Rep (Seattle)
Westie Rescue Indiana (WRI) received a call from the owner of Odie requesting our assistance in September 2008. She said that she loved Odie, but that he did not get along with her young son. He growled at him and she was afraid he would bite.
On the day Odie was to be surrendered, his owner drove to the home of one of our volunteers. She was in tears, and after talking for a time to our volunteer she decided that she couldn’t give him up. So Odie returned home until January, when his “mom” again called saying that things had not improved and that she really did need to surrender Odie to Rescue. When told we would take him right away, she then asked, “So it doesn’t matter that he has a broken leg?”
Evidently, someone tripped over Odie’s cage with him inside, smashing both the cage and Odie’s rear leg. His owners took him to an emergency clinic where Odie’s leg was put in a temporary splint and the owner was told to contact their own vet to see if surgery would be required. That’s when they contacted Rescue.
Odie (age 10 months) was surrendered to WRI on January 19th. He was taken to Noah’s Animal Hospital on January 25th for surgery, which was performed on Monday, January 26th.
Odie is now recuperating at his foster home in Indianapolis. He goes back to the hospital next week to have his surgical splint removed, and the vet said he should be as good as new once the leg heals. An x-ray of his leg taken needs to be taken in about eight weeks to make sure everything is healing properly, and if it is then Odie will be celebrating his first birthday with four paws planted firmly on the ground – or in somebody’s willing lap.
It seems like Odie already has captured the hearts of his foster family and has become fast friends with their current Westie. So it looks like Odie’s search for a forever home may be ending happily ever after a lot sooner than anyone expected!
McKayla was surrendered to Oklahoma Westie Rescue (OWR) in October when her human Mother passed away. No one in the family wanted McKayla so she was given to a family friend. The family friend was not in a position to keep McKayla so she contacted us to come and pick her up.
When OWR picked up McKayla we noticed immediately that she had a bad limp which proved to be a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) of her right rear knee requiring surgical repair. She was also infested with fleas. We got rid of the fleas quickly but couldn’t get her leg fixed because she had developed pyoderma as a result of the flea infestation. We had to wait almost thirty days to get the pyoderma cleared up before we could have her knee repaired.
During this time one of our adoptive families offered to foster McKayla for us. McKayla was so scared that she hid under their bed for two days straight. Finally, on the 3rd day, she came out and began playing with the family’s two Westies. It wasn’t long before the family decided that McKayla needed to be a permanent fixture in their home. Since the family had adopted from us previously they were already pre-approved so we told them that once we had fixed her leg that we would adopt her to them.
The orthopedic surgeon was out for some time on vacation so it took us a while but eventually, her repair surgery was performed. We have another adoptive family that offered to foster her after her surgery to help her through the recovery period (she couldn’t go back to the family that wants to adopt her because their home has many levels and lots of stairs, the surgeon said no stairs for at least three weeks). On Dec. 15th she gets to go back to her adoptive family and they are waiting anxiously to have their little girl back.
McKayla is nine years old and we are thrilled that someone wants her as often the older dogs have a hard time finding forever homes. She is one lucky girl!
Theresa Stewart Oklahoma Westie Rescue
Update February 17, 2010
McKayla and Maddie are both doing well. McKayla’s leg is fine.
Jan Vassar
McKayla’s care was funded by a grant from The Pedigree Foundation.
