July 2007:
Oz’s Rescue Story
Hi. I was a nameless Westie, up until last week. I could hear, but I didn’t respond to names. That’s because no one really talked to me until just recently. Sure, they talked to me at the shelter, where they were nice to me. But they had a lot of dogs to talk to, so I didn’t really answer too much. It’s been a long road for me, and I’m tired. I’m starting to feel better though. Let me start at the beginning.
I think I am four, but I feel a lot older. I was given as a gift to this family, who I think cared about me at some point because I seem to be pretty well housetrained, except for some occasional accidents, and I am neutered. But then they stuck me outside and stopped giving me shots. I got sick, and it got pretty hard to breathe. My heart started to feel funny, and then I didn’t want to run, and play and move around so much anymore. No one talked to me after a while, and I forgot my name. I don’t remember what it is anymore, so don’t ask me. I couldn’t tell you. I used to be a very cute puppy, but now I have bald spots on my skin, and I itch all the time. I look like an ad for the Hair Club for Westies. I had gunk coming out of my eyes, and no one gave me a bath. Eventually, they took me to this shelter in Oxford, MS and they said on the form, “Given as a gift. Didn’t work out.” The person who turned me in didn’t even stick around to fill out the back of the form with my medical information. It didn’t even matter enough for them to stay an extra five minutes. That made me sad. I really didn’t feel well, and the nice people at the shelter could tell that. They told me it was because I had heartworms, bugs in my heart. That’s because I was kept outside. If my first owners had taken care of me, it wouldn’t have happened, but I wasn’t worth the nine cents a day it would have cost them to keep me on the medication. I wasn’t worth nine cents a day to them, but I bet they would have found nine cents to keep bugs from growing in their hearts! The people at the shelter said I was a very nice boy, but I was too tired to cause too much of a fuss, and I didn’t want to get dumped again. I was just grateful to get anything at all. After all, I didn’t feel like I had any value at all.
Not too long after I got left at the shelter, this family with another Westie came to get me from Tennessee. They knew I had bugs in my heart, and they said they promised to get me treatment. They could see how messy I was because the nice people at the shelter had cut my hair to let my skin breathe. They promised to take me to the vet, and see about getting my allergies and bugs treated. I got taken home with my new Westie sibling, and I thought I had it made. I was gonna get to live indoors. I got a new collar, from the people at the shelter, and they even sent me home with a leash and Heartgard tablets, ten of them! I’ve never had so many new things. But it was not to be. A few days later, the people in TN told the people in Oxford “it wasn’t working out.” Their Westie was too hyper for me, and the medication was going to be too expensive, and I might not make it through treatment, so they were going to make the long drive to bring me back. I didn’t even get a bath. They took my new collar and the heartworm medication; I didn’t even get to keep my new things! That made me sad. So the people at the shelter posted my ad on Petfinder. But that same day something great happened – God sent out a call to Alabama, and someone answered it!
This woman named Xenia who loves Westies happened to be looking at Petfinder and saw my ad, and that things “didn’t work out for me” and I was coming home. She picked up the phone and called the shelter, and she called her vet to see what could be done, and then she was on the road in less than an hour. Four hours later, we met. I was a mess, and pretty embarrassed to meet her like that, but right away I could tell that no matter what I looked like, she wouldn’t be the type to go back on her word. She saw through the yuckiness and saw a beautiful Westie inside. Even though I had an eye infection and skin problems, I knew she was gonna get the bugs out of my heart, and get fur back on my body. She told me my name was Oz, and then she said something else I’d never heard before. On the way to this place called Alabama, she kept saying to me, “I love you.” I don’t know what it means, but it makes me feel good to hear it. And you know what? She says it a lot. I hear her say it to the other dogs that live in her house, all the time. I like that. It makes me feel secure like she won’t change her mind about us.
And it makes me feel like I have value. That night, she bought me a pet bed. It was the best! I also got a cow toy and my own room! She said I get to keep them – it was like Christmas!
Sometimes I have accidents in my room, but Xeni never gets upset with me. She never says a word, just gives me hugs and kisses. I think this has something to do with being loved. I’m feeling better, and I think I’m going to stay that way because Xenia’s been telling me about this place called Westie Med, and they love me, too! She says they love me so much they’re paying for me to feel better! She says they think I have value as a Westie, and they want me to have a real chance at life. She says I’m important, and WestieMed thinks so, too. She says I have a friend there, named Bette. I have friends at my vet, too. And guess what? I’m starting to be good looking again, and chubby. But don’t tell. I don’t want Xenia to cut back on the treats. It’ll be our secret.
You know what? I like this thing called love. Please pray for my continued recovery. I want to stick around to get more of it.
Update January 2, 2008:
Oz is doing well at this six-month point. His skin is nice and pink, no longer the irritated red color. The patches of yellow, flaky greasiness have subsided and his fur is growing in nicely. He is now the shaggy Westie I’d hoped he’d become.
When I first got Oz, he could barely walk from his bed to the door to potty. His breathing was so labored that he could not spare his mouth for kisses and felt as if he was being strangled if you tried to kiss his nose. Although my vet hasn’t given him the recheck for heartworms, it’s clear that the treatment must have been a success. Oz has more energy than I’ve ever seen in him. The other day he got away from me and gave me quite a run around the neighborhood, stopping finally not from the fatigue, but from a need to use the bathroom! He still makes a weird grunting noise when he is excited, but two vets at Banfield have now confirmed that he has no heart murmur, as would be expected with a damaging case of heartworm. I fully expect the next HW test to come back negative.
As for the current condition of his health, Oz seems to be prone to UTIs. This is the third one he’s had since I’ve been owned by him. (He came with the first infection, so I am not sure how long he had it or if that is in any way responsible for this propensity) He is on his third round of antibiotics and doing well on this brand. If this one does not do it, then we will x-ray for bladder stones, although there are no crystals present. He is in good hands at Banfield and visits regularly. If I do not bring him in for a few weeks, they call because they miss him. Can you believe that? I’ve never had a vet call and check on a dog just because they were thinking of him! They never call about Lacey or Sammy, but they are all just in LOVE with Oz.
When he goes in, they frequently give him free baths and blow drys. It doesn’t matter if he was brand-spanking clean when I brought him. Once Lacey and he were sharing a crate, and he peed in it (this was the start of this last UTI). Oz got whipped out and given a free bath and returned to me sparkling. They brought Lacey in, all wet and bedraggled, smelling of Oz’s urine. I was like, um??? Is Lacey going to get a bath? They were like, oh do you think she smells?? HELLO! It was funny b/c being wet really rankles Lacey’s delicate Westie sensibilities, whereas Oz could care less. But he’s the clear favorite. (They both got free baths that day, even though I had to ASK for Lacey’s.)
Blessings to you for funding Oz, this special Westie’s, recovery!!!!
Xeni
Update January 18, 2008:
I wanted to give you an Oz update. He has not been well.
I told you we’d been treating the bladder infection for several months, but he has also had one on and off since I got him. I thought it was just an adjustment issue, but this week he started to vomit and have blood in his poopy. I noticed because he peed on the baseboards, so the next night he slept in his crate until Nature’s Miracle had a chance to work. This was hard on both of us. 🙁 Otherwise, he seemed fine that night. But he poopied in his crate, and then when I got up he had finger-paw painted in the poopy. I found blood clots in it. So I took him to the vet, where he proceeded to vomit and free bleed out his bottom! Not a lot, but no Westie owner cares about the amount when blood is coming out!
They said he had a stomach virus, and that he was bleeding due to intestinal distress – stress colitis, but she wanted to see why he was marking, so she did the radiograph…he has a mass in his bladder! I am hoping it is stones, but it did not show up well. She said whatever it is, it’s been there a while because it is quite large. I am thinking his owner knew about this and that was another mitigating factor in him being dumped at the shelter without bothering to fill out his medical info. The good news is that his heart is in GREAT shape and not the least bit enlarged.
He’s going to have an ultrasound next week. Please spread the word and ask his other WestieMed friends to pray for him! He so deserves to be healthy and well. I am beside myself with anger at his former owner. And I feel guilty because I should have caught this earlier, but since I didn’t, he’s been feeling crummy on and off for all this time! 🙁
I will keep you posted about what’s going on with him, when I know more.
Hugs, Xeni and Oz-angel-baby-Westi
Update February 23, 2008:
I just heard from Oz’ vet! There is no longer any mass in his bladder! It is gone! Amen to the power of prayer! So no surgery will be needed and I am so grateful because he has been through so much. All I need to have them do now is the heartworm test to see if he is clear!
Thank you for everything!!! I will keep you posted on his heartworm test, too!
Blessings, Xeni
Update May 27, 2008:
I just wanted to update you: Oz had his comprehensive exam last week. The result: Negative. No heartworms!!!! AND the vet was so impressed with the difference in his skin! She said it looked great.
I am so thrilled. He’s been dancing around the house and peeing excitedly and inappropriately all over the bedroom in response to all the hugs and kisses he’s been getting. I say, bring it on, so long as it means he is healed.
I so love him. Thank you and WestieMed so much for helping me save his life, and especially for making it financially possible.
I don’t know where he’d/we’d be without you!!!
Hugs, Xeni