Little Miss Clover was released from a puppy mill breeder in Missouri allegedly because she had a “slight” heart murmur and the breeder did not want to sell her, so she was offered to Rescue and Westie Rescue/Austin offered to take her. Clover was born on March 18, 2007. When she arrived in Texas, the “slight” heart murmur was very pronounced and a cardiologist was consulted.
After the sonogram showed an enlarged heart due to the failure of the patent duct to close at birth, it was determined that Clover had a very serious PDA defect that needed to be repaired or she would not live to see her first birthday. She was put on Lasix (a diuretic) for the latent congestive heart failure that was developing and scheduled for surgery on July 3, 2007. At three and half months old Clover had open-heart surgery. Her surgeon, Dr. Caplan, felt Clover had an excellent chance at full recovery and should live a full and active normal lifespan for the spunky little Westie that she is.
Chloe – WestieMed Recipient
We brought Clover home to her foster mom on July 5th, a subdued and quiet little Westie. She had been gaining weight this past month and is now at 7.2 pounds. She will need two weeks of quiet recovery before getting her stitches out of her side, and allowed to play again with her foster sister. But we know she will pull through. Clover was wagging her tail furiously when we went to pick her up and bring her home. Clover will have to follow up re-checks with the surgeon and with her cardiologist for the next six months before getting a clean bill of health, but both her doctors feel she will do fine. Clover will be available for adoption after that.
We are deeply grateful for WestieMed’s assistance with her major medical bills, that have exceeded $2100. so far. Without the support of WestieMed, Clover’s surgery might not have been able to take place. Thank you for being there.
Chloe – WestieMed Recipient
Update August 2007:
Chloe (formerly Clover) Gets a New Family and a New Name
Chloe (formerly Clover) is a little West Highland White Terrier that came into the world before her little heart was finished. She had what is known as a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). It happens in humans and can happen in puppies too. The surgery to correct it for a puppy is fully invasive open heart surgery. It is quite expensive and as you can imagine, for-profit puppy places are not in the business of saving every dog.
Thankfully there are kind people like Barbara Ott of Westie Rescue of Austin and groups like WestieMed who stand up and devote their time and money behind the scenes to save these precious little lives regardless of the bottom line.
As we were mourning the loss of our Lizzy, our nine-year-old Westie who passed suddenly within two weeks of learning something may be wrong, for the first time in our lives together we were living in our all-too-quiet and deathly still house without a little furbaby. It was not a joyful place to be. I certainly wasn’t yet thinking of another pet, but when my husband emailed me the Pet Finder picture and story of Clover (now Chloe), our heart just went out to that precious little ball of fur.
I just couldn’t imagine her having to go through full open-heart surgery. I was hoping to learn that she was all right. From seeing her sweet little pictures, I knew that if she survived the surgery there would be no shortage of homes for her, but I just had to know that she had survived the surgery.
I contacted Barbara Ott of Westie Rescue of Austin to check on Clover and one thing led to another and by late August we were so fortunate to be able to foster her in our home! Our home was joyful again! Her doctor’s orders were strict and we didn’t deviate…except for the part where a six-month-old puppy is to stay calm ALL the time. Well…we tried our best.
She was so quick to learn the rules of the house…even learned how to ring a bell on the front door to ask to go potty. She is truly a remarkable little girl with the sweetest disposition. The fact that she remains very open and trusting after all she has been through early in her life is a testament to the kind and gentle care she received with all of the good people involved.
She has continued to thrive and her little floppy ear even came up. (Although it was pretty darling the way it was.)
Chloe – WestieMed Recipient
Update November 2007:
On November 8, 2007 she was cleared by her cardiologist and we were incredibly thrilled to be able to formally adopt her!
Chloe has since been spayed and is up to date with her shots and has been micro-chipped. Her little coat is filling back in beautifully, which I should add, she insists on keeping quite clean. When she came to us we were told that she loved her little pool, so we got one for her and, yes, she loves it…although not as much as the shower. My husband has learned to be extremely careful not to leave the shower running with the door unsecured. If he so much as steps out for a new bar of soap, he returns to a blissfully happy puppy frolicking in the water. She is almost always very very clean.
She is thriving and is the busiest little girl with many many toys in her toy box. Initially I worried if she would be lonely with no other dogs to play with, but she makes challenging games for herself by always having one toy in her mouth while playing soccer with her balls. When she isn’t dancing and playing with us, she hops and pounces, and plays a mean game of keep away from herself using a racket ball under the round grate of the coffee table.
She isn’t a barker inside at all, but when her favorite racket ball gets trapped under a piece of furniture she gives us one announcing bark then sits beside it patiently until one of us comes to rescue it for her.
We have a house rule is that she is invisible when we are at the dinner table and consequently she does not ever beg or bother. Although the hardest part is for US not to acknowledge HER as we see her playing so sweetly and intently. She is s constant source of smiles. We are so fortunate to have her in our lives.
I just don’t know how she could be any sweeter.
We were told that we can expect Chloe to lead a full life. After all that this little girl has been through and the caring and diligent work everyone has done to make her survival possible, I certainly hope to do everything I can to make it a happy one. She is our little girl.
To Barbara Ott and WestieMed, thank you sooooo much for all you do. You really do make a difference far beyond just helping the furbabies.
Sincerely,
Holly Alario
Update May 2008:
Our little Chloe is doing so well. She doesn’t seem to have any problems at all. She has two speeds; Full-On-Boundless-Energy and Stop-I-Need-My-Beauty-Sleep. I feel very confident that the cardiologist will be pleased at her next check up.
Chloe is the sweetest little girl I can imagine…and smart too. My husband is convinced that she can tell the good guys from the bad guys on TV. Actually she does actually watch the television. (She’s the first of any of my furbabies to do this.) And oddly enough, while watching if she growls, most often it when an evil character is doing or saying something. I’d like to think she is a great judge of character, but I do fear that if we were burgled, she’d make fast friends with the person.
Her sleeping and relaxing abilities are second to none. She loves sleeping in the bed with us and loves to be the last one out of bed in the morning. (Our bed is too high for her to get into by herself so we’ve installed the “Chloe Climber”, a little step system next to the bed that gives her a little more autonomy.)
Chloe – WestieMed Recipient
hen it’s on the floor for her Yoga where she does her downward doggie stretch followed by the cutest “Zombie” stretch where she sits upright and pushes her little shoulders down, makes her neck stiff and lets out a little groan like a zombie. We love it every time.
And she’s actually turning into a little cuddler, which surprises me for a Westie, especially one so young. I guess now that we’re older we may be treating her more like a grandbaby. She receives an endless supply of hugs and “kisses” (actually Mwha sounds.) Just yesterday, I tested out a new “Chloe Call” and to my shock it worked. She was upstairs and I was down. So instead of calling her with “Chloe Come” I made two loud kissy sounds, like “Mwha Mwha” and instantly she came bounding down the stairs not wanting to miss out on any hugs and “kisses.” 🙂
She is a constant source of smiles and laughs and warm endearing feelings.
Thank you so much for doing what needed to be done to keep this little light of life shining.
On a beautiful Sunday morning in early May, I took my four and half-year-old Westie to PetCo for a new leash. Stanley is not just my baby, but everyone’s baby. When we walked into the store, a woman approached us and told me that a two ad half-year-old female Westie at our local shelter was scheduled to be euthanized that coming week. She was relinquished by her owner due to her skin condition. She told me that I could look her up on the shelter’s website. That evening I looked her up and couldn’t get her off of my mind. I had no intention of getting another dog. I thought I would adopt her and get her well so she could be placed in a forever home. The following day, I left work early and drove to the shelter. I could not believe my eyes! This little girl was so thin. She had lost her hair on all four legs, rump, chest, belly, and even her face. Her paws were so swollen and she had open bleeding wounds all over her body, even inside her ears. I named her Boo because she had “boo boo’s” all over her little body. She raised her head but would not stand up. When the volunteer took her out of the cage, she could hardly stand up, her legs shaking uncontrollably. She didn’t want to be touched, as I can only imagine the pain she was in.
She was taken to Stanley’s doctor immediately. She had to stay there overnight and was quarantined for several days. She had skin scraping performed on four areas of her body. Thankfully, mange was ruled out, though Boo was diagnosed with a skin condition called Malassezia. She was put on medications, nine pills per day. She also has front leg joint issues which will need to be monitored. When Stanley met Boo several days later, it was love at first sight, though Boo wasn’t too sure about Stanley. She was food aggressive and a little rough with the man of the house, though as she started to get stronger, so did their relationship. She gained six pounds in the first two weeks! She can now jump on the bed, and Stanley and Boo are inseparable. They play “racetrack” throughout the house and constantly tackle each other. I can sit and watch these two play for hours. They are so happy together!
Seven weeks have now passed, and Boo is doing very well. The vet bills are mounting, but WestieMed came to the rescue! She had her third vet appointment on Saturday and is now being treated for an ear infection. She has hair sprouts everywhere except her paws, but we are hopeful hair will grow. If it doesn’t, we’ll just nickname her “Socks”. Boo’s food aggression has subsided, and she gained another pound. Stan and Boo sleep side by side, and she even gives Stanley kisses. He is such a handsome boy and deserves to be kissed all the time!
I am amazed that she has done so well in such a short amount of time. She is a completely different dog, and has so much personality. We are still getting to know her, but she surprises us every day. She is sweet, loving, and very determined! Stanley flattens himself out to fit under the sofa. She is trying to learn this trick, but gets stuck every time. She brings so much laughter into our lives. Boo found her forever home with Stanley. I cannot imagine our lives without her. Stan and I thank WestieMed for their support. We cannot wait to share photos of Boo will ALL her hair. Thank you, thank you, thank, you!
Karen & Stanley
Boo – WestieMed Recipient
Update July 2007:
Hi everyone, its me Boo!
If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then I must have the biggest soul ever. I’ve been told that in heaven, dogs run free in grassy fields, nap on white fluffy clouds, and are given treats bypassing angels. My Mom takes me and Stanley to my Growlma’s house every morning before work so we can play in her big backyard that has lots of grass, trees, dirt, and fruit. We chase each other all day long and sometimes I pull strawberries right off the plants. She gets so mad because I never leave any for her. There are also lots of squirrels in the trees too, and I laugh at Stanley because he never catches one. I get lots of treats when I’m there cause that’s what Growlma’s do! Mom says I have a fat belly. It grew seven pounds since I was adopted. I am finally at the weight I should be. At night, I sleep on fluffy clouds called “down” and sometimes I can’t find Stanley because he hides under the sheets to torment me. He is one goofy boy! Mom is finally realizing that I am one smart dog. She didn’t know that I can twirl in a complete circle on my hind legs. I had to show her the other night to get her attention. After all the ruckus I caused, she finally got out of bed, and as I was dancing in circles down the hall, I led her to the dry water bowl. Stanley thinks I’m a show-off.
I remember the day Mom found me. Dogs remember things like that. I wasn’t happy and my owner abandoned me for something I had no control over. I heard rumblings from the staff that my time is almost up because I wasn’t exactly pageant material. They were talking about my imminent demise (completely oblivious to the fact that I had two and half years of English prior to my arrival). Have you ever come across a broken dilapidated house, but with a little TLC saw its potential? Mom saw that in me. She’s a sucker for black noses and perky ears. My ear infection is gone now, so are the sores. Mom is so excited to see pink ears for the first time that she kisses them. Weird, huh? I’m still taking lots of medications, which seems to be working except on my paws. I can’t seem to leave them alone as they are still hairless because I chew at them, so Mom officially gave me the middle name “Socks”, though she failed to tell me. I read it on my new dog tag.
I am going to the groomer’s next Thursday and Stanley’s going with me so I’m not scared. He hasn’t been since March because Mom has been reoccupied with my hair growth. As you can see, he needs it. Mom wants me to get used to the groomer, and already told them I need my special shampoo so they said to bring it with her. Not much to cut right now, so I’m just going to get a trim. Mom isn’t allowed to use scissors on us because one time she made Stanley look like a Chihuahua. Can you imagine? I already resemble a Llama, so she doesn’t want to take any chances. Mom’s good at a lot of things, but definitely lacks talent in the hairdressing department.
I would have never come this far if I hadn’t found my angels. Growlma spoils me, Big Brother Stanley is at my side all the time, Mom loves us really hard, and Westie Med helped me get the treatment I need to get better. You are my angels, and this must be heaven!
Love Boo
Update November 2007:
Unfortunately, Boo’s progress has turned for the worse from what seems to be “out of the blue”. She was making wonderful progress up until November as she was only being treated for chronic ear infections (yeast). She broke out in what appeared to be hives and boils, and her skin turned beet red, and her paws were swollen triple the size. We rushed her to pet emergency, where we waited for four hours, only to be turned away due to all the emergencies that evening. The following morning, Boo was taken to her regular vet. Another blood panel was performed and the results were high in some areas that were believed to be due to steroids. She was given an anti-inflammatory and an antihistamine injection. She was also put back on Itraconazole, Orbax, Tramadol, Clemastine, and Atopica. The atopica made her vomit even though it was given to her one hour before meals. The only way we found to keep her from vomiting was to administer the atopica at midnight (the alarm was set). Her baths continued every evening with Malaseb shampoo, and her paws are soaked in Epsom salt twice daily for the swelling. The vet commented that there is no explanation he can come up with to explain the hives and boils. Her diet has not changed since July and there is nothing in her environment that has changed. He suggested her next visit be with a dermatologist. After this visit, she improved tremendously, although her belly shows signs of scaring.
Update December 2007:
From all appearances, Boo seemed to be doing very well, up until one week ago. Within seven days, she has managed to pull all her hair from her paws, muzzle, and under her tail. I researched specialists and called upon one yesterday. Since their offices are closed until after the new year, I brought Boo back to her vet today in an attempt to get her comfortable until we get an appointment with the specialist. The same round of drugs was prescribed including an e-collar. Another skin scraping was performed on all four paws which came back negative for mange.
As I write this, Boo and Stanley are curled up with each other on the sofa…sound asleep! It is obvious that this week has taken a huge toll on Boo, and my heart just breaks for her. Our one and only option are to get to the root of the problem so she can be treated properly. We are very anxious to see the specialist. We will never give up on our girl!
Boo – WestieMed Recipient
Update January 8, 2008:
Hi all, it’s me Boo. Today I had my visit with the dermatology specialist, Dr. Alexander Werner. I liked him right off the bat! He scratched my ears and I could tell it took everything out of him to refrain from kissing me. Mom took all my medical records with us including my diary that she has made entries to since my arrival. She edited the diary to reflect just the “medical & diet” facts, which I am grateful for because I really didn’t want my new doctor to hear about my potty training setbacks early on. That would have been embarrassing. I was a very good girl with Dr. Werner and I did not shake at all.
Dr. Werner said I look like I have epidermal dysplasia from previous tests that were performed at my regular vet, which is why my skin is turning very dark, scaly, and has thickened, and Malassezia as the secondary infection. This is what mom believed as well, but my treatment has changed completely. Dr. Werner changed all my meds, ear care, and diet with the exception of the Atopica which I am already taking. I had an ear scraping test done too. My new meds are Ketoconazole 200 mg every other day, Cephalexin 250 mg twice daily, and Atopica 50 mg every other day. My pretty ears will now get Epi-Otic Advance for cleaning every 3-7 days and Betagen Otic drops (six to eight drops) every day for ten days – then twice weekly. My beauty regime consists of Malaseb shampoo and ResiCort conditioner two times a week, Genesis Topical Spray for my paws two times a day for seven days. To help with the paw swelling, I am to have my mom soak my feet in vinegar and water. That can’t be so bad, right?
Dr. Werner also told mom that I must stick to a very methodical and strict diet. I am not allowed to deviate from eating IVD Duck & Potato dry kibble and IVD Duck Canine wet food. For mom to administer my meds, Dr. Werner said to ball up the canned food into little meatballs. No girl likes to be on a strict diet, so Stanley graciously agreed to support my new endeavor by eating the same food so I am not tempted. He’s such a great boy! He’s going to the groomers next week, but I’m not going this time. I have to wait until my paws are feeling better.
I am to keep wearing my baby socks because I’m told they “breathe”, and I have really gotten used to them. It’s much better than the e-collar. I have a follow-up appointment in four weeks and Dr. Werner will have a look at Stanley just for good measure.
Keep your fingers & paws crossed because on top of this fantastic personality of mine, I am truly pageant material!!
See you all soon, Boo
Update February 14, 2008:
Boo had her follow up appointment today with the specialist. Boo has progressed remarkably well. She has grown fur on her paws including between the pads for the very first time since adoption. Dr. Werner prescribed the same round of medications which will eventually be reduced to a few times a week over the next three to six months. The only problem we have encountered in the last five weeks is keeping the Atopica down. It was suggested that we freeze the pills and she will also be taking Metoclopramide (Reglan) 5 mg to help coat her stomach in preparation for the Atopica (one to two hours before mealtime). Her diet will remain the same for now though we will test other foods in six months to rule in or out “food allergies”. Regardless, Boo will be on Atopica for the rest of her life. She has not had any further ear infections, though she did develop a tumor just below her bottom lip. It is believed to be benign and may resolve itself due to the fact that it started as a small pimple and then metastasized triple the size in three days. Dr. Werner appeared to be very confident that we shouldn’t have to be back for three to six months. But with this good news, it was also made clear that a relapse can happen and they usually do with a vengeance. This is not a curable disease and we will forever be treating her condition.
Boo’s energy has quadrupled, her eyes are bright and she harasses Stanley with a vengeance! My boy is an angel and puts up with all of her shenanigans. Boo visited Indiana Bones & the Temple of Groom today! She received her very first Westie cut and is absolutely beautiful! She was given a Valentines Day bandana and a bow in her hair. She insisted on removing the bow. She is very much a tomboy! To me she was always pageant material, but today she is hands down the BEST IN SHOW!!
Thank you again Westie Med for all of your wonderful support and dedication to this supreme breed!
Karen
It is with a heavy heart that my baby girl died April 23rd.
My mother’s gardener put out snail bait without our knowledge or request. A different guy came to maintain the yard in the absence of the regular guy. The fill-in did not know my babies go to mom’s twice a week.
Boo Boo fought really hard at our emergency clinic for two days. She had the best care ever, and we still couldn’t save her. She was treated with Toxiban and the sodium levels kept spiking. She went into cardiac arrest.
I am so heartbroken and three weeks later I still can’t stop crying over my baby girl. I am trying to rationalize why this could happen after all she’s been through. January was really the month that changed everything for her – for us. Boo had quite the following…my entire family and my friends showed up at the clinic. She was so unique and special and she touched our lives like no other. There will never be another Boo Boo.
This picture was taken on April 13th. I miss her so very much.
Karen
Update June 26, 2008:
Sending you my “thank you” is long over due. The loss of Boo had really taken a toll and still; when I speak of her or write about her, I get that lump in the throat and the tear drops start falling. Sometimes I wish I can fast forward a year so it stops hurting. But with the sorrow, so much ‘good’ has taken place because of this one special little angel.
One year ago, this little girl pulled at my heart strings. I called her the “throw away dog” because I couldn’t fathom someone dumping her at a shelter because her hair was falling out. I don’t understand how people can be so ignorant, selfish, cruel, and so blind to the fact that these animals feel pain, joy, fear, comfort and love. In all honesty, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but what I did know, is that I made a commitment that would mean the world to this one dog. Her setbacks were my setbacks. Her progress was my progress. I remember when she had her first relapse, I put her in my lap and cried. I spoke to her and apologized over and over again that I haven’t been able to make her better. I also promised her that I would never give up on her.
One year ago I was uneducated in the world of throw away dogs, and how important rescue is. Because of Boo, I became a volunteer for rescue. I am currently fostering a little Westie girl that was picked up from the shelter on Monday. She is grossly underweight, eyes crusted shut, ears swollen shut and covered with ticks. I took her home and worked on her for over three hours. Not one sound came out of her. Not one complaint. She let me warm compress her eyes, clean her ears and pull ticks. She did not resist her bath or blow dry! In fact, she curled up onto my lap as we sat on the bathroom floor with brush and blow dryer in hand. She received vet care on Tuesday, will need drops in her eyes for the rest of her life, and just yesterday has responded to my voice. Yes, she can hear, thank God! She will go into permanent foster care on Sunday where she remain until she has been rehabilitated and ready for her forever home.
I will be sure to let them know that if she doesn’t find a home, then her home is with me.
I have a little boy here too. His name is Howard and he was rescued from the shelter 4 weeks ago. Howard has helped Stanley and me considerably in the day to day activities. He is full of life, a bit on the devilish side, and gives great kisses. I was to have him for one week and deliver him to his permanent foster home. I did make the 80 mile drive, spent the afternoon with his new foster mom; only to turn around and come home with Howard in tow. He belongs with Stanley and me. His adoption is pending, but soon he will be a permanent member of the family.
I received your card and it still sits on my window sill. It will always remain on my window sill for years to come. Sometimes people don’t know what kind of impact they can have on someone else. You had a huge impact on our lives. The emails we’ve shared talking about our dogs, the support and knowledge I received from WestieMed’s website, the money sent to get Boo’s care rolling, the eternal candle and of course, the card. Simple words that meant the world to me.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all that you have done for us, and continue to do for others.
Love, Karen
Update May 9, 2009:
We are doing well! Stanley continues to be the great ambassador of all the rescues I bring home (he protects them, amazing!) and keeps order in the household; and Howard, the clown that he is introduces toys to them all. It is heaven!
Shortly after Boo died, I called my friend Kay and suggested we start a rescue organization. I found two Westies in my local shelter that were dumped because of their skin issues, so I adopted them. Kay took one and she also found a Westie with Addison’s so she took him in as well. We decided it’s official – we are doing this, so Westie Rescue of Orange County & Beyond was born. I spent the next several months creating our adoption packages, brochures, adoption agreements, etc. and Kay worked tirelessly on our articles of incorporation and applied and received our 501c3 status. We have also just been added as a rescue partner with WHWTCA. Since then we have rescued thirty-si Westies in less than a year! Currently, I have two skin cases with me; Wesley and Molly, and at any given time, Kay has a pack of six or more in her home. We have had a number of seniors come our way, but it was Perry that made a huge impact. Perry came to us a few months ago at the age of fourteen. He was relinquished by his owner because of his incontinence and it was believed he had diabetes. The shelter was set on euthanizing him, and Kay moved mountains to get him released to us. Not an easy task when an owner tells the shelter he is sick. Turns out he is not sick at all. He is just a wonderful little senior citizen who is living the good life with Kay. No Westie will ever be turned down regardless of age, health, or skin issues, and we are working on bringing awareness to the joy and privilege of adopting seniors.
This is the reason Boo came into my life. An artist in Michigan; Lara Harris is currently working on an oil painting of Boo for me. It will read “My Girl, My Inspiration, My Angel”.
Meet Missy… her foster Mom calls her The Baby. She is a seven-month-old female who loves to cuddle, role around on her back in the grass and swing on the hammock when her foster Mom reads her book in the afternoons. Missy does not have full use of her rear left leg, which is causing her to arch her back to compensate for using three legs. This, of course, is not good for a developing puppy. She lifts her leg when she walks which has caused some of the muscles to atrophy. This sweet little girl is a sweet kisser… an absolute Gem!
Missy’s owner purchased her from a breeder in Missouri in April 2007 and was shipped in a crate to Louisiana. When she arrived, the new owner noticed that when Missy came out of the crate, she did not put any weight on her rear left leg and lifted it when she walked. Her local Vet took x-rays and diagnosed her with a degenerative disease of the hipbone, and that Missy would need corrective surgery to have the damage repaired estimating to be over $3,000. Since the owner was a young mother with a toddler, she stated that she could not afford the surgery and follow up physical therapy.
The owner called the breeder who instructed her to have the puppy put down and that the breeder would send her another puppy at a later date. The owner was upset by these instructions and was advised by a neighbor to call Louisiana Westie Rescue (LWR). LWR took possession of Missy right away. The Companion Animal Clinic in Hammond, Louisiana took x-rays and diagnosed her with Calve Perthe’s Disease (Aseptic necrosis of the coxofemoral joint) of the left rear limb and referred the case to the LSU Veterinary School in Baton Rouge. The LSU Vet School proposed to remove the diseased bone and, because Missy is a young dog, her muscles can be conditioned to compensate for the missing coxofemoral joint. They report many successes for this surgery from small dogs to very large.
It is a blessing that WestieMed was able to help this little girl. Louisiana Westie Rescue operates solely on the contributions taken in from adoption fees and a medical issue such as this was going to be cost-prohibitive for the organization. The volunteers of WestieMed are the Angels who watch over our special little Westies who are victims of careless breeders and handlers. LWR extends blessings to them many times over!
Missy had her surgery May 10, 2007 and came through it with flying colors. The vet manipulated her joints and they are moving with ease. Missy is reluctant to put any weight on the rear leg to date (May 11, 2007) but some of her muscles have atrophied and will have to be exercised first by using passive range of motion exercises and then aqua therapy and walks three times a day. Her foster Mom has a pool and a Westie-sized life vest so Missy will start her swimming therapy within the week.
Louisiana Westie Rescue is extremely grateful for the aid from WestieMed and will send updates and additional pictures as Missy gets back on all fours.
On Valentine’s Day, a young Westie was seen sitting in the middle of the road in New Haven, Indiana. A good samaritan avoided hitting him but decided to turn around and try to get him out of the road so no one else would hit him. As she turned around she saw a driver of an SUV seemingly swerve to hit this poor little guy. She said it looked like the tires just missed him. She got traffic to stop and scooped him up and took him home. The lady placed ads in the local paper trying to find his original owners. No one came forward. She discovered the dog is a Westie after a neighbor saw him. He was badly matted and slept nearly all day for several days. After about a week he began slowly moving around and seemed to be on the mend. Another couple of weeks went by and he became more mobile.
Valentino – WestieMed Recipient
On our end, we were planning a visit to my son’s school to help educate children on responsible pet ownership. I went to my son’s class early last week and talked to the students and passed out some information. Later that evening a lady called and said her daughter had brought home a card for our rescue…and could we help her. She told me the Westie’s story. I asked if he had been to the vet. She said no, they didn’t have any money for that. But she felt he was doing just fine. I went over and picked him up. We brought him home and vaccinated him and scheduled a groom! He turned out absolutely gorgeous…and was no doubt a Westie. What a handsome boy! But during the groom, we found he had some sensitivity in his hips. We scheduled a vet visit for a full check of possible injuries. And indeed, the Westie, now named Valentino due to the date of his accident, had a shattered pelvic. I cannot believe the pain this dog has endured over the last month. And he’s only let out a few low growls. Our vet is not equipped to do such surgery and referred us to the emergency hospital in town. They estimated Valentino’s surgery at around $3500. We definately don’t have those kinds of funds but felt we had to figure it out. We put him on some pretty strong pain killers and I began the hunt for funds! A Westie Rescue responded with information regarding WestieMed! I cry whenever I think about it…they are sending us $3000 towards the surgery! Valentino will soon have the surgery he needs! He already has an approved adopter and will get to start a new life in a loving home. Thank you SO MUCH! Valentino thanks you too!
My name is Jewel. I’m a ten-year-old Westie who has found Nirvana for Westie World. I don’t remember where I was born or who my parents are, but I do know that I spent a long time in a kennel somewhere in Kansas which my new Dad says is “Toto Land”. He told me that has to do with something called “The Wizard of Oz”. I have no idea what he means, but I do know that my journey here to Mom and Dad was something special. I don’t remember how many puppies I had at that kennel – I was there for lots of years so I know there must have been tons of them!
Anyway, after a long, long time – December 2006 in people time – an angel named Meredith came and got me from where I lived that had no heat, not a lot of shelter from the elements (there were holes in the roof and missing boards in the sides of the building) and very little food or water. It was FREEZING COLD (like one degree) and the wind was strong out of the North. Meredith braved the ice, snow, and wind to come and rescue me and my Westie kennel-mates. The weather was so bad and she was terrified to make the drive, but she also knew I was in a really bad place and may not make it if she didn’t come to get me. I got to ride in a car! I never had before. It was SO WARM inside and Meredith made sure I could rest.
Anyway, I wound up in Oklahoma with some very nice people who took care of me for a little while. I’d been bitten in a fight before Meredith came and I had a bloody leg and bloody ears that no one had taken care of. Both my ears and both my eyes had infections and Meredith said she didn’t know when we all last had baths because we didn’t smell too good and when she bathed us, she said she’d never seen so much dirt come off Westies before. These nice people got my leg healed, got my infections cleared up and trained me to sleep in a crate. They took me to someone called a vet and I had something happen to me to me, which I was told meant that I won’t have to have any more puppies. Woo hoo!
Then, one day, Meredith came and got me and took me to a place (motel) in Tulsa and my second angel appeared. Meredith also had another little Westie with her named Penny, who is now my little sister. I didn’t know it at the time, but that second angel is my now my new Mom. My new Dad says her name is Jackie, but she’s just Mom to me. Anyway, Mom drove Penny and me for almost nine hours to a place called Houston, Texas, which is where I live now. When I got there, I saw a really big Westie. His name is Chivas. He is a very big, handsome, and gentle boy of six years. When I got out of the car with Penny, he sniffed and sniffed and we sniffed and sniffed back. Within minutes, we became big friends and now we’re all family!
My new Mom and Dad took Penny and me to their vet to get us checked out. The vet is a very friendly man who looked me over and over. He told Mom and Dad that three of my mammary glands were overgrown because of tumors he thought were cancerous and that the cancer could possibly have already spread to my lungs and liver. Dad said he thought I just had some big breasts – he didn’t know there was something wrong with me until the vet said so. This terrified Mom and Dad and, of course, I had no idea what was going on. The vet said I needed some tests and some surgery if there wasn’t any cancer in my liver and lungs. Mom talked to Meredith and Meredith said she’d take me back, but Mom said, “Thanks for offering, but we’ll see this through. Jewel is family now and we just can’t give her up – we love her.” My heart did a dance when she said that!
Anyway, the vet did some tests and learned there was no cancer in my liver or lungs, so he did surgery to remove the three tumors. The surgery was rather extensive and reduced my overgrown mammary glands to normal (Dad called it breast reduction surgery). I had to wear an Elizabethan Collar (Dad called it a cone head) for two weeks so I wouldn’t pull out all those stitches – there were so many. I did fine with that collar in spite of trying to run around after Chivas and Penny in the back yard with it on my head when I was supposed to be staying inactive, as Mom called it. And now I’m FULLY recovered and run around and play with Chivas and Penny in our back yard all the time. We chase squirrels and I just LOVE living here!
All of this cost Mom and Dad a pretty penny (not my sister… the coin). They have no regrets, though, and I’m very blessed to be here in my new home. I’ve heard that y’all (that’s a new word I’ve learned now that I live in Texas – people here say it all the time) help people who help Westies like me who’ve been rescued. Mom says y’all were very generous to Dad and her and she is so very appreciative. And I am too – THANK YOU, WestieMed, for helping pay for my surgery!! That surgery has given me some assurance that I can be here with my new family for a good while. As Dad says, “Jewel, this isn’t Kansas anymore,” and I’m SO GLAD!!
Update January 15, 2008:
AS OF TODAY, WE’VE HAD JEWEL FOR A WONDERFUL ONE YEAR, ONE WEEK AND ONE DAY and she has progressed dramatically socially and physically (weight gain, which she needed) and is very much an integral part of our household and a great playmate for Chivas and Penny, her Westie brother and sister.
Medically she had no problems resulting from her mammary tumor removal surgery one year ago and we continue to thank WestieMed for helping us financially with her surgery. We did learn this past October that she has an enlarged heart and is currently on 18.75 mg of Furosemide daily to help alleviate the fluid. We pray she will be with us for a very very long time, as we dearly, dearly love her.
My husband took quite a few pictures over the holidays and I’ll definitely email some to you soonest.
In a small town lived a little Westie whose purpose in life was to be a stud dog for a puppy mill breeder. One day the little dog could not walk so the breeder waited a while to see if he would regain use of his legs and when he didn’t she said he was no longer useful to her and would be put down. Thankfully, Jack was turned over to a local all-breed rescue who took him to a vet to be checked out. The true cause of Jack’s inability to walk was not discovered and for over six months this sweet little boy moved about by using his front legs and dragging his back legs looking somewhat like a seal in his movements. Finally the rescue group fostering him decided they could not help him and thought a westie rescue group, being more familiar with the breed, might know what to do. A phone call one evening asking if we would take Jack changed our lives and our hearts dramatically.
Jack’s journey to recover the use of his legs began on January 6, 2007, when I picked up the tiniest westie I had ever seen; an adorable little guy weighing ten pounds and looking more like a puppy than the seven-year-old adult that he is. I placed him on the grass to do his business but he didn’t move. Finally, I coaxed him to move a bit but his back legs were dragging and he would hold up first one front leg, then the other. Being my first special needs foster, my heart broke at the sight of him struggling to move about and panting and shivering from the pain, never whimpering, or whining but letting the kisses flow freely.
Jack went to visit the vet on January 8, 2007, where the problem was discovered through an exam and x-rays. Jack’s left and right hind knees were blown and when manipulated made a sickening crunch. We formed a plan and Jack went to see another vet the next day. Upon examination the vet determined that two surgical procedures would be needed and on January 11, 2007, a repair of the ACL’s in both hind legs and trochleoplasty to the left rear were performed. Trochleoplasty in simple terms is a procedure to deepen the groove where the patella sits, thus keeping the knee from popping out of joint.
Jack remained in the hospital for several days and finally on January 20, 2007 we were able to bring him home and on January 24, 2007 the stitches were removed and hydrotherapy began (Jack wishes it hadn’t). Lack of movement caused Jack’s muscles to deteriorate, contributing to his frail appearance, and ten minutes twice a day in the water exhausted him. Each day a little more time has been added and now Jack can swim for twenty to forty minutes. We also do physical therapy by massaging his body and moving his legs to restore muscle movement, improve circulation. and to help retrain his brain in the proper leg movements. His hindquarters are filling out a little, his spine has disappeared from both weight gain and exercise, and his energy level has increased. He walks short distances on his hind legs but the front joints hurt him to the point he sits down and lifts up first one paw, then the other. The front joints are another problem to be dealt with at a later date. One option for them is to fuse the joints so the paws don’t “flop” side to side creating a more stable leg to stand on helping with balance. Jack’s healing and therapy will take a long time to accomplish, but he is a determined little guy and gives it his all and thanks to the generosity of WestieMed Jack gets a second chance to walk. Orthopedic surgeries are very expensive and usually require a long healing process and often the therapy of some sort. Jack is so lucky to have WestieMed’s help with his expenses and he sends big kisses to you all!
John and Martha Beck Foster Parents for Louisiana Westie Rescue
Jack – WestieMed Recipient
Update February 2007:
Jack went back to the vet today for his two-week checkup and the vet is pleased with his progress…the muscle mass is building. We are looking into splints for his legs to try to avoid another surgery. These will be specially made for him and will Velcro on his front legs to help him walk on those. The vet thinks his condition is either an autoimmune problem or he was kept in a crate that didn’t allow him to move around very much. All the ligaments in his body are shot. Did I tell you he has a number 30 tattooed in the tip of his ear? I guess that is his lucky number now. He graduated to big dog member of the pack yesterday when he went out the back door under his own power onto the deck with the rest of the LWD’s. It was a proud moment for us! He sat in the warm sun looking over his kingdom. He now putters around the kitchen following me where ever I go or lies where he can watch me. He is a rooing boy…Babycakes and Bama were rooing and he joined in…Chloe just thinks they are all crazy and fails to see the point.
Update April 2007:
Just wanted to give an update on Jack…his back knees that were fixed are doing well. Now we have to focus on the lower joints which are not doing well. We tried splints, water therapy all to avoid surgery, but it just isn’t giving the results hoped for so we have an appointment with an orthopedic vet to see if the joints can be fused. There are a lot of factors to be considered, and until he is evaluated, we won’t know if it will help or not. I will let you know what the vet says. Please say prayers for this brave little guy; he asks so little and gives so much.
Martha
Jack – WestieMed Recipient
Update May 2007:
Here is Jack with his new wheels! Wow! He doesn’t quite know what to think about it all. There had to be several adjustments made because of the way his spine is…hopefully it will straighten out some. He actually took a few steps for treats (that’s my boy…anything for food!) We go back in a couple of weeks to see how his progress is going. He seems a little excited about it, especially when he could walk better! Now we have to learn to go potty with the chair…not sure how that is going to work. 🙂 Thanx for all the thoughts and prayers for Jack. He is truly a special little guy.
Update December 2007:
Unfortunately Jack’s arthritis continues to worsen and he has begun to choke on his food frequently regardless of how it is prepared. He has to wear a diaper as he is no longer mobile. His quality of life has declined quite a bit. He remains a brave little guy and doesn’t cry too much. He is still on pain meds and arthritis meds. Poor little guy just has the deck stacked against him. However, he will always be, to me, the sweetest Westie that ever lived.
Thank you to Westie Med for all your help in the effort to get a better life for Jack.
Martha Beck
Update March 6, 2008:
My dear sweet little Jack went to the bridge today. Over the last few days he lost interest in food and water and his tail stopped wagging. It broke my heart but now he has his legs back and is running and happy.
Abbey came to Westie Rescue of Austin through another rescuer who found her in the Temple, Texas animal shelter in October 2006. Kathy placed her in a home but Abbey was returned due to an undiagnosed bladder infection that caused her to tinkle all the time. Once the UTI was cleared up, Abbey was fine. Kathy lived with Abbey on a farm with other animals, and Abbey persisted in chasing the chickens, so Kathy contacted Westie Rescue/Austin Thanksgiving weekend to take her and find her another permanent home. Abbey is about two years old.
Jim had been waiting as an approved adoptive home so when Abbey came into our program, Jim was thrilled to be given the opportunity to foster-to-adopt little Abbey. Abbey went into his home the next day, and within a few days, Jim noticed something terrible was wrong with Abbey. We took her to our vet for a check-up and it was discovered she had a heart murmur, which explained the funny feeling we could feel when we held her chest. She was also unable to go for long walks without becoming exhausted and collapsing.
Abbey was taken to a veterinarian cardiologist who diagnosed the murmur as patent ductus arteriosus, left to right shunting, with mitral regurgitation (mild) and left ventricular dilation (moderate), and felt she had a good chance of surviving open-heart surgery. Her prognosis with surgery was excellent. Without it, she would most likely develop congestive heart failure and not live a normal lifespan. The expense was more than the limited funds of Westie Rescue/Austin or Jim could afford so an appeal for help was sent to WestieMed for Abbey’s surgery. The WestieMed Board of Directors approved Abbey’s case (bless them) and the surgery was performed on 12/6/2006. Abbey came back home on the 8th and her recovery has been speedy and uneventful. She is returning to the perky, active, inquisitive Westie she was meant to be, and her brother, Murphy Lee (also two years old) is delighted to have a healthy sister to play with.
Our undying gratitude goes to WestieMed for giving this adorable little Westie girl, Abbey, a second chance at a wonderful long life. Thank you for being there for her.
Barbara Ott Westie Rescue/Austin
Abbey – WestieMed Recipient
Update January 2008:
Abbey is the best she has ever been, (not to the doctor for three weeks), with only one more dipping for mange in two weeks. She remains on Hills Science Diet CD and it has been determined she has a weak immune system so she will more than likely be “higher maintenance” for me forever. However, she is loved very much and keeps Murphy company while I am at work what is just what I planned.
She has learned what it is really like to be loved and have a nice big backyard to chase the squirrels in. She actually barks once in a while now too, something I think she never did much if at all before. Both the pups are spoiled and as you might suspect have ME trained pretty well. Thanks for everything!
How do we know that God exists? One way to tell is if you have ever seen a small child wandering in a department store or on a busy city street without an adult right next to them holding their hand. If you look around you will see virtually every eye of every adult in the area will be fixed on the child and many of them starting to move forward to help…until of course the child’s adult companion shows up and everyone relaxes…I think that is one way that God acts in this world… through the eyes, hands, and hearts of good people here on earth who step forward and do what is good and right for those that can’t help themselves. And that is precisely what has happened to Shadow. It started with Westie Rescue of Missouri when Angie Jamison heard there was a Westie at a shelter in Northern Illinois. She then called Debbie Kolze who lived nearby to see if she could help.
Here is Debbie’s story of the rescue and her and her husband’s excellent and heroic foster care:
“Angie at Westie Rescue told me that there was a shelter in Seneca, IL that had a Westie. He was turned in to them by another rescue transport. When they got him he was full of fleas, ticks, was filthy, and literally nothing but skin and bones and missing large patches of fur. The shelter was very full, and Shadow did not do well there. So after a few days, they shipped him off to a woman named “Lee” who will take in the overflow animals at the shelter since she apparently has a farm or lots of land or something and is willing to help if the shelter needs assistance. Anyway, Lee gave him flea baths and wormed him. She said he wasn’t housebroken when she got him, but she trained him. She said he ate okay but everything he ate was just running out of him.
“On May 16th, 2006 I went to pick him up. I met Lee outside of Seneca, IL off I-88 at a convenience store parking lot. She handed “Duffy” to me as she had nicknamed him, and gave me a bag with some gravy pouches and some dry dog food. She said I could keep the collar and leash, then she signed the makeshift release form I gave her and drove away.
“Duffy” stood most of the way home in the front seat of my car. I thought he might be a Westie mix, maybe part Collie or Sheltie because he wasn’t very white and his face looked more like a Collie than a Westie. After a while, he laid down but just for a few minutes only to stand up again. I sensed that his back hurt. When I touched his back it was arched up high and I could feel every vertebra from his neck down to his tail. I didn’t like touching him at all, he was just a skeleton, and he smelled. But when he looked at me with the one lone round star in his right eye (he has cataracts that have blinded him), I said to him, “I think you are going to break my heart.” Because I didn’t think he would live another week since he was such a mess.
“I had called my vet before picking him up and had an appointment for later that afternoon. He weighed in at under 13 pounds. The vet said he was full of infections, his teeth, his ears, and suspected internally too. He was given an antibiotic shot and put on a couple of prescriptions for the infections and the obvious pain in his back or hind legs. I was told to bring him back in a week. He went back before that for severe diarrhea.
“After having him one week we took him to the groomer and he surprisingly did look like a Westie, a very very skinny Westie. I hate to say how much I disliked touching him other than his face those early days. When he started to gain weight, I’d touch his face and neck, and as he filled out I could touch his shoulders. He was just so skinny he felt awful. When he finally got to his optimum weight only the very end of the spine could be felt, and a little of his hips.
“I put him on a diet of dry food, that I’d moisten and microwave soft so that he could eat it with his badly infected teeth. I introduced different foods slowly and one at a time to see how he handled them. I knew I had to put weight on him, but slowly, I wanted him to build muscle. I fed him 4 times a day. The dry dog food mix soon was mixed with canned food in the morning and evening, and a snack of something like cottage cheese or a hard-boiled egg at lunch and again at bedtime, usually mixed with more dog food. The canned dog food was a turkey-based Adult Science Diet rather than beef or something else. Once he had his dental in June I no longer softened his dry food, and once he got up to eighteen pounds he only ate twice a day. It took him about three months to gain the six pounds. Then it was easy to pet him, pick him up and hold him and love him and not feel like I was hurting him.
“Around the same time he had the dental done, he got a one-year Rabies shot and started his heartworm meds. That was also when he seemed to developed allergies. He was scratching and itching and biting, so he got put on Advantage for fleas, just in case. He has bitten himself till he has bled, “hot spots” they call them, so he went on Benadryl. At one time he was getting three to four different pills a day. He was on Baytril for eight weeks, he was on Rimadyl for pain for at least that long, as well as the Benadryl, and other things along the way. Like things for his ears, he had a couple of ear infections while with us, it seemed to clear up and then come back. Just a note, the Rimadyl made it easier for him to go for long walks and he appeared to be more comfortable while on it. It’s a drug that is not good for long-term use I am told.
“Since he liked to follow us around wherever we went we decided to name him “Shadow” as in me and my shadow.
“That’s Shadow’s story until he was adopted by you on November 6, 2006.” Debbie
Debbie did such great work with Shadow that all my vet could find wrong with him was a couple of remaining skin hot spots and his severe difficulty with cataracts which have essentially made him blind. Shadow has that classic walk of a blind dog in that he walks with his head down and in a very halting, hesitant, and stiff-legged fashion…tail between his legs. Well, we have gone to two of the leading veterinary ophthalmologists in the Chicago area for their opinions and they both have identified a hyper-mature cataract in the right eye blocking 100% of his vision and a mature cataract that blocks perhaps 90-95% vision in his left eye.
Since Shadow has not been neutered, the vets have theorized that Shadow was used as a puppy mill stud and when he could not perform any more he was “thrown away”. From the age of cataracts and their configuration, one of the eye doctors said that the right eye could have formed its cataract from a blow or trauma to that eye as the one on the left seems to be a naturally formed one due to age. So it is easy to see that Shadow was not a pet and was just caged and used for years by his unscrupulous keepers.
I see some further evidence of his background in his behavior around the house now. He doesn’t know how to play, nor is he at all socialized to how humans pet or hold dogs. His world at the puppy mill was one of being used until he was no longer useful with no love or care for any of his needs.
Well, Angie, Lee, Debbie, and I have each in our way tried to shower him with enough care to try to make up for his years of imprisonment. He is much better now, his skin has cleared up, his ears are clean and healthy and he even gets excited and gives lots of tail wags when I come home from work. He’s even striding more bravely on walks and is showing more confidence and poise around the house. He’s a gentle little guy who never barks and never puts up a fuss when he gets his eye drops or is examined at the vets…it’s all new to him.
Now, thanks to WestieMed’s grant, he will be able to have a chance at opening up his world and having his sight restored with cataract surgery. For however much time he has left it is wonderful to think that it won’t be spent alone in the dark, anymore. Now he has friends reaching out to help him and care for him…finally. On behalf of Shadow and all of us who have helped him along the way, thank you very, very much.
Sincerely, George Kase, Shadow’s new dad.
Update January 2008:
t is with an enormous amount of sadness that I must tell you of the passing of my boy Shadow on this past Monday morning, January 28th at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Buffalo Grove. From internal bleeding caused by complications of his Kidney disease.
Shadow was truly a lionhearted being. Courageous in everything he did, he never let his blindness nor his weakened muscles stop him in any way. He enjoyed his walks and sniffing as well as just exploring for the fun of it. He liked to lay on his blankie and particularly after a good meal, he really liked to roll around on it with abandon. One hobby he developed in recent months was a particular affection for finding one of the other dog’s bowls during mealtimes for a quick snack before being caught. I can’t say enough about him and how much richer he made my life for the brief time he lived here.
Hi, my name is Canny, it was Cannon but I didn’t even know I had a name. I didn’t know humans did anything for dogs, except give food and water. This is my story of how I got rescued from a puppy mill and found my forever home. You see, I was in this puppy mill all my life and I am eight now. I lived and slept on cement, and was given food and water but I had no idea there was anything else.
One day this wonderful lady with a warm heart and sweet eyes picked me up from where I lived; her name was Judi. There were 4 of us that left that day. Judi took 2 of us and her friend Denise took the other 2. Judi put me in a crate but there was something warm and soft to lay on, wow that was different. Judi was a rescuer. I didn’t know that I needed to be rescued and I didn’t fully understand what being rescued would mean to me.
Judi was shocked when she saw where I lived and said it looked like “the Walmart of Dogs”. She said the “pens” were 4 X 6 and each pen had twenty dogs in them. I just thought that was normal. We went for a ride. Judi was so kind, she gently petted me, talked to me softly, and told me everything was going to be all right. The next day we went to Dr. Zimmer. He made me feel very sleepy. I felt different when I left there but it was still nicer than where I had been. Before Judi got me I had never been to a house. I just stood close to the wall so scared. Then some humans came and took away the little girl that was with me. This made me even more frightened. Then another set of humans came and they were looking at me for a long time while Judi talked to them. Then the female human came over, bent down, put her hand out, and started talking to me. Her name was Jacque and she seemed nice too. She picked me up and we left Judi’s. I can’t tell you how frightened I was.
We went to Jacque and Bill’s house. There were 2 other dogs there but they didn’t look like me, they were shelties. We all got along pretty well and there were a lot of things to sniff. The shelties, Heidi and Colby showed me things we were supposed to do. They showed me where the food was, that there was a special place outside where you go to the bathroom, and where you sleep. Jacque and Bill just kept talking to me and petting me. I was starting to like this place. A couple of weeks later, Jacque called Judi and said she had some concerns about my health. She said we were going to Dr. Zimmer again. Dr. Zimmer looked at me very closely and said I had some very serious problems. I have crusty, yucky eyes with tumors on the upper eyelids, I itch everywhere constantly and my skin is very smelly, my ears are nasty inside and sometimes I bump into things because I can’t see with the crusty stuff that is in my eyes plus I had lost weight. Dr. Zimmer and Jacque looked very concerned. Jacque told me it was going to be all right.
Now I come to the part of my story where Jacque finds Carol Sanger (Indiana Westie Rescue) and WestieMed. Jacque told them we needed help. She did all the things she was asked to do. Then one day I saw Jacque crying really hard at her computer. I didn’t understand but she said WestieMed is going to help plus Carol, a wonderful, kind lady, was going to help us too. Jacque says were are going back to Dr. Zimmer on January 8th and we are going to start with testing. In the meantime, she keeps bathing me every 4 days with this soap that does help the itching and the smell. But I have learned so many things. I get to sleep on very soft blankets, I am starting to learn how to play, and I even get to sleep on her bed when Bill is gone. I have even learned when you smell food, if you stand beside them long enough and stare at them, they might give you a bite! It’s pretty fun here. But the very best part, is I am going to get well. Jacque (I guess I can call her Mom now) says she didn’t know there were people out there that cared so much. When she talks about WestieMed and Carol she always gets tears in her eyes. That’s when Colby, Heidi and me, Canny (I know my name now) go over and make sure she is okay. She loves on us and says everything is going to be all right. I will let you know how things go and thank you WestieMed and Carol for being so generous.
Canny
Update May 15, 2008:
Hello All in Westie Land!
It has been a while since I last wrote but so many things have happened, I almost don’t know where to start. Mom and Doc. Zimmer got together and figured out a plan. It is amazing how much better I feel. I can see better, all the nasty tumors on my eyelids are gone and I don’t have that crusty junk in my eyes. My ears don’t make that squishy noise, the pain and the smell is gone. My teeth are clean and I look like a Westie again. I have learned so many new things. I know the word come means to run as fast as you can to Mom. Sit, means to lay my carrot tail on the floor. Wait means to sit longer but eventually, you get to move. If I do these things when I am told….Mom gives me a treat, that’s the best part!
Mom and Dad tell me all the time I am the funniest dog they have ever had. I discovered that rolling on your back, wiggling back and forth feels really good. Mom said she must be missing out on something good since I roll all the time. Someday I will get Mom to try that too, but she said that she would be more careful where she rolls! When I come inside, Mom always says, “Why do they call you WHITE Terriers?” when my back has grass stains and other things I won’t mention.
I found out this white stuff comes out of the sky, I don’t like it, so I scratch the back door and Mom appears. My sister, Heidi, makes the path to go around the back yard when the snow is there and I follow her. Colby, my brother, runs back and forth, jumping and barking. Mom started laughing at me one day and I didn’t know why. She said it was because I kept going around the path that Heidi made when the snow wasn’t there! When I figured that out, I started rolling again.
Some sad things have happened too. In November ’07, my sister started to feel bad. Mom took her to the vet and the tests came back fine. One night, Mom was sitting on the floor with Heidi. Mom had bought big fluffy pillows for us to sleep on. Heidi was laying on hers but she didn’t look good. Mom took Heidi’s collar off so she could breathe easier. Mom and Dad picked her up with the pillow and laid her on their bed. Mom laid down beside her. Mom was just sobbing, but kept petting her and said it was okay to go to Heaven. Then we all knew Heidi was gone. Mom gave Heidi’s pillow to me. I felt sad too. Her collar was on the floor; I went over, picked it up, laid it on her pillow, and then laid on top of it. Mom really cried and said that was the most touching moment she had ever seen. I am sending you a picture, so you can see how I will remember beautiful Heidi.
Mom is sending her favorite picture of me; she takes them all the time and makes videos of me. The picture here was when I had my first official grooming. I do look pretty cute. Mom says I am getting more playful and I come out to greet people when they come inside. Plus I stand up at the side of the bed and I get loved on all the time. Dad tells me I am a popcorn freak. As soon as I hear it pop, I run to the microwave and then follow whoever gets the bag. She always says that we have all been smitten by the Westietude!
Mom found this article on the internet. She wanted to include it because she wants others to know that animals bring so much joy to humans lives. She says she is so lucky to have me and I am her little angel.
Ten Commandments for a Responsible Pet Owner
Dictated by the pet. 1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful. 2. Give me time to understand what you want of me. 3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being. 4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment. But I have only you. 5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me. 6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it. 7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, and yet I choose not to bite you. 8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long or my heart might be getting old or weak. 9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too will grow old. 10. On the difficult journey, on the ultimate difficult journey, go with me, please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Because I love you so.
Well that’s what has been happening in CannyLand. I will write more when I can and let you know how exciting my life is now that someone really loves me.
Canny
Update August 3, 2010:
I was the forever Mom for Canny in 2006. I will be writing Canny’s final chapter as I had to put him to sleep on July 7th. I will send you the rest of Canny’s story.
My name is Finn. I am a rough and tumble puppy. I was rescued from a puppy mill in western Pennsylvania in October 2007. The mill owners, who never gave me a name, indicated I was fourteen weeks old and that they were giving me up due to skin problems. The rescue people were worried because I was half the size and weight a fourteen-week-old Westie should be. I spent a few days at the Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital (GAVH) until my foster parents Ann and Phil came to care for me. All the ladies at GAVH were sad to see me go (one of the veterinarians called me a “puppy rock star.”)
At my foster home, I was VERY hungry and ate everything in sight. I was lively and cute, and enjoyed running and playing with the adult dogs, but got tired often. After a few days, I started having a little trouble breathing and stopped being active. Ann got really worried after I stopped BITING and started limping. She was petting me and found that my jaw was very painful at the joint and immediately took me back to GAVH. They found that I had pneumonia, signs of Craniomandibular Osteopathy (CMO), and a strained knee. I was given medication and sent home.
Several days later, when my condition did not improve, I was admitted into the hospital and given antibiotics through a nebulizer several times a day. My foster parents called to check on me EVERY day. I had a few rough days but eventually, I started to improve. I came home and Ann and Phil thought everything was going well. A week later, though, after my first Parade of Rescues (I got a ribbon!), I started acting very tired and wheezy again. Everyone was very worried. I went back to GAVH for another week, where my vets, Dr. Daher, and her colleagues, figured out that one of my antibiotics was no longer working, and put me on doxycycline. After a week of observation (three days I which I was feeling so good I was bouncing off the walls), I got to go back to my foster home. Ann and Phil, and the “big dogs,” Jasmine and Arie, take good care of me. Phil and Jasmine get up early every day to get me breakfast and my medicine (yucky medicine in a big syringe they stick in my mouth). I also have to take my antibiotics at night. I take Pepcid for tummy aches (the medicines I take are strong) and prednisone for my CMO. I like to go outside on walks and romp around in the backyard (but not without my coat!). Because of the prednisone, I am still having some trouble with housebreaking, but my foster parents are very patient.
Finn – WestieMed Recipient
These days I love to eat, look out the windows, bark, and nibble on fingers (my big dog teeth are still coming in). I play tug with my foster brother Arie and chase with my foster sister Jasmine, and bark at dogs, people, and squirrels passing by. I am learning to be a Westie. Someday I hope to be placed in a loving forever home with other dogs I can play with.
Finn
Update January 2008:
Finn – WestieMed Recipient
I found the best forever home a pup could ever hope for! I have two older Border Collie brothers that let me chew on them, a cool fenced in yard to explore, and a great mommy and daddy who love me to death. I even have other pup friends in the neighborhood that I get to play with on a regular basis.
I’m the picture of health, with no skin issues and I seem to have grown out of my CMO. (I love to play tug with my brothers!) I also have a Westie sister named Dory. She is a 3-year-old rescue from a puppy mill we got a few months ago. She’s my best friend. I’m teaching her all about Westie-tude and how to play.
I am quite the handful and very entertaining. I always seem to be in some sort of mischief. I started agility classes this Fall and have picked up on it really quickly cause I’m very smart and a fast learner.
