Stories – Page 13

Annie

February 1, 2016December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories, Uncategorized

Annie (aka Annabelle) was originally a breeding female in a Missouri puppy mill. It is unclear how many years Annie was breeding in the puppy mill before she was sold to an individual in Springfield, MO. Although it appeared Annie’s life would take a positive turn and she would soon be in a loving home with her new owner, Annie’s happy ending did not occur. Annie’s new owner simply chained Annie to a tree in their backyard. She did not have shelter in the backyard for protection from the elements nor did the family provide her with any love or attention. Annie remained outside chained to a tree where she sat in mud and dirt the entire day. She was filthy and flea-infested when she was saved by the Westie Rescue of Missouri, Inc. program in the fall of 2015. It is unclear how long Annie endured these horrible conditions.

Westie Rescue of Missouri’s mission is to prevent cruelty, abuse or neglect of Westies. They have amazing volunteers who want to see that all Westies have a warm, safe and healthy environment where they can develop to their full potential while we search for their new “forever” home. Westie Rescue provided Annie with veterinarian treatment where she was shaved and treated for fleas to relieve her infestation issues. She was also diagnosed with arthritis in her legs and hips at that time. Annie was then transported to her assigned foster parent, Ben M., where she was nursed back to health in preparation for adoption.

We were looking to adopt a rescued Westie, and we contacted the Westie Rescue of Missouri in the fall of 2015. Annie’s foster parent contacted us at that time to tell us that Annie was a five-year-old female, and she was almost ready for adoption. Ben advised Annie had difficulty jumping up on furniture or climbing stairs due to her arthritis; however, she was taking Rimadyl for pain twice a day, and she seemed to be improving. Ben also advised he just received a five-year-old male Westie in excellent health who was ready for adoption as well. He advised Watson was very energetic and active in comparison to Annie. I couldn’t resist rescuing two Westies at the same time! We were very happy to adopt both Annie and Watson!!

On November 15, 2015, we welcomed Annie and Watson into their “forever” home! When we took Annie to our local vet for a checkup, he advised Annie had significant arthritis and he suspected she was older than five and suggested she may be seven or eight years old. He recommended we continue to treat her arthritis with Rimadyl twice a day. Annie and Watson have become best buddies and they love chasing each other in the house and in the backyard. After chasing Watson in the backyard, I noticed Annie was not placing any weight on her right rear leg. This continued for a few days, so we took Annie to the vet. He has diagnosed her with a torn ACL. She will need to have her ACL repaired to allow the sweet girl to walk on her right rear leg.

We are very grateful to WestieMed for being available to help our sweet Annie and so many other Westies. Thank you so much!
Kim and Don Knoche
Bloomington, IL

Update March 8, 2016

Annie had her ACL surgery yesterday and everything went well! She’s at home now resting comfortably.

The vet advised all of Annie’s joints are full of arthritis and her left rear leg has a minor tear in her ACL as well, so, unfortunately, I’m sure more surgeries are in her future.

Thank you WestieMed for the financial assistance your organization has provided to help Annie!

Kim Knoche

Update October 25, 2016

Annie is doing great! Her surgery went very well.

She has a little stiffness in her joints in the morning, but once she gets moving, she’s fine! Annie can now go for a long walk now, and she just started jumping up on the couch to sit next to me a few weeks ago, so she’s almost back to being herself!!

I actually adopted two Westies at the same time. Watson is a male, and the vet thinks Watson is approximately three years old. The vet thinks Annie is approximately seven or eight years old…she definitely is an older Westie because this little girl has arthritis in all of her joints!

I’ve attached a photo of Annie walking with Watson!! As you can see, she is doing very well!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping our family with the expenses to pay for Annie’s ACL surgery! It was an unexpected cost we weren’t prepared for!

WestieMed is amazing!

Thanks again!

Kim Knoche

Zak - WestieMed Grant Recipient February 2016

Zak

February 1, 2016December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories, Uncategorized

Zak was advertised for rehoming. I contacted his owner who told me the reason for her getting rid of Zak was the fact he had growled at her granddaughter. From the picture she sent, I could see he had skin problems. I could cope with that and get Zak’s skin sorted. I was told if Zak did not have a new home in a few days he would be put to sleep.

I arranged to rescue Zak so I drove to her place seventy miles away. I was very saddened to see Zak when I arrived. He was in such a mess. He wouldn’t leave my side. He never went back to his owner – he just wanted to be with me.

I took him home and during the course of that evening, Zak became lame and really struggled to walk. I got Zak to s vet the next morning for a health check-up. This is when I discovered how badly Zak had been neglected. His nails were so long they were curling. He had a problem with his testicle and his small body riddled with infection. His gums were so swollen he could barely eat and his teeth were black.

Zak started on antibiotics he was sick when he ate. Zak has now been neutered and had dental work done. Seven (7) teeth were removed as well as two large warts removed from his face. It has now been discovered that Zak may have hip dysplasia. He has an appointment on February 29th with the joint/bone specialist vet so his care will continue. He is now in a safe and loving home for the rest of his life.

Will

Update May 24, 2016

It is with a very heavy heart I have to inform you our beloved Zak whom you helped and we rescued, passed away suddenly in May. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the help you gave us to allow Zak to have the operations. We are missing him terribly.

Will

Rory

December 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

On September 15th, I was contacted by a local veterinarian who had been caring for Rory, an eight to ten-year-old Westie for the last couple of years. Rory suffered from severe allergies, skin issues and extremely serious ear infections, which she had been doing her best to treat.

Unfortunately, Rory’s owners were a special needs couple who were incapable of following through with the home care and meds that Rory needed between vet visits. They did not understand that some of his skin problems were the result of allergies to grain and were feeding him a very low-quality dollar store dog food that was aggravating his problems. Since it was clear that his owners, despite how much they loved him, were incapable of providing the daily care needed to help Rory to recover and live pain-free, the vet recommended humane euthanasia because Rory was in so much agony and his parents agreed. Then she called me and asked if we could rescue and help Rory if his parents would agree to surrender him to us. After discussing it with Gloria, we agreed to take him, and I agreed to foster him since I had experience with both skin and ear issues.

When we got Rory, he was in pretty bad shape and in a great deal of pain. His ears were so badly infected that they were bleeding, very swollen and extremely painful; the prolonged infections have destroyed most of his hearing. His skin was infected and had oozing lesions, and he was significantly underweight. Several large, painful interdigital cysts on his paws made walking agonizing for him. His eyes were inflamed and infection had clouded his lenses. It took two months, lots of meds, lots of medicated baths, a diet change and lots of trips to the vet, but we finally got Rory’s ear infection and the accompanying swelling to a point where the vet could actually see inside the ear. He discovered a tumor that was complicating the infection and after consultation with the specialist, it was determined that surgery was required as soon as possible. The specialist recommended a Total Ear Canal Ablation.

Rory has made a lot of progress in the last two and a half months. His fur is coming back, his skin is getting pinker, the interdigital cysts have resolved and he is back up to a healthy weight. However, his ears are still problematic and painful. Rory is a sweet, lovable little guy who is learning how to cuddle and every day he makes progress. He deserves a life that is free of pain. Although he has challenges, he maintains a sweet and loving disposition in spite of the constant pain he endures.

The grant from WestieMed for his surgery will be a miracle for this sweet boy and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I can’t wait to write the follow up after he has begun to heal and we see his personality blossom as he begins to enjoy a life without pain.

Josie Smith
New York Westie Rescue

Update December 16, 2015

Rory is doing extremely well after the TECA (Total Ear Canal Ablation) which is such an invasive major surgery. There is no redness or draining at the surgical site, just a little swelling, which is less every day.

He is almost back to his normal “Happy Feet” self and I can see his energy levels increase every day. He really got through the surgery very, very well and is doing better than anyone, including the vet, expected.

He goes back to see Dr. Brown on the 23rd to have the sutures removed and we expect an excellent report. He is doing so well, in fact, that I’m going to try stopping the pain meds tomorrow and see how he does without them.

He’s eating well and wants to play. You can see him plotting his next round of shenanigans in this picture. He sure doesn’t act like a ten-year-old dog that just had major surgery. And he’s full of kisses. He even kisses his “sister” Queen Lola, (another WestieMed alumnus) every single morning.

Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts! This little guy is FINALLY, FINALLY pain-free after years of agony!

Where would we be without WestieMed?

Josie Smith
New York Westie Rescue

Update December 24, 2016

Rory saw Dr. Brown last evening to have the sutures removed from his ear. That ear is well healed now, but we are still fighting on again off again infection in the other ear. Dr. Brown flushed and deep cleaned the other ear canal and we now have a new regime to try to keep the infections at bay. So more meds and flushes for poor Rory, but we must do what we must.

Unfortunately, the news on the biopsy was not what we wanted to hear. It came back as positive for Squamous Cell Carcinoma. The good news is that they believe that they got it all and that it did not penetrate the cartilage. That said, there is always the chance that it has already metastasized. For now, we are going to monitor his lymph nodes closely. Dr. Brown will be having a discussion with the oncologist as well.

Radiation is an option if needed, but it would be pretty tough on a dog as old as Rory is, and require that he be anesthetized for each of the eighteen treatments. He would also be required to spend an entire five days of each week of treatment at Cornell, and only come home on the weekends. It would be hard on him, and us as well. At this juncture, we don’t feel like that is something that he should be put through after all he has already endured. No decisions will be made until we have more information. At any rate, we are hoping that since the biopsy revealed that the tumor had not gone through the cartilage, that

There is also still a chance that he may require TECA on the other ear unless we are able to lick this infection for good. It’s just gone on for so long that Dr. Brown isn’t optimistic. I’m encouraged about facing that prospect if it comes to it though, because of how very well he came through this one. He did really, really well, and healed quickly.

That said, Rory is like a different dog he is much more comfortable, full of energy and curiosity and loving life.

Thank you so much for helping this sweet old boy! He is a sweetheart and deserves to finally to happy, safe, loved and comfortable. He will remain with us, in his forever hospice home and be spoiled rotten and watched over by Her Royal Highness, Queen Lola.

With our deepest gratitude,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!

Josie, Rory & Lola

Snowflake

December 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

Snowflake is a senior Westie male who came into North Atlantic Westie Rescue’s program under tragic circumstances. One typical afternoon, Snowflake and his Havanese fur brother were waiting for their owner to come back from routine surgery. But instead, a stranger came and brought them to a shelter. Their owner had passed away and her family asked the shelter to take the dogs. Snowflake’s world changed, even more, when his fur brother died shortly thereafter due to diabetes complications.

The shelter staff knew Snowflake needed experienced help to ensure Snowflake would live the rest of his life in a loving home. So off went Rita and Tim, two of North Atlantic’s volunteers. Within a day or two, Rita noticed Snowflake was very lethargic, had diarrhea that just would not get better, and he vomited a few times. A trip to the vet revealed Snowflake’s abdomen was full of fluid, and his blood work showed elevated liver values. In order to better get a handle on Snowflake’s condition, North Atlantic authorized the vet to perform an ultrasound and aspirate some of the fluid from Snowflake’s belly. The ultrasound did not reveal anything conclusive about why there was so much fluid in Snowflake’s belly. With each passing day, more fluid-filled in his abdomen. The vet recommended endoscopy be performed urgently, as further fluid buildup could lead to pulmonary and heart problems.

With a generous grant from WestieMed, Snowflake had his surgery. The endoscopy revealed severe irritable bowel disease, but no cancer as we had feared. The doctor noted his intestine looked like “cobblestones!” We suspect that Snowflake has been suffering from IBS for a long time, so the vet prescribed a very specific set of medicines to begin healing Snowflake’s gut. Snowflake, now in his adoptive home in Vermont, is improving every day. With a consistent special diet and regular veterinary care. Snowflake’s prognosis is excellent!

North Atlantic Westie Rescue thanks the WestieMed board for enabling timely diagnosis of Snowflake’s condition. We also want to thank Rita and Tim for being vigilant and getting Snowflake the care he needed when he started to show signs something was wrong. He has begun his new life is his forever home with a solid treatment plan and a family with much love to give him for many years to come!

Rachel Scott
Director
North Atlantic Westie Rescue, Inc.

Update October 3, 2016

Thank you again for your help with Snowflake. Snowflake ended up having cancer and he passed away about four months after we worked with your team.

Thank you,

Rachel

Felix

December 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

When Felix found himself in an SPCA shelter with a leg injury, things were not hopeful. Being a large, urban open-admission shelter, animals in the facility needed to be claimed by owners or adopted: there was no room for a dog requiring surgery or extensive rehab. Fortunately for Felix, he had a guardian angel who reached out to Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston for help.

The SPCA vet’s initial assessment stated that Felix had an old injury that may require amputation of the leg, however, Felix continued to use the leg and the vet reported that “Due to extent & chronicity of injuries, amputation may worsen prognosis.” Because the SPCA requires that animals be altered before leaving the premises, we requested that their vet staff take x-rays of the injury while Felix was anesthetized for surgery and they agreed, sending the radiographs to our vets at Bear Branch Animal Hospital. Together we coordinated volunteers to pick up Felix and get him to BBAH where, following examination and review of x-rays, he was referred to North Houston Veterinary Specialists and scheduled an appointment with a surgeon the next day.

It did not take long for Dr. Michael McFadden to see that Felix had a distal femur fracture requiring surgery to align the bones and a plate to keep them in place. We agreed with Dr. McFadden’s prognosis that Felix would have a much better quality of life with the leg repaired than having it amputated so we set the date for surgery on the following Monday and contacted WestieMed for help. Surgery is quite costly and Felix was just one of several high-needs dogs who came into our program within a very short period of time. In addition to follow-up care in the next eight weeks following surgery, Felix will also need dental cleaning once he has been cleared by the vets.

The surgery went well for Felix so now he is on the road to recovery. He is quite the trooper, walking around using the once broken now repaired leg as soon as he was awake. He will be required to remain in confinement for eight weeks following surgery with no jumping, running, or playing as terriers love to do, but he does get extra lap time as his foster mom goes through range-of-motion exercises with him daily to help him heal properly.

We are very grateful to WestieMed for being available to help Felix and so many other Westies. Thank you!

Maggie Escriva
Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston

Update November 11, 2016: (Felix now called Murphy)

We recently received an update on our little Felix, now “Murphy,” from his forever mom and wanted to share it with the wonderful supporters of WestieMed.

Murphy has completely healed from his broken leg and was adopted this spring by a lovely lady who lives in a senior apartment complex. She reports that he is an absolute joy. He is very particular about his walks and has the walk of a Westminster Show Dog.

Although he barked at everyone he met at first, he now does not bark at all (unless he is surprised by someone) and is known and loved by all the neighbors. She finished her note with, “I am so blessed to have this little guy in my life.”

Thanks to WestieMed, we were able to fix Murphy’s leg so he would be out of pain and live a healthy, normal life, a life that impacts more than his immediate family.

Kind regards,

Maggie Escriva

Neko

November 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

I would like to tell a story about a Westie named Neko. Neko was adopted from the Fulton County Animal Shelter. I’m not sure what led me to this particular shelter over another one but it was meant to be.

As well as you all know you take a chance adopting because you don’t know the history. Some cannot handle the confident personality of the Westies. I believe he could have been neglected and ran away or was surrendered. But with love and patience, I was determined to change his future.

Neko is now in a loving forever home and is happy and friendly. We walk on the trail daily but due to a left dislocated shoulder, he has been on crate rest.

Thanks to WestieMed he will be able to walk, run, and play again soon! He loves to shake hands with his left paw and the surgery will also allow him to do that again as well.

I am soo thankful to have found this charity as I was getting down because I could not bring myself to go on the trail without him. With your funding, he is scheduled for surgery. I could not have done this without your help. I am forever grateful as Neko will be on his road to recovery and running again very soon.

Thank you for all that you do. When our Westies are down, a huge part of us is down too! Not only do you help the pets, but you also help the owners’ spirits as well.

Yours Truly,
Neko and Crystal

Update May 28, 2016

Neko is walking on his favorite trail again! Thanks for helping with surgery!

Crystal

Update November 21, 2016

Good afternoon.

Neko is doing good.

He went to GVR rebab in Marietta, GA for a while but I cannot afford to keep going.

However, the underwater treadmill really helped after surgery.

Crystal

Lola

November 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

A lady who is a Westie lover saw this young puppy advertised for adoption. It was noted that the dog had a problem with her heart but there was hope that it was a condition that she might grow out of. The adopter had made arrangements with the family to help look after the puppy while she was at work.

Unfortunately, things came crashing down with unexpected health issues hit her family and then tests by her vet showed that Lola’s condition is much more serious than expected and she wasn’t going to grow out of it. She needed serious medical care if she had any hope of a normal life. She loved this little girl enough to make the hard decision to surrender her to us in the hopes that we can give her the care she needs.

Once our specialist vet did some tests on Lola he found pulmonic stenosis, which means one side of her heart is too blocked to function properly. It is possible that she could suffer heart failure or sudden death at any time.

Right now she is being monitored closely and taking heart meds that the vet ordered. Monitoring her is crucial because she feels fine and she’s a puppy. You can’t keep a good Westie puppy down. Her foster family makes sure she takes her breaks and rests well.

Thanks to the help from WestieMed, we can now plan the surgery that could give her a more normal life. Thank you to everyone at WestieMed for giving us the necessary assistance to help this precious little pup. Thank to the board for granting our request for help!

Aggie Laytak
Sunshine State Westie Rescue

Update June 24, 2016

She is doing very well.

She enjoys running in the backyard and playing with the other dogs.

The vet she saw recently said he wouldn’t have known she had a heart problem if they didn’t tell him.

Thank you for the grant to help Lola.

Update December 1, 2016

I finally got an update from Lola’s family. They said her health is perfect.

She loves to play fetch (all day if she could). She mostly keeps by her dad’s side from the minute he comes home from work. She actually waits until he goes to bed before she will settle in for bed.

As of now, there are no concerns about her health and she easily maintains a constant 10.6 lbs for her girlish figure. They are totally in love with that sweet girl.

Thank you again for your help with her.

Aggie

Sunshine State

Niles

October 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

Niles the Westie, at roughly nine months old, found himself abandoned and seriously injured at the Inland Valley Humane Society in Pomona, California. It all had happened so fast; the squelch of the tires, the force of impact, and then a surge of pain like he had never felt. It is unclear what happened after that moment, but somewhere along the line, Niles’ owner made the decision to leave his fragile, little life in the hands of a shelter worker instead of getting him the emergency medical attention Niles so desperately needed. And in that shelter is where he stayed. It’s not certain how long he was there; minutes turned into hours, and hours into days, with Niles growing weaker, fading fast. It seemed to this poor boy, who had been through so much and was so scared, that all hope had been lost . . .

And then there was movement. Barely conscious, Niles was being readied for transport; he was being rescued! When he was first brought in to the shelter, his story caught the attention of the Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue (ASTR). It wasn’t an easy task to get him out; there were many phone calls to make, much paperwork to fill out, and many arrangements to be made. But finally, it was time, and a real race against the clock it was! Terri and Susan of Wiggle Butts Pet Transport were transporting Niles, along with many other dogs, up to Seattle, Washington. The van was scheduled to arrive between 4 and 4:30 p.m. That left a very narrow window of time to get Niles to the veterinary office in Newcastle before it closed at 5 p.m.! Upon arrival, his rescuers greeted him with open, soggy arms (from the heavy rainfall they endured while they waited Welcome to Washington!) And no sooner had he arrived, Niles was whisked away to the Animal Hospital of Newport Hills.

He wasn’t in the clear just yet. X-rays were taken, and Dr. Aspen Davidoff confirmed he had multiple fractures of the pelvis and tailbone, which could only be healed with rest, and another fracture of his right femur, which would require surgery to remove the broken piece of bone. Surgery, neutering and microchipping were scheduled for a couple of days out, and in the meantime, Niles was given medication to help with the pain and bring comfort.

Niles’ surgery went very well and he is on the road to recovery. But he isn’t alone on his journey. Not only did the kind folks of ASTR save him, but he also has a pending adoption with Dr. Shan Rosenkranz, another veterinarian at Animal Hospital of Newport Hills. Dr. Rosenkranz and her husband fell in love with Niles after bringing him home to recuperate. They knew they couldn’t let this beautiful, courageous pup leave their home or their lives. A last-minute foster turned foster-flunk!

A big thank-you to the volunteers of ASTR, Wiggle Butts Pet Transport, and everyone at the Animal Hospital of Newport Hills involved in Niles’ rescue and medical care, and to WestieMed.org for their generous grant award to help fund his care we are forever grateful.

Crissy Smith

Angel

August 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

Angel came to us via a small rescue group in Arkansas. We learned about her by reading a post on Facebook, she had been turned into a small city-run dog pound by someone who claimed they found her as a stray. The Arkansas rescue ladies drove the dog to St Louis, a kind volunteer of another terrier rescue group in St Louis drove the dog to Columbia, MO where I met her on a Sunday afternoon and drove five hours home. We named the dog, Angel, in honor of the group who had originally rescued her. Angel was pretty vocal in her kennel at first but settled in nicely for the ride home. It was shockingly apparent that she would require a great deal of help from our veterinarian to regain her health.

Upon arriving in her foster home, Angel settled in quickly learning the routine, the yard and began playing with the other dogs. Her visit to the veterinary clinic the next day brought us a diagnosis of intestinal parasites, anemia, yeast and bacterial infection of her skin and ears, her eyes were completely devoid of tear production, her front teeth were missing and broken to the gum line, and she tested positive for heartworm. She was also not spayed. We initially questioned whether or not we should proceed with the costly course of treatment but Angel quickly showed us that she was not ready to give up and that she thoroughly enjoyed life and especially the good, home-cooked meals topped with goat’s milk that she is served twice a day.

After a course of thirty days of treatment with doxycycline, and with help from WestieMed, our vets will take X-rays and repeat the blood work in anticipation of the heartworm treatment. We hope that Angel’s future is much happier than her past but regardless of the outcome, we will do whatever we can to make this chapter of her life a happy one filled with love, fresh air and sunshine, a huge yard to romp in, rabbits and squirrels to chase, and toys filled with squeakers and stuffing. We will pamper her and love her regardless of the outcome.

Janeal Dominico, CPDT-KA
Wag N Train Terrier Rescue

Update February 16, 2016

Angel is still recuperating from her heartworm treatment. After the initial treatment, she still tested positive so our vets had to give her a third injection. She will be retested again in a couple of weeks at which time if she tests negative, we will then proceed with her much-needed dental work and her spay surgery.

Her foster mom bathes her weekly to help with her skin and she remains the happiest girl one could imagine, given that her condition causes miserable symptoms.

Angel does have an approved adopter that is eager to take her home and make her a part of the family when cleared by our vets.

Janeal Dominico, CPDT-KA
Wag N Train Terrier Rescue

Update November 17, 2016: (Angel now called Addie)

Angel was cleared of heartworm and then spayed and had her teeth cleaned at which time she lost several badly infected teeth.

Soon after she was adopted by Scott and Hanna, who are both college students here in Omaha. This little girl now known as Addie is their entire world and vice versa. Don’t you just LOVE happy endings?

Thank you to the donors who make funding through WestieMed possible. Angel owes her life to the kindness of many, many strangers along her journey to good health and happiness.

Janeal Dominico, CPDT-KA
Wag N Train Terrier Rescue
“Tender Loving Care for Terriers in Need”

Casey

August 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

Casey is a five-year-old male Westie that was surrendered to Westie Rescue of TN and AL in July 2015. His owner had been dealing with Casey’s medical issues for several years and nothing was helping. She realized it was time to turn Casey over to someone that could help him get well and contacted WRT/AL.

From looking at his pictures before we picked him up we initially thought he had the typical Westie skin and ear issues but soon realized that it was much worse than we thought. When he was picked up by volunteers Diane and Patsy, his eyes were matted, his ears were red, swollen and full of scabs, and his hair was non-existent in places on his body, particularly around his backside and tail. The poor little one was pretty miserable and in obvious pain, as he would cry out when you touched him on his head.

As Casey was in desperate need of a bath, he was whisked off straight to a tub for gentle cleansing. Through all his pain and the turmoil of that afternoon he never growled, snapped or fought our help. He was such a gentle little soul and just looked at us with confusion, yet love. He knew his life was going to change for the better. He seemed so appreciative of the smoothing bath and care he was getting.

Casey had always been an outside dog so he was not accustomed to being inside in nice cool air. We had to laugh at him in that he realized very quickly inside the house was much nicer than outside in the humidity and heat. After being taken outside to dry off and “take care of business” he immediately found the back door and sat waiting to get back inside. Smart Westie, no more living outside for this little guy.

The next day Patsy took Casey to our wonderful vet at South Franklin Animal Hospital for treatment. Casey spent two weeks at the vet’s office being treated for his skin, eyes, and ears. He won everyone over at the vet’s office with his soulful eyes and gentle Westie personality. While his eyes and skin will heal with treatment and medication, unfortunately, his ears are going to require surgery. The infection and mineralization in his ears are to the extent he will have to have all the infected tissue and entire ear canal removed from both ears for any hope of controlling his pain. And this is where WestieMed comes to our rescue by donating to his surgery. We cannot thank them enough for contributing to his care. Casey is one sweet little guy and deserves a chance to live life without pain.

Right now he is with one of our wonderful fosters, Sandy, waiting for his ears to heal to the extent he can have surgery. He is loving being an inside pet and has made sure his “human” knows she belongs to him. His foster Mom reports that his “Westitude” is beginning to emerge and he is doing great.

We anticipate his surgery to take place within the next couple of weeks and we will update everyone on his progress. Thanks again to WestieMed for supporting Westies in need.

Diane Vann, Officer
Westie Rescue TN/AL

Update December 8, 2015

Casey is doing wonderfully and is now up for adoption. His ears finally healed to the extent that he was able to have his surgery in early September. As it was a very extensive surgery and involved both ears, the healing process took a considerable amount of time.

Additionally, obviously parts of his head had to be shaved and for some period of time, he was styling with a mohawk cut so we wanted to wait until he looked a little less “punk” Westie, ha. He is now pain-free, finally after 3 years of enduring pain so intense you couldn’t even touch his head to love on him. He is a happy-go-lucky Westie, full of Westitude and loves to share with someone.

Thank you WestieMed for your help with Casey and so many of our other LWDs around the country. Casey sends tail wags and Westie kisses to you all.

Diane Vann, Officer

Westie Rescue TN/AL