Stories – Page 30

Abbey

November 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

November 2005:

We are a family of dog lovers and over the years have been blessed with two wonderful dogs – one a Pomeranian (Piper), the other a Husky/Retriever mix (Nicky). Nicky died four years ago and Piper a year ago May, so it was with much anticipation and excitement that we began looking for another dog to grace our family this summer.

We were interested in taking in a dog that needed a home and often visited the local (Fairfax County, VA) pound. We were particularly interested in a Westie based on their reputation – happy-go-lucky, boundless energy, and a wonderful family dog. At the pound, we put our name in several times, but no luck. Then we found PetFinders, which led us to Westie Rescue. That’s where we found Abbey.

Abbey was four years old, had been bred three times, and lived, for the bulk of her life, in a puppy mill. She had been purchased by a family, but after just two months, they relinquished her to Westie Rescue, saying that their other dog did not get along with her. Westie Rescue, however, believed that medical issues also may have been part of the reason that the family did not keep her. Apparently, Abbey had a history of urinary tract issues.

On July 22, 2005, we visited Abbey at the Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital in Annapolis, MD, about an hour drive from home. We connected immediately, and four days later we formally adopted her, with great anticipation and excitement. She was wonderful. We worried, however, about her health, because while the Veterinary Hospital basically gave her a clean bill of health, they also discussed and noted her urinary tract issues which forced her to urinate for excessively long periods of time. The doctor, at the time, prescribed dibenzyline to help with her urination. The medication seemed to help, and though the urinary issues were still present, we moved forward with the adoption.

At home, Abbey adjusted slowly the first week, but quickly became part of the family. At first, she was hesitant with people and somewhat nervous around young men. But she adjusted, and, week by week, became the fun-loving, playful dog that typifies Westies.

Unfortunately, her urination problems continued. When she goes to urinate, she squats for nearly two full minutes; for the last ninety seconds or so, it’s just single drops coming out. Clearly, something was not totally right. We took her back to the local vet (Pender Vet, in Fairfax County, VA) several times, but they said she was fine. However, on Tuesday, Oct. 18, she stopped eating and was totally lethargic, so we took her to the vet.

They admitted her, did some blood work, and concluded that she was in bad shape, leading them to decide to keep her overnight. That evening, at 11:45 pm, the doctor called to say that Abbey was in critical condition might not live through the night. At the time, the doctor said surgery might remedy the situation, but she cautioned that even with surgery, her chances for survival were 50/50. Fortunately, she survived the night and the next morning underwent surgery, to find out what was poisoning her body.

The doctors discovered that her bladder had ruptured, leading to her body shutting down. Over the next seven days, we stayed in constant touch with the doctors to see how she was doing, and, ever so slowly, she seemed to be recovering. We visited her several times in the hospital, and though she was listless for much of it, she did seem to perk up when we arrived.

A week after the surgery, on Oct. 24, she came home and we watched her improve every day. She ate very little at first and slept most of the time, but every morning she seemed to have a little more energy in her body, We were excited to watch her return.

After a week at home, we returned to the vet to remove the staples from the surgery and, after another series of tests, the vet declared that she was doing just fine, and could travel with us. Now, one month after surgery, she is doing exceptionally well, and we’re thrilled to have her with us.

Throughout the surgery and the vet visits, the vet told us that the bills would be high, but it was not until we picked her up on Oct. 24 that we learned exactly how high. Amid the joy of seeing her recover from surgery, we were devastated by the financial exposure. In just seven days at the vet, the total cost was over $4,500 and we tried to grapple with what to do.

That’s when we learned about WestieMed and immediately completed the necessary paperwork to seek financial aid. Two nights ago, when we heard that WestieMed had approved our application, and was going to reimburse us for $3,000 of the total bill, we were overwhelmed.

On behalf of Abbey, and our family, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your help and for your love of Westies. In the two days since we learned of your decision, we’ve told everyone about your generosity. Thank you so much for coming to OUR rescue as well.

Cordially, Roe Ferber, on behalf of Abbey and the Ferber Family

Mac

October 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

October 2005:

Mac first came into our rescue network in January 2000 as a five-year-old owner- surrendered Westie. The family had adopted him in 1999 from the local shelter where he had been dumped by a former family due to snapping at a child who withheld a treat. The second family had him for a year, during which Mac developed aggression toward the husband, and also some allergy issues. That family surrendered him to me in January 2000. Mac settled in with me and my other rescues.

In Feb. 2000 I was contacted by a retired woman who was ready to adopt again after losing her previous westie in 1999 due to old age. She was given Mac’s history and was willing to give him a try, since she was a widow with only an adult son who came by infrequently. She felt she could deal with Mac’s allergies since her former Westie also had allergies.

Over the ensuing years, Mac continued to have allergies, especially ear infections, one right after another, which his loving adopter treated as best she could with the country doctors she had access to. Mac was even taken to Texas A & M for ear scoping and underwent two major surgeries to clear out the ear canal of infections and blockages during 2004.

But the problems have persisted, although only in one ear. The last surgery was abruptly ended when the vet encountered a “bleeder” and could not get beyond the blockage. It was recommended that Mac undergo a complete ear canal ablation, which meant removing the ear canal, and the tympanic membrane, and closing the ear completely so no further contamination or buildup of fluid would occur. The cost of the proposed surgery was far more than Mac’s adopter felt she could handle, so she contacted Westie Rescue/Austin and surrendered Mac back into our rescue program.

Mac is otherwise a healthy, affectionate 10-year-old Westie gentleman. While in the care of his surrendering owner, he got over his fear of men and became a curious, outgoing Westie again. Mac gets along great with the other rescues we currently are sheltering, although I can tell he misses his “Mommy” as he looks at the door she departed from.

On 10/21/2005, Mac’s ablation surgery was performed, and he is recovering nicely. He looks a bit funny with his one side all shaved, but hey, he’s cool with it! He did not like the E-collar but stoically endured it while his ear recovered. Mac and I are grateful to WestieMed for their assistance. The surgery did cost quite a bit, more than we normally can handle with our rescued Westies, but WestieMed came through to help this loving and affectionate Westie, who has been through a lot of changes over his life. He is now ready to settle down once and for all times in a final, loving home of his own.

Thank you so very much, Barbara Ott Westie Rescue/Austin, TX

Misty

September 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

September 2005:

Misty is eight years old and was owner surrendered to Westie Rescue/Austin when her former family felt they could no longer deal with her medical needs since she is an Addison’s disease dog. She was not receiving her medication on a regular basis and would “crash” before they remembered to get her back to her vet for her next shot. The costs of her shots were more than they wanted to absorb, too.

So the family contacted Laura in Shreveport (Louisiana Westie Rescue) asking for help. Laura was full, so she put out a request for a new rescue/foster home for Misty and the Austin, Texas, Westie Rescue program had space for Misty and a foster home that already has another Addison’s Disease Westie!! Misty had the perfect foster home just waiting for her.

A transport network of eight volunteers brought Misty from New Orleans, on Saturday, the 27th of August, just ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Katrina, to her new foster home in Austin, Texas. Misty arrived weary but ready for her new adventure.

Westie Rescue/Austin turned to WestieMed for help and assistance with Misty’s medical situation, and WestieMed has been wonderful to underwrite Misty’s health care as she is being treated and monitored for a stabilizing condition. Misty’s prognosis is positive.

Misty has now been evaluated by her new vet and is on a regular maintenance regime that will keep her at her peak of energy. Misty and her new foster sister, Nessie, are having the times of their lives playing together, under the watchful eye of Nessie’s mom, Linda. Soon Misty will be ready for a new forever home.

Update, March 2006:

Dear WestieMed,

I wanted to give you an update on Misty. I adopted her and she is doing great!! She adapted instantly to her new name, Christie.

Christie’s new Vet insisted on examining her the first day here and planned Addison’s treatment and appointments. Before Christie got her first scheduled shot, she began to crash and was rushed to the Vet. They acquired the Percorten injection from an emergency clinic and monitored her all day. Since October, Christie has been successfully treated for serious bladder and ear infections, cysts on her head, and Addison’s disease is under control. The Vet calls me regularly to remind me of appointments and just to check to see that all is well. The Vet’s being so talented, thorough, caring, and five minutes away has been the best I could hope for my new girl!! They have also given me a discount on Christie’s treatment because she was a Katrina dog.

As her medical condition has improved, Christie has become more and more playful, affectionate, and beautiful- her hair is thicker, softer, and whiter. And Christie is closer with my other three dogs- her two Westie sisters, Gracie and Maggie, and brother Nicholas. As of March 1st, Christie is very happy and loved!!!

Thank you so much, WestieMed and all of the people that came through for this wonderful girl!!!

Anne-Marie

Update March 13, 2011:

I adopted Misty in 2005 after her rescue from New Orleans and WestieMed’s care. Very, very sadly my Christie (Misty) died in December. I am grateful for the time that I had with her. She was very special and handled her Addisons, ACL surgery, cancer, and other medical problems with the best attitude and gave back every day. Thanks again for the care you gave her before I adopted her.

Anne-Marie

Breezy & Woody

September 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

September 2005:

Breezey and Woody are seven-month-old siblings Westies. Born in a puppy mill, they are from a litter of four …all of which were very sickly. Breezey and Woody are the only two that survived but have remained sickly since their birth. Of course, sickly puppies do not sell, and veterinarians cost a lot of money. Inasmuch as the breeder could not sell sick puppies and did not want to pay the vet costs needed to help them, the pups were released to rescue.

Breezey and Woody are tiny…less than half the size they should be at this age. Both suffer from stunted growth, respiratory disease, conjunctival discharge, a degree of lethargy and depression, anemia, marked leukocytosis (inflammation), mildly elevated serum globulins, and nucleated red blood cells.

Test after test after test has all come back negative for what could be causing their illness. Distemper, toxoplasmosis, Ehrlichia…all negative. No vomiting, diarrhea, or urination problems. No evidence of liver shunts.

It is possible that they could have been exposed to some sort of toxins early in their life. It is also possible that the combined effects of drastic malnutrition and some prior viral illness and possibly the use of steroids early in life could have caused these problems. Their symptoms best toxoplasmosis or similar type of organism…but so far, the things for which there are tests have all come back negative. There are disorders for which there are not adequate tests, such as sorcocystis. They are currently living at the hospital and being treated with antibiotics and vitamin supplements. They have good days and bad days. It is very frustrating.

These pups have fought to live for this long. They have a will to live, and we want to give them every chance possible to recover. The pups are still very ill, and more testing may be necessary to continue to try to determine a cause. We simply do not have the funds to continue medical care for these pups as it is costing a small fortune…and the vet bill is growing every day they remain at the hospital. Without question, if WestieMed had not agreed to help, these pups would not be alive today.

We are very grateful to WestieMed for enabling us to give these pups a chance at a healthy life. We also appreciate the public’s response upon hearing about the pups’ struggle to live. If anyone would like to help us help Breezey and Woody, please consider making a monetary contribution to WestieMed. WestieMed is Wonderful!

Thank you WestieMed and your supporters – From all of us at Westie Rescue of Greater Washington (D.C).

Update, September 25, 2005:

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Breezey passed away. Please keep Woody in your thoughts and prayers as he is still fighting for his life.

Update, September 30, 2005:

Sadly, Woody has joined his sister Breezey at the Rainbow Bridge.

We’d like to thank everyone at the Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital for all of their efforts to save Breezey and Woody. We’d especially like to thank Veterinarian Dr. Daher and Vet Assistant Wendy Opel for their tireless efforts and personal commitment to the pups; and to WestieMed, without whose assistance the top-notch veterinary care would not have been possible.

And to everyone who donated toward Breezey and Woody’s vet bills, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We certainly encourage you to continue to support the efforts of WestieMed. WestieMed’s commitment to helping the most seriously ill rescue Westies may one day benefit the entire Westie community; for someday, treatment may be found for something which otherwise would have necessitated a Westie being euthanized because it would otherwise be too cost-prohibitive to diagnose and/or treat.

Rest in peace sweet Breezey and Woody….’till we meet again…

Tucker (Rainbow Bridge)

August 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

August 2005

We had a wonderful Westie girl named Kelsey for fifteen years. When she died we explored the idea of a rescue dog. We applied for a couple of dogs through Westie Rescue Missouri but did not hear anything. We eventually got another girl (Dixie) from a breeder.

Just after Dixie had her first birthday, WRM contacted us with the news that there was a three-year-old male named Tucker ready for adoption. His original owner died and he was placed with a shelter. The shelter then adopted him to a family with two small children. Well, we know what happens with Westies and small children… yes he bit them and he was surrendered to Westie Rescue Missouri. WRM placed him in a foster home. On the 4th of July weekend, we arranged to meet the foster family halfway and brought Tucker home.

Tucker was very quiet and slept most of the way home. Upon arrival home, he took an immediate dislike to Dixie. He snapped at her and growled. He was very un-Westie-like. He did not run, jump, bark or play with toys. He had difficulty getting up from a prone position. Our first thought was that he was a very old dog. Not the three-year-old we heard about. We contacted Angie at WRM and she indicated that this was the information given to them and the foster family did not notice anything amiss.

We made an appointment with our vet for a follow-up. He did not think he was old and could find nothing wrong on the surface, so took some x-rays. The news was not good. Tucker had severe hip dysplasia in both hips. No wonder he was crabby, his poor little bones were so misshapen and arthritic, it hurt just to look at them. We were referred to a specialist for an appointment the next week. I asked the vet for alternatives and he stated that some people choose euthanasia.

We again contacted Angie at WRM and they offered to take Tucker back, but we did not think another placement would do him any good. She also told us about WestieMed and what a wonderful organization it is.

We took Tucker to Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove, IL. Dr. Claude Gendreau examined Tucker and stated he thought surgery was the only option. He could perform it that very day. We decided to go ahead as we had become too attached to Tucker to put him down or put off the inevitable. That evening Tucker had a Femoral Head Ostectomy on his right hip. The surgery went well and the Dr. indicated his prognosis was good and maybe the left hip would not have to be operated on if he heals well enough to compensate with his right. The procedure has been very successful in small breeds.

We thought it was too late to apply for aid as we went ahead with the surgery. Angie from WRM put us in touch with Bette from WestieMed and she assured us it was not too late. She helped with the application procedure and we just got the terrific news that the board of directors had approved his expenses.

We cannot begin to thank the generosity of WestieMed and the donors that made it possible to defray the huge expense incurred.

Tucker looks a little sad in his picture but is improving daily. He and Dixie are pals now and roll around together. He is even starting to play with some toys. It will be a long recovery but we think he is going to be every bit the happy Westie.

Thank you so much for the overwhelming generosity,

Julie, Tim, Dixie & Tucker

Update: June 2006:

Tucker is doing very well. He is a happy dog. We found out that he is much older than we were told (at least ten) and has the beginning of kidney disease. In spite of all that (he is on prescription food and being monitored) he has dramatically changed from the sad little rescue we picked up last July.

It has been a long road for Tucker, who knows what happened before we adopted him, but he has healed well after the surgery. He loves to go for walks, he loves to eat, and even loves his veggies for treats as traditional biscuits are out because of kidney disease. He has several beds around the house where he settles in as he doesn’t leave our side. He and his sister Dixie play often and he now initiates play which never happened before.

Thank you Westie Med for helping to make Tucker the happy dog he is. The generosity is still overwhelming.

Sincerely, Julie

Update: October 2006:

To all the kind people at Westie Med:

It is with a heavy heart that I must give you a sad update on Tucker. Tucker suddenly stopped eating one day in September but we weren’t immediately alarmed as we had just changed his food to a different prescription kidney diet. He would accept food from my hand and would occasionally eat treats. He stopped playing with his sister and then began vomiting and diarrhea. We took him to the vet and they kept him for tests as he had a high fever and all his blood tests were way off. We took him home the next day pending the results of further tests. The news was not good. He had pancreatic cancer. He was hardly able to stand and was degenerating quickly. We decided that poor Tucker had enough and made the difficult decision to put him down. We stayed with him and stroked him and told him how much he was loved.

WestieMed helped make the last year of his life the best one. Before the illness he had recovered from the surgery so well he was acting like a typical silly Westie, playing, loving his walks, meals, and enjoying tummy rubs. We really fell hard for Tucker in the short time we knew him and miss him terribly.

Thank you for giving dogs like Tucker a chance at happiness.

Julie, Tim & Dixie

Little Joe

June 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

June 2005:

On February 22, 2005, we received a call from a vet in southwest Kansas saying that she had a seriously ill eight to ten week old Westie puppy that was about to be euthanized, and she asked if we could take him. She believed that he had a life-threatening liver shunt, but she didn’t have the specialized equipment to diagnose or treat such a problem. We discussed the experience that Westie Rescue of Missouri has had with treating liver shunt dogs, and the vet agreed to speak to the owners about releasing the puppy to Westie Rescue. She later called back and said that the puppy was ours if we could transport him from southwest Kansas to Kansas City, Missouri. Fortunately, we have a wonderful volunteer who agreed to make the run and who christened the puppy “Little Joe”.

We took Little Joe to the Veterinary Specialty Clinic in Overland Park, Kansas, where they confirmed the diagnosis of a liver shunt and determined that, although he only weighed five pounds, Little Joe was a good candidate for surgery. On April 6, 2005, he had surgery to repair the liver shunt. He was released to his foster mom on April 7, 2005. But, on April 11, 2005, he began having trouble retaining fluids, so he was re-admitted to the animal hospital for observation. (It is not uncommon for liver shunt puppies to have trouble with fluid retention until their livers get accustomed to the increased blood flow). After a couple of days in the hospital, Little Joe was pronounced well enough to return home.

Little Joe has continued to progress under the careful care of his foster mom and his foster sister, Wendy the Westie. While he has been waiting to go to his adoptive home, Little Joe has been spending his days helping his foster sister train some of the other foster dogs that have been through that foster home on their way to forever homes. Little Joe likes to go on wonderful backyard adventures with Wendy and particularly likes to help Wendy chase squirrels. He likes to race up and down the fence line with the border collies who live next door. He likes to play with his favorite ball, and he has just learned how to go up and downstairs. He is now sleeping through the night and has gained three and a half pounds.

Little Joe’s bile acid tests are almost back to normal and we expect that he will have a long and healthy life. Little Joe is still in foster care, but we expect to pick the lucky family who will get adopt Little Joe sometime in the next few weeks.

Rescue groups would not be able to give beautiful little puppies like Little Joe the chance for a life without the wonderful help and support of WestieMed. Thank you so much!

Luann Johnson, President Westie Rescue of Missouri, Inc.

Update: June 2006:

I fostered and then adopted Little Joe a.k.a., Mr. Brodie B. I just couldn’t let him go after all we had been thru with his liver stunt surgery.

He is a very happy, full of energy, and curious boy. His build is still very small, but he thinks he can take any other neighbor dog on and win. Mr. Brodie gets along great with his sister, Miss Wendy, and all the other foster Westies that come in and out of our home. Our vet thinks he will never grow any larger, and the bio acid tests keep coming back high, but he looks and acts very healthy. Brodie loves to the car ride, play with toys, play tug-of-war with the fosters, and run and bark at the squirrels in our back yard.

He is very sweet, gentle, and loving when he wants to be, but acts like the “man of the house” all the time. Brodie will cuddle up next to me at night and wakes me in the morning with a cold nose to my neck.

We hope we can someday meet those who helped in saving Mr. Brodie’s life. Have a great day.

Ethel

Poppy

May 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

May 2005:

Poppy (aka Roxie) was born with a congenital liver shunt. She was a sick puppy and showed signs of neurological problems such as running into walls and being confused. She also had problems gaining weight.

Her first owner was a relative of the breeder who bred Poppy. They took her to an emergency clinic and they diagnosed her as possibly having a liver shunt and recommended more tests. She was then taken to their local vet and where was once again told the puppy most likely had a liver shunt and would need more tests. The veterinarian advised them that this was a sick puppy and would likely not survive without surgery to repair the shunt. The owners said they would think it over.

Approximately three weeks later on May 4, 2005, Poppy was found by a very nice Animal control officer. Poppy was only three months old, cold, thin, and filthy dirty. She was very disorientated and the Animal Control officer brought her to the local Animal Hospital. One of the staff recognized her and contacted her owners. The owners said neither they nor the breeder wanted to deal with the puppy so she was released to the animal hospital. Of course, all that met her fell in love with her, and the Veterinarian decided to do the surgery.

On May 6th, weighing only five pounds, little Poppy had her surgery. Carole – one of her soon to be foster mothers – took her home that night for observation.

That is were I come in.

I used to work at the clinic and still remain a sucker for a cute face. The day she came in, I was called to come to see how cute and needy she was. I became the second foster mother. Carole drops her off at my house on her way to work, where she hangs out until Carole gets off work and picks her up.

A week after her surgery I mailed a friend some pictures of Poppy and her story. Within 4 hours, I was bombarded with emails interested in Poppys well being. One of the emails was to inform me of WestieMed. Carole and I knew whoever adopted Poppy may face future financial responsibilities, so it would be nice if they were not burdened with a large medical bill to start with.

We are so grateful for the financial help WestieMed has given us for Poppy. As I am writing this, I am watching the little princess play with her tail, and I think how much I will miss her. But I know we will find the right palace for her.

She now weighs eight pounds and is four months old. Her last liver test showed an improvement, and she acts like a typical four-month-old terrier. She shows no signs of neurological or any other problems. No one knows if she will live a long normal life, but she at least now has a chance. The veterinarian has given us the okay to place her, and with the help of Westie rescue in finding just the right home, we will have to give her up.

From everyone who has helped Poppy, I wish to extend my gratitude to WestieMed for helping, as well as to all who have contributed to such a great organization.

I have enclosed a current picture of her after her first hair do.

Brenda

Update: July 2005:

Princess Poppy went to a new kingdom on June 6th. Her new servants are Charley and Sue from Washington. Of course, they have realized she is very smart as she has taught them many tricks. Such as pick me up, let’s go for a ride and you can watch tv with a dog on your lap. She has also taken up gardening and is very good at weeding. She also has her own room as well as taking over the entire household. Her new doctor is very pleased with her health and she has already received more vaccines and a microchip. I have enclosed a picture of her new parents on the day they picked her up. Sue and Charley also pass on their appreciation for the help WestieMed has given to Poppy. Yes of course we miss her and keep in touch.

Brenda

Duncan

May 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

May 2005:

My name is Duncan. I haven’t always been called by this name, only since March 30, 2005. That was the day I joined my new family. What an eventful day that was! In the morning, the kind folks at the county shelter who had been taking care of me sent me to be neutered. Later that day, my new mom showed up to take me home. She looked very happy. I already knew a little bit about her because she had come to visit me almost every day since she first spotted me at the shelter. You see, my mom thought of herself as a committed Dachshund person. In fact, my new brother is a fiftenn-month-old miniature Dachshund by the name of Albert. My mom originally came to the shelter to apply for a little Dachshund whose picture was posted online. Well, he was already spoken for and my mom was getting ready to leave the shelter when a volunteer informed her that the cutest little guy had just arrived as a stray. Of course, I’m referring to myself. With one look, my mom knew I was the one for her. She filled out all the necessary forms and waited for seven excruciating days to see if my former owner would come to claim me from the shelter. My mom was both glad and puzzled when no one came for me. I am not only adorable but also exceptionally well mannered. I respond to many commands, am completely housebroken, and am a much better listener than my new brother. Boy, it’s true when they say that Dachshunds are stubborn!

When I joined my new family, which not only includes my mom and dog brother, but also a grandpa, grandma, uncles, aunts, and cousins, I was instantly welcomed and loved. Everyone, without exception, commented that I was the best. My cousins, who are young children, adore me, and I am very patient and playful with them. I even have a Westie girlfriend who lives right across the street from me. My mom takes good care of me. I eat well, sleep in the big bed, and have a big, clean backyard to play in. She rarely leaves me home alone. I love riding in the car. I get to go to many fun places with her. (In fact, when my mom took me to a pet adoption event where she was helping out with Dachshund Rescue, I turned out to be the star attraction!) My favorite place is this huge field that folks around here use as a dog park. I like to walk and run with my mom and brother along the trail. I also enjoy greeting people and playing with all the dogs. I’m a good big brother to Albert; he gets beat up a lot, so I have to defend him on many an occasion.

Since I was a stray, my mom doesn’t know anything definite about my background. The shelter staff and my veterinarian estimate that I’m around two or three years old. While it’s clear I was trained by someone, it’s also evident that I was hit a lot. I clench my eyes and lower my head, preparing to be struck, whenever people lift their hands near my head. It makes my mom sad to see me do this. She hopes that with time I will learn that no one will lay a hand on me again. The other noticeable behavior I exhibit that concerns my mom is the way I use one of my rear legs. I have a tendency to have a hitch in my gait when I walk and run. My wonderful veterinarian, Dr. Taylor, informed my mom that I have a condition called patellar luxation that affects both my knees, causing my kneecaps to slip out of proper alignment. Unfortunately, this is a problem that is not uncommon in Westies. This causes me pain and, if not corrected, will likely lead to more severe problems later. One knee is worse than the other. Dr. Taylor strongly advised that I have an operation to fix my knee as soon as my mom could afford the expense. The good news is that the best orthopedic surgeon would perform the surgery. The bad news is that the operation costs a lot of money. My mom fretted about how she would manage to pay the bill.

Then, she discovered something truly wonderful: WestieMed! With WestieMed’s generous support, I can have my operation sometime soon. I will let you know how everything goes. Everyone who knows and loves me is certain that I will handle my operation and recovery with courage and grace. My mom and I are extremely grateful for WestieMed’s assistance. We will not forget your generosity in our time of need.

Murphy

April 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

April 2005:

Just a couple of weeks before my fourth birthday, my first family gave me away. They said I bit their toddler. They didn’t want me and thought I should be put to sleep. I sleep every day so that didn’t make sense to me. For the longest time, the Dad in that family was mean to me. He made me scared of men. When no vet in town would put me to sleep, he called Westie Rescue, Houston, and asked them to come and get me right away. He said it was the one bite that made him do it. But they had been not nice to me for a while. They made me feel very bad because I am a good dog and wouldn’t try to hurt anyone.

Foster Mom, Barbara, came and got me. She has a young Westie, Duncan, and had been eager to help Westies anywhere. I was her very first foster dog. Duncan thought another dog (or more) in the house was a great idea. I was very, very scared. I hear that I was like a statue when anyone tried to pick me up. My tail was firmly placed between my rear legs and no one could touch the back half of my body without me growling. I did not let Rob, my foster Dad, get near me. (That made him sad because he wanted to pet me and make me feel at home.) The word to describe me was “traumatized”.

I can’t remember what it was like at that first house. When I got to Duncan’s house, I couldn’t even stand in the grass. It didn’t feel familiar. And Duncan tried and tried to get me to play with him, but I didn’t know-how. Mostly, all I did was a growl and snap into the air.

There were a few problems with my body. The biggest one being that I have cataracts and couldn’t see very well. The vet I used to see said that I did have some vision and that it wouldn’t get worse. (He was wrong. Very quickly I could only see light and dark.) Since I don’t know what’s coming at me, I am scared all the time. That makes me act unfriendly. No one really knows yet if the reason I like to pee on every corner, or doorway, or the furniture, is because I like a little scent trail to find the doggie door. When a piece of furniture is moved or Barbara does too good a job of cleaning it up, I just have to pee some more.

I scratched all the time. It seems my first family had me tested, when I was a puppy, for allergies. Like a lot of other Westies, I am allergic to corn and wheat. Also some grasses and outdoor things. They gave me food with corn and wheat in it anyway. I don’t know why. I also had a yeast infection. I smelled a little “off” and my back end was kind of crusty. There were dark places on my skin. And, boy, was that itchy!

Barbara switched my food (not all at once) to tasty kibble with no corn and wheat. And then she started making me a high protein stew to starve the yeast. I had medicine in cheese ball treats to make the yeast go away. I started having baths a couple of times a week. There was even a special paw rinse, with water, after running around in the grass.

We were all so happy when I was adopted. On my birthday, no less. The new house had two other dogs who had very jingly collars that made a horrible noise when they ran back and forth in front of me. I couldn’t see them. I only heard them and felt them near me. I was startled all the time. I had to nip a few times (and landed a nip, too), trying to get them to mellow a bit. In less than eighteen hours, they didn’t want me either and wanted to bring me back. When I got back to my foster home after less than 48 hours away, I acted kind of like I did the first time I got here. Duncan was so happy to see me but the whole thing had been traumatic and it took me some time to stop growling and baring my teeth. It was all very confusing for him, too.

After that, no one ever even applied for me. I had “no children” and then “special needs” attached to my profile. At least my foster home liked me, even when I didn’t like another foster dog that came here. She and Duncan wrestled and made noises that made me think she was hurting him. I wanted to fight her. So she had to leave.

My skin got much better and now I look mostly white. I still have stew every day and the yeast infection is pretty much gone. My itching is still a problem, though.

Duncan taught me to play with him. Now I can even play fetch. As long as the ball makes noise and doesn’t go far, I can get it! We wrestle some and patrol the backyard together. Duncan runs after squirrels and I run after him because he seems so excited (and then I can smell those pesky squirrels).

I really want to see things like Duncan can. I want to run a long way for a ball and not have him take it away just because I can’t see it twelve inches away. I want to go off-leash on our special walks and not run into twigs and bushes and little posts. Or walk in the wrong direction. I want to beat him to a tree when a squirrel is nearby (and maybe even learn to stalk). Maybe I won’t be so afraid all the time of all those things that startle me now (which is pretty much anything that moves) and maybe then I will stop nipping at people, and little children, and go nuts when I know another dog is nearby. I’m tired of being scared all the time.

My long term foster Mom and Dad (and Kathy, the head of the Rescue group here) are so incredibly excited about me seeing. They are grateful beyond words to the people at WestieMed. I don’t know what all the fuss (and this happy crying) is about. Barbara promises it will be a wonderful surprise. She has a surgery appointment for me on April 27th and says I’ll find out then.

Love, Murphy

Update May 1, 2005:

It’s Sunday, May 1st, and four days since I had my cataract surgery. I can see! I’ve taken to stopping and staring at everything. I’m not really jumping for joy, yet, because I’m not allowed to jump. Or run or play or even get up on to the couch by myself. The special eye doctor doesn’t want me to jostle my eyes too much. And he says “no scratching”, not even after drops are put in my eye, which seems like all the time. For some reason, there is a clown collar or something around my neck. I can’t touch my face or my head. That’s very frustrating.

The word is that I have to keep the collar on and stay in my crate a lot (even when Barbara goes to the store) for another three to four weeks. I’m feeling a little bit depressed right now. But every day is a new day, so “week” means nothing to me. I promise to send another note to the wonderful WestieMed people after the clown collar comes off and I can run and jump and keep up with that wild puppy, Duncan. There’s a whole other life waiting for me!!

Shelby

March 1, 2005February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

March 2005:

I am a one-year-old spunky little fellow, although I kinda hit a brick wall for my early years. You see, I was just recently in the hospital and they told me I have this Addison’s disease. I was bummed to say the least, but at that time, at least I was being taken care of by some really wonderful folks at Pet Pavilion emergency in Olympia Washington.

It all started when I was only 8 months old. Up until that time I was growing like a weed, eating everything in sight and having a grand old time exploring the world from my puppy point of view. I started to get more tired every day and just didn’t feel like my old puppy self. I didn’t want to play with my good pal- a twelve-year-old Scottie named Emma- she had actually been my mom as I was growing up. I just didn’t understand- especially when I started not feeling hungry, then I started vomiting even though I hadn’t eaten anything. Plus I started shaking like I was cold and getting very wobbly on my puppy legs. Not at all like my old self.

My then mom and family took me into my Doc, who said he couldn’t find anything wrong and sent me home again. Well about a week later the same thing happened although this time it was worse- I was not eating at all and shaking and sleeping a whole lot. I didn’t even feel like playing at all.

At the end of February- things got really bad, I just couldn’t make it anymore- my tremors had gotten really bad, I was not eating anything so I had lost almost half my weight and I was a really sick fellow. My then family decided I had to go to the emergency room. Boy, I was glad they took me in, ’cause the Docs took one look at me and threw me on some IV Fluids. I was in shock and my heart was not functioning properly. I was so weak I couldn’t even stand anymore, and I couldn’t stop shaking.

Those nice folks kept me alive with the fluids and started giving me all these tests. They were smart Docs- they figured out right away that I probably had something they kept calling “Addison’s” I wasn’t sure what they were talking about since I was sleeping a whole bunch and felt really, really horrible. The Docs at the emergency room told my then family I was really sick and would need care for the rest of my doggie life. They were really upset. My then family really loved me but had a new baby, a new house, and lots of expenses so they would have a hard time affording my medicines and care. The emergency room bills were a lot anyway, plus having to give me medications.

But they were really upset and wanted to find me a good forever home, so they called the Westie rescue foundation to see if there was anybody who could take me instead of having to put me to sleep. I was sleeping a lot, but that kind of sleep was different. The Westie rescue folks knew of this nice lady named Anne who had been looking for another Westie to adopt to be a companion to her then “big brother” Westie Macduff, who is two years old. She got a call at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 26th, the lady at Westie Rescue of Missouri and Illinois who told her my story and asked her if she wanted to adopt me.

Well, my new forever mom is a Vet Tech, so she knew right away how serious my condition was and what kind of care I would need. But she was not afraid of my being sick, so she called the hospital and my family right away to make arrangements to come and pick me up and adopt me. She knew I would need to be closely monitored because my family had to take me out of the emergency care facility sooner than I should have because they couldn’t afford it. My new forever mom knew I was still a pretty sick boy. She arranged to drive an hour and a half down to Tacoma from her home in Carnation to pick me up on Sunday the 27th of February. I met her on Sunday and immediately crawled into her lap; I knew she was a good forever mom right away.

I didn’t meet my new big brother MacDuff until I got to my new home. My new home is on a beautiful lake that faces these big mountains. We have a big yard that goes down to the water, which I love to play in.

My new forever mom kept me really quiet and let me rest in my Crate for the first few days. I had my first Doc appointment after she got the final results from the ACTH tests done at the emergency clinic. They knew then that I had this Addison’s thing. Well, my new forever mom knows about all that stuff, so she made appointments with her Vets and took me in right away to get me started on my maintenance meds. I am now on those, I take Flurocortisone Acetate tablets and Prednisone. Big names for such a little guy! I am eating like a horse, my mom is trying to put my weight back on so she is giving me roasted chicken meat with my dinner every night and boy do I go crazy for that!

I know I look kinda scrawny here- but I have gained four pounds since the above picture was taken!

I get to go for a hike every day and now that I can run again, it feels so good to have a big brother to chase and show me the ropes! I was an indoor dog before, so the woods are new and there is all kind of smells which are new to me.

My new forever mom had a time of it through the first two weeks. The meds made me go outside every half an hour for the first week. I had a lot of accidents. But mom was patient with me because she knew I couldn’t control it until my muscles got stronger again. Then it slowed down to every hour-even at night, so we didn’t get much rest. But now I can sleep through the night, and I quit shaking finally so my legs are getting stronger every day.

My new forever mom is really strict about making me take my medicine on time every day, but I know it is making me feel better, so I do it for her. She is letting me sleep on the bed now with big Brother MacDuff and I feel really, really lucky to have found this new forever home and be getting my strength back!

I am still not out of the woods yet though and my forever mom thinks I may have something wrong with my left back leg,,,,,,but she tells me just to take one day at a time and we’ll get there!

I know it will still take a few months before I feel completely like my old self- but I trust my new forever mom, she really knows how to take care of me! And my new Big Brother is so nice and patient with me- even when I steal his food or toys. Here’s a picture of me with my Big brother MacDuff on the left- he is letting me share his favorite chair with him!

So thanks WestieMed for finding me my new forever Mom and big brother! I am one lucky Westie dog!

Shelby

Update May 2005:

Well hello all you Westie lovers!

Shelby’s my name and getting’ healthy is my game!

I have been living with my new family, Mom, older brother Mac Duff and a really BIG cat named Comet (who I like to hassle a lot) for about four months now! I was rescued and kept alive from certain mortality at the beginning of February 2005, after I was in the hospital and diagnosed with life-threatening Addison’s disease. Since then my Mom and my great Doc, Dr. Longley have been taking really great care of me and monitoring my electrolyte balance, and increasing my meds three times! My Ratio of Sodium to Potassium is now at about thirty, which is a really HUGE improvement! And WestieMed is helping my mom out with my treatments!

My life is so great now- I get to go out and run and hike every day. Now I can even out-run my older brother Mac Duff and boy, does that make me feel good! My muscles are really starting to come in and fill out. And my hair is growing back thick and healthy. When I was really sick before I was rescued, my muscles had atrophied so badly I could hardly stand, and my hair was falling out all over the place! And you know what- since I am getting calcium in my body now- my bones have grown and I have gotten bigger! Mom has also been feeding me cooked chicken as a diet supplement and BOY do I LOVE chicken!

Here are some updated pics so you can see how handsome I am and how well I am doing.

Pretty soon I will he hairier and bigger than Mac Duff! I am happy ’cause I am really starting to enjoy life, and not being sick all the time is really, really great! Here’s a picture of me and big bother Duff. I’m the guy on the right. I think I am starting to look more like a Westie–right?

And here’s one of me smellin’ the chicken dinner cooking! See the hair re-growing in on my legs–and LOOK how big my paws are! What more could a Westie want–right!

Thanks again WestieMed- it is so great to feel healthy again!

Shelby

Update November 15, 2019:

It is with a very sad heart I am writing this final chapter to Shelby’s story. He sadly left me and went over the Rainbow Bridge last Friday, November 8th, 2019.

Shelby not only survived and lived well his whole life with his Addison’s disease, but he also BEAT cancer! He has diagnosed in 2015 with Stage five Lymphoma, went through Chemo, and was also given the new monoclonal antibody treatments for lymphoma. He was still in remission when he passed away.

He was a force to be reckoned with.

He had such a “Joi de Vivre”! He was a wonderful, happy go lucky fellow who LOVED to chase chipmunks with his big brother Duff, who sadly preceded him.

But he just couldn’t beat the Monster KIDNEY failure. He gave it his all, was such a joy in my life and he will always be loved and missed every day of my life.

Thank you WestieMed for bringing this loving, wonderful boy into our lives and for all the help and wonderful years you all made possible for us to enjoy together.