Stories – Page 36

Harry

September 1, 2003January 7, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

Rainbow Bridge January 2007

September 2003:

The call came on September 4, 2003. The local Humane Society asking if I’d be able to take in a Westie rescue turned in earlier that week. I am listed with the shelter as a rescue contact for Westies and thank heavens they are willing to call. I arrived at the shelter the next day not knowing what to expect. I had been told that the dog had skin problems and that the surrendering family was not the original owners. He had been a “yard dog and not house trained”. The technician disappeared into the back exam room and reappeared shortly with Harry. My heart melted for multiple reasons. First of all, those little black/brown button eyes looking so forlornly at me. All the other reasons for the overwhelming emotion revolved around his appearance and health. He had huge scabs and raw spots on his body. He clearly had an infection not only on the surface but internally as well. He was coughing and laboring to breathe. I knew his vet bills would be expensive and that we might not be able to find a family to adopt him. I knew leaving him at the shelter would be certain death as there would be no extended care available to him. Regardless of all the barriers, I knew I had to take him home. I’d make whatever financial adjustments I needed to in order to get this little guy the attention he deserved.

Harry spent a week at the vet being treated for all that ailed him. His ailments ran the gamut – vomiting, diarrhea, skin infections, ear infections, and upper respiratory infections. His gums were oozing infection and prohibited him from making progress with the antibiotics or being able to eat without throwing up. The vet noted some abnormalities when neutering him and initiated x-rays. We found that his heart is enlarged. At this point, we aren’t sure if that is secondary to the infections or that he has a heart condition. Bless my vet for being truly compassionate and working with me to get Harry healthy and stable. He changed the course of treatment and now Harry is making progress by leaps and bounds. He has come home and become a member of the family. He shares attention and playtime with Britt, his mentor-Westie, and Mac, the old Scottish Terrier. His new friends have taught him house manners and good behavior.

I continue to struggle to understand how someone could allow one of God’s creatures to be treated so poorly. I have to remind myself that at least the people who had him previously surrendered him to the shelter rather than abandon him. I know that Harry still may have medical issues but we will overcome those and make sure he is able to enjoy life as best he can.

As mentioned before, I have other terriers – one of which has been diagnosed with Cushing’s and bladder cancer. His expenses were already mounting and Harry’s expenses were adding to the financial burden. WestieMed stepping in with support has helped soften the blow to my pocketbook! I thank WestieMed for the support and contribution. More importantly, thank you to every WestieMed contributor for making the assistance possible through the donations made to the organization. Those contributions make it possible to help these little creatures find a happy life, to find loving owners, and to give love as they are so able to do! Thank you, everyone!

Beverly Harrison

Update: August 2004:

Here’s an update of pix of Harry and the rest of my clan. The Scottie is a new addition as of this weekend. I lost my nine-year-old Scottie to cancer on July 4th. Tobi, the Scottie came to me through the Scottie rescue program. Everyone is getting along and is establishing the “pecking” order. Harry is doing as well as can be expected. He had an ultrasound on June 4 and his heart is doing well although he continues with COPD. He is on Enalapril and Metacam daily which seems to help his mobility. He has good days or bad – like all of us. He got a little chunky and I put him on some low-calorie food. Losing a few pounds seemed to help reduce his coughing spasms. Considering everything, he’s tough as nails and continues to be a joy.

Update January 2007:

Wanted you to know that Harry, my faithful little companion for the last three plue years, has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge . Harry, a Westie rescue and recipient of WestieMed assistance, had many health issues that slowly took their toll. He was faithful, loving and true to his breed in his fight against his health issues. He shall be sorely missed.

BJ (aka Beverley) Harrison

Katie

July 1, 2003January 7, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

July 2003:

Hello, my name is Katie. I am a Westie girl with a sweet face full of spunk and energy. I was rescued in July 2003 by Krista and Everett Krug during a visit to Tacoma, WA to visit relatives in the hospital.

My original family was loving and gave me a good home, however, health circumstances and moving from a large house into an apartment made it impossible for them to keep me. I was sad to leave; however, I now have a great new home with my new Mom and Dad, Everett and Krista, and a new Westie brother, Duncan.

When I came to my new family, I had a large protrusion under my abdomen and another growth on my neck, my toenails were very long, my teeth needed a good cleaning and I needed a good grooming. This all was going to cost a good bit and Krista applied to WestieMed for funds to help cover the medical portion of these expenses. The gracious Westiemed people approved my application and, as you can see – I am now good as new!!

My surgery proved to be the result of a large hernia that we think happened when I was spayed several years ago. My former vet kept telling my first owners that nothing could be done about it and it wasn’t hurting anything. (We won’t mention names here, but I sure wouldn’t recommend anyone to them). Costs for the surgery were also prohibitive. We were afraid that it might have been a malignant tumor, but luckily it was not and I have a long and happy life ahead of me.

I would just like to say that my new Mom and Dad have been in the rescue community for about 3 years now and have rescued several Westies and through working with Heartland Westie Rescue and Westie Rescue of Northern Illinois have placed them in good and loving homes. We, here in Iowa don’t have as many rescues as other areas, but we do what we can and now I am a part of this great group of dogs and people.

My brother Duncan is also a rescued Westie. He likes to think of himself as the “top dog”, but well see about that. I love to play and fetch and follow my Dad around on the lawnmower and come smiling to Mom with green paws and grass on my face. Duncan has just earned his “Canine Good Citizenship Award” and is in his second session of obedience training. I will be going too in the fall. All our neighbors love us and stop by to see us. We have a lot of room to run and play and live on a lake.

I almost forgot to mention my plane trip from Tacoma, Washington, to Iowa where I now live. It was quite an experience. I was carried in a “Sherpa bag” and it worked just great. I was much happier with my head sticking out where I could see everyone. Because of security, I had to stay in my bag – even in the airport, but I was a trooper and made it through. People would pet me and ask about the little white dog under the seat. I think I was a good spokesperson for Westies and for Westie Rescue. Mom and Dad tell everyone about it and what good things we do for Westies in need.

Again, thank you WestieMed for helping me. Let me know if there is anything else that I can do for you. Ill be happy to help.

Love, Katie Krug along with my new Mom and Dad Krista and Everett Krug

Update January 2004:

Katie is doing just fine. She is a real part of our family now.

Her surgery completely healed and has caused no further problems. We have discovered that she has some allergies, but these can be controlled with diet and antihistamines. Her adopted brother, Duncan also has allergies – so this is something that we are used to dealing with.

She is a little girl with a lot of energy – loves to play fetch with her tennis ball anywhere and anytime. The plan for this summer is to fence in a large area of our yard for our Westies to play in. Katie loves to travel with us and has been on several trips. She is great with kids and at Thanksgiving when we had lots of company had a wonderful time being around with everyone.

She can be a very independent Westie and will let you know when and what she wants. Will cuddle on her terms and likes to be “in charge” – something that she and Duncan are still working on. They play together well and their favorite pastime is “squirrel watching” out of our large back windows which back up to woods.

Katie would go into the woods if we allowed, but of course, that is NOT allowed unless we are with her. All in all, she is a very happy Westie. We love her and Duncan loves her most of the time. They do have their disagreements and sometimes need a “time out”. They wouldn’t be Westies if this didn’t happen.

Thank you for your inquiry. I have attached a picture of Katie and Duncan. Katie is the Westie on the right.

Update July 2004:

Katie is doing just great. We have discovered that she has allergies, have had her tested and she currently gets once a month shots – these have worked well. She is quite an ambitious little lady. Katie is very independent and “wants what she wants!”

Our family has nicknamed her “Katie McGillicuddy” after the “I Love Lucy Show of the 1950s. McGillicuddy has Lucy’s maiden name. Katie and Lucy have a lot in common – they are both independent and scheme to get what they want, many times getting into mischief along the way. It fits Katie perfectly – and we wouldn’t have her any other way.

This picture is of Katie in her “summer cut”. It’s easy for Mom and Day to take care of and requires less maintenance for an active little girl.

Katie sends her best to WestieMed and thanks you again for helping with her medical needs.

Until next time, Katie, Duncan, Krista (Mom) and Everett (Dad)

Alex

July 1, 2003January 7, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

July 2003:

My Little Old Man

I met Alex one day driving down the road. I stopped at a stop sign and as I looked to my right this skinny virtually hairless dog caught my eye. He had a collar and was walking rather slowly. I stopped my car hoping to help the little guy home. As I approached this poor little dog I noticed he had no tags. He couldn’t hear too well because he was older and had severe ear infections. His eyes were infected, his nails were about and an inch long and he smelled really bad. I felt so bad for him how could anyone neglect this innocent creature. I brought him to a couple of animal hospitals in the area to see maybe if they knew him. They did not. I was also told by my vet he was anywhere between ten to fifteen years old. I was than asked if I wanted to keep him I should run a battery of test. My heart sank. I knew I could not take him home. I already had two Wheaten Terriers, Jake and Bailey, a nine-month-old baby and my cocker spaniel, Joshua passed away one year ago. I knew where I had to go next, the dreaded animal shelter. I couldnt bear to see him go. I cried and cried. This nice woman who ran the shelter saw I was upset. She told me she knew someone who could help place “Alex” in a home. I felted a sense of relief because I knew he would not be adopted from the shelter because of how he looked, smelt and his age. This woman called this angel and she said she would pick her up. I left my number for this kind individual and asked if she would call me so I could find out Alexs future (In the meantime I hung lost posters in the three surrounding towns where I lived to see if I could find the owner. Of course nobody called. I thought that was probably the best thing since they neglected this poor little animal).

A few days later I received a call from Karen and she said she had someone to adopt him. I felt good but, at the same time sad because I had developed a bond with the little guy. I told Karen if anything fell through to please call me and I would try and take him but the chances were slim. Well Karen called back and told me the woman could not adopt Alex. She told me she was going to have to bring him back to the shelter at the end of the week and have him destroyed. She couldnt keep him she already had too many animals.

I WOULD NOT let this poor dog be destroyed. I knew I had many medical bills ahead of me. Alex was put on eye drops for his eye infection, Baytril for his respiratory infection (he had massive amounts of mucous draining from his nose and eyes. He had so much mucous that one of his nostrils was closed shut many days), steroids, ear drops, antihistamine and ketoconazole. He was diagnosed with Malassezia along with a host of other problems.

I have had Alex now for about one month and he has turned around so much. He has become a member of my family. At first because he apparently was sleeping in the streets where he was always disturbed he probably never had a good sleep. Whenever he would sleep he would jump, startled if approached. Now he sleeps like a baby. He initially could barely walk. He still has some problems but he runs and plays with his toys and has a great appetite. He no longer has mucous discharge. He is very sweet dog everyone loves him.

I wanted to extend my thanks to Westie Med for helping with Alex’s medical bills. I am sure Alex appreciates it as well. I am glad I was able to help my little old man. Thank you again.

Sincerely, Connie P. Blue Point, NY

Alex has a skin condition called Malassezia (yeast infection of the skin). This condition is becoming more and more prevalent among Westies. Westie Rescuers are seeing cases of this all over the country. This condition is very treatable…if treated properly. To help other Westie owners, we are making information about this condition available on our web site. You can read about it here: Malassezia.

Oliver

June 2, 2003January 9, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

June 2003:

On June 9th, Tom Barrie got a call from Dr. Thorne, Dallas Animal Control, Oak Cliff, asking if Westie Rescue could take a six month old abused Westie with a broken leg. While we rescue many dogs which are not in good shape and have various medical problems, we have been fortunate that there have been few abused Westies needing rescue in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This is the story of “Oliver”, who is currently in foster care in our program.

Oliver was apparently thrown by someone who broke his right rear leg in the process. The vet explained that since it was high on the femur, the only way to repair the damage was to surgically place pins in the bone, then remove them later after the bone had mended. We asked for an estimate on costs. After consulting with the Barries, we decided to proceed, and scheduled Oliver for surgery.

The fact that his medical expenses will be significantly higher than most rescue Westies led us to seek financial assistance from WestieMed. We recently received the good news that WestieMed will contribute more than half of Oliver’s veterinary expenses.

Oliver is now in foster care with Liza Escobar, our current Trinity Valley West Highland White Terrier Club Secretary. At our club meeting shortly after we took Oliver into our program, she said she would take him following surgery later that week. When my wife, Suzanne, and I showed up with Oliver, who was still a bit frightened and very unhappy to have to wear his “Elizabethan collar”, Liza took charge immediately. When she found that Oliver could not eat with his collar on, Liza hand fed him. She found she also needed to remove it when Oliver went outside to “do his duty”, so Oliver could use the time honored method of finding just the “right spot”, by sniffing the entire area. Oliver is having no trouble feeling right at home with Liza, her two other Westies, Sydney and Simon, and her husband, Joey.

Another club member, Sue Aikman, came by, and did some touch-up grooming on Oliver’s head. Liza and Sue have now worked out an exercise program in Sue’s pool, with the vet’s approval, to provide appropriate physical therapy for Oliver!

Oliver could not be getting better care. He is just beginning to use the repaired leg a little, but plays mostly on three legs, tripod style. He has a sweet and ingratiating personality, and greets everyone as though they are a long-lost friend. Liza took so many pictures of Oliver getting his first bath, after his initial stitches were removed, that she had to post them on a website for everyone to view. Oliver is a special little dog who will need a special home.

Thank you, WestieMed, for helping make this rescue possible.
Marvin Katz, Rescue Chairman Trinity Valley West Highland White Terrier Club

July 2003 Update from Oliver’s Foster Mom:

On behalf of Oliver, I would like to express my appreciation on WestieMed’s generous contribution donated to our rescue program to help with Oliver’s veterinary expenses. He is the best behaved & most adorable little guy, who just adores people. I have been very blessed to foster him, he is our first foster puppy. And at this rate, he may not make it out the door ever and become an everlasting family member! Many thanks for all the hard work that you do.

Thanks so much from our family, Joey, Liza, Sydney, Simon & Sir Oliver

Update October 2003:

I just wanted to inform you that my foster mum & dad, along with my westie sister Sydney and westie brother Simon, have adopted me. I love my new home and all my new westie friends that I’ve met. My mum and dad say I am such a very good puppy and I am a very good listener as well. While I was being fostered by my foster mum & dad, everyone that met me wanted to adopt me. After my stitches were removed, I did a lot of swimming at my Auntie Sue’s pool for physical therapy for my broken leg. As you can see, after I swam I was a wee bit tired westie.

I have a huge yard and I run fast! Thanks so very much for the financial assistance towards my surgery and giving me a second chance. I am a special little westie and I found a special home. I also want to say BIG Thank-You to Marvin Katz, our Rescue Chairman and Tom Barrie and especially to WestieMed for helping to make my broken leg better. Below is a picture of my sister Sydney and my brother Simon (I’m the tall one in the middle). I have many new Westie friends like Elliott, Cuffey, Tavish, Bailey and Sparky (Sparky’s a Corgi although he thinks he’s a Westie).

Jody

March 1, 2003January 7, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

March 2003:

West Highland White Terrier Club of California got a call from an older woman who said she could not keep her almost three year old female westie because she was gone quite a bit and the dog sitter was costing her more than she could afford. She did not like the idea of Josie Marie (now called Jody) not having a home with someone home all the time. She finally decided to give her to us.

I picked her up and found a very lovely and very friendly little female. The problem she had was with legs. She was placed in foster care with a volunteer who does agility. She took her the day after she got her to an Agility Trial that her Jack Russell was entered as she did not want to leave her alone her first day. Foster mom got to the trials early just to see what Jody would do with the equipment…well, she took to it as if she had been trained in Agility. The other friends there were also amazed at her abilities. Jody was then taken to a vet to have an evaluation done. The regular veterinarian said she had luxating patellas and referred us to a specialist. The diagnosis was the same and we decided without question to have the surgery performed.

The surgery was a success and Jody is recuperating in a very nice motor home somewhere in Las Vegas, with a special crate rigged up so she can see outside while they are driving. She doesn’t much like her Elizabethan collar but who does! She continues to thrive, eat well and the staples were removed by our veterinarian in Las Vegas, Dr. Clarissa Engstrom, who has been wonderful towards our rescue efforts there. Jody will now be going through her rahabilitation period and will soon be as good as new!

Thank you WestieMed in assisting us in paying for this expensive surgery!

Elaine Delgado, Rescue Chair for the WHWTCC

Update September 2003:

Hello! Our darling little Jody is doing just fine ! She has, in fact, started training for agility, as you can see, here! We are so proud of her and just love her to pieces. We certainly thank WestieMed for the part they played in getting our little girl able to move her legs like a normal westie! The surgery was a success…..they did, however, leave the pins in, but the orthopedic felt we shouldn’t have any trouble in the future with that.

Thank all of you, again Pat Harrington and Jody

Suki

March 1, 2003January 10, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

March 2003:

Suki came into our lives just a short time ago and we can already not imagine life without her. She is a little white ball of fur that loves life even though she has been dealt with some low blows.

My search for A Westie started a few months ago. I have done pet therapy at a local children’s hospital for over eleven years with a golden retriever. I also knew that it would be helpful to have a smaller, huggable dog to take to see the children that could get on the bed. My Mother had a Westie years ago and I remember just how wonderful he was.

After some time Joan contacted me (from Westie Rescue) and said she had not “A” Westie but two girls who were in need of a home. They had already been used for therapy. Since I believe in “more is better”, we said yes.

Suki and Sasha were a little confused and very cautious when we first met them. Joan had bathed them and brought along all of their belongings. We picked them up on a Sunday and were prepared to love them no matter what. Their owner had recently lost her husband and needed to move.

That is not where the history of Suki begins. Suki was born sometime in September of 1993. She was kept in a cage and force bred for years. Rescue in Miami found her and she was in very bad shape. Her back legs did not work very well from breeding and caging. She was very overweight from a poor diet. She didn’t know what grass was or how to play. Westie Rescue took over and saw that she had medical attention and they found her a good home. She came to us with hand-knitted blankets, lots of toys, etc. She was loved, but circumstances changed for the owners.

We were so fortunate to have Suki(and Sasha ) come into our lives. After picking them up, we made a vet appointment to get the girls caught up on shots and a checkup. Suki had some bad news. She had a very large mammary tumor and some bad teeth. She had surgery for tumor removal and lost a few teeth but she made it. She now runs around our house with an Elizabethan collar on like the world was hers! Unfortunately, the lab results were not good for Suki. It was cancer and could recur. BUT thanks to support from WestieMed, she has a fifty-fifty chance. In the meantime, we are loving her, playing with her, walking her, and just plain enjoying every minute with her. What a joy!!!!

We want to love Suki and Sasha and make their years with us happy ones so they forget the low blows life had dealt them. If you get a moment, say a prayer for Suki. She’s a fighter and I think we have many years ahead of us.

Thank you, Edie Hoover

Update, September 2003:

Thank God Suki is doing very well. No problems so far. She loves to take walks, sleep in the bed(needs help getting up there), chase my shoelaces, play with ANY stuffed animal, and run after our golden retrievers. She and Sasha are now ten and thirteen years young. The vet had said we would have to watch her closely for a year to see if the cancer came back. If it did it would probably be in her mammary glands again or her lungs. So far so good. She eats well and seems to love life. Follows me everywhere. Tell me where to send pictures and I would love to.

Thanks again for the help. Edie

Amica

March 1, 2003January 10, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

March 2003:

Last November I lost my twelve-year-old male Westie, Brady, to cancer. It was a devastating loss, and my other dog, a shih tzu mix (a pound adoption) really regressed without his buddy. After a three month grieving period, my two teens and I began looking around for another dog. We checked the Humane Society, the SPCA, the Animal care council, and various shelters on line. There were many cute faces, but none called to me. It was then that I realized in my heart that nothing would do but another Westie.

A friend of mine had done a few Golden Retriever rescues, so I went online to see if there was such a thing as a Westie rescue organization. I found one in New York State and dropped them an email asking for information. A mere three days later, I received an email from Suzie Nowak, from the Westie Rescue group. She had word that there may be a middle-aged female Westie rescued from a puppy mill near Ithaca (along with many other dogs in pretty bad shape). The little gal was at Cornell University Animal Hosp getting spayed, and a thorough workup to see what her prognosis was. She was malnourished, had worms and many of her teeth had rotted out. She may need some extensive work, which I was concerned about being able to afford.

That’s when Suzie told me about Westiemed.com, a group that was able to help with initial rescue medical costs. I was told that when she returned to the Tompkins Co SPCA, I could arrange a visit. Suzie was as excited as I was about this visit. She did give me a lot of information about the early personalities of rescue dogs, as well, so I would be prepared.

I arranged the visit, and on Saturday, Feb 22, my kids and I drove an hour to Ithaca to visit. The staff put us in a little room and brought the Westie in. I had expected her to be scared and not really friendly because of the misery she had lived through. To my surprise, however, when I squatted down, she came over to me, climbed up onto my knee and kissed me on the nose! Well, I knew it was love at first sight, and no matter what her ailments were, she was going to be part of our family.

We took her home that day and named her Amica, which is Latin for a beloved friend. She traveled well but had such a sad look in her eyes for days. And she needed to be housetrained after all these years. I thought she may be deaf, but my vet confirmed that she was not used to human voices and would learn to respond. She didn’t wag her tail, didn’t bark, and sat mainly in one spot, staring ahead. It was apparent that everything was so new to her, perhaps overwhelming and frightening. She was a blank slate on which to begin to open a new life.

As of this date, we have had her for three weeks, and I can’t begin to put into words what it is like to see a dog like this blossom. She has the sweetest personality, wags her tail freely, has learned how to play and run, eats like a vulture, knows where the treats are kept, loves my other dog, barks when we get home from work, loves to cuddle and gives unending kisses. She has quickly carved herself a permanent place in our family, and is learning that life is about being warm, fed, happy and loved. My children get so excited when Amica does anything for the first time. This has truly been as wonderful an experience for myself and my children as it has been for Amica. We tell her each day that she has hit the “doggie lotto” and that she will live out her life as part of a warm, loving family….just as all pets should. Although the work and learning continue, this rescue has been a wonderful, life-altering experience, and I would encourage anyone who truly loves animals to consider this option. After only twenty-one days, my family cannot even imagine life without Amica.

I just wanted to thank WestieMed for your help and support. I really appreciate the financial help. This has been a wonderful first experience for me. I will not hesitate to encourage others to consider the “rescue” route when looking for a pet. Amica is such a gem and has completed our family in a special way.

Thanks, again, Rebecca Lupo

Rowdy

February 1, 2003January 10, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

February 2003:

I had just picked up my little Westie (Molly) from the breeder and headed over to Mom’s to introduce them! As you can imagine, Mom fell in love with her, I mean who wouldn’t, she was eight wks old, weighed two and half pounds and was just a little white cotton ball! Seriously though, I had not seen my Mother that excited over anything in several years! They say God works in mysterious ways and he did for us! Here’s what He did! The very next night, a friend of mine called (he knew I had been looking for a breeder) and he asked me if I had gotten my pup yet. I said yes I had. He told me he had called his vet to see if she knew of a breeder and she told him no, but that she had had a little Westie in her hospital that had been abandoned. She had kept him for three weeks, the owners never returned for him, so she had sent him to another Vetinary hospital to see if they could find him a home! The next morning I called the Vet, she gave me the info. as to where he was, I called them and yes, they still had him! It was in another town about thirty-five miles away! I drove there immediately to check him out! He was precious and the sweetest face I have ever seen on a dog! He just walked up to me, sat down and looked up with these beautiful brown eyes that said, please take me home with you! I knew right then and there, if mom didn’t want him, I was taking him home for me, I just could not even think of him spending one more night locked up! I called mom to see if she really wanted a pup like Molly and she said, oh yes! I told the vet I would take him and asked if he had any health problems. She said he was perfect, that someone had dropped him off for a flea bath, grooming and shots and that they had never heard from them again! They had tried calling, writing, but no response! They finally found out they had been given a false name, address and phone number! Anyway, I told them to look no further that I wanted him! The vet suggested I leave him overnight so they could neuter him and I said great but that I would be there first thing the next morning to take him to his forever home! I picked mom up early the next morning and she, Molly and I headed to get our boy! It was love at first sight! They were calling him Snowball, Mom and I looked at each other and said, no, that just won’t do! I came up with Rowdy and she liked it, he liked it and I’m pretty sure Molly did, so that name stuck! We took him home that very day and life has not been the same! He is moms best friend and protector , Molly’s best bud, and my little man! When he hurt his leg, Mom was just devastated! She is seventy-eight, lives on SS and just couldn’t imagine how she was going to pay for the surgery! I told her not to worry, I would pray about it and we would find a way! There was no question he would have the surgery, just how were we going to pay for it! Well sure enough, I mentioned it to a Westie group that I belong to, GWG (Great westie gathering) and one of the girls mentioned Westie Med since Rowdy was a rescue! I contacted them, corresponded with Bette and sent all the information they required! Everyone was so nice and helpful, it was definitely an answer to pray! The BOD voted to pay half of Rowdy’s vet bill. He has had the surgery is doing fine today! Thank You Westie Med, we couldn’t have done this without you! Rowdy says ” Ahrooooo rooo rooo, which in English is “I love you”.

Casey

January 1, 2003January 10, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

January 2003:

Terese from Missouri.

Casey was purchased as a pup in St. Louis, MO.

A mother with a sick ten-year-old daughter thought a puppy might help her daughter get well faster. As the daughter got better, the mother realized that she really didn’t want a dog in her house, and also thought that some of the family may be allergic to Casey, so she moved him outside permanently.

Casey learned to play with a soccer ball, and empty two-liter bottles in the back yard all by himself. When he was bored, he would grind his teeth on the lava rocks in the garden until his canines were all completely flat. This continued in the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter for the next 6 years. In that time, Casey developed problems with his eyes, ears, and skin from being exposed to such severe weather, and from having very little attention paid to him by anyone. He was rarely groomed, and no one seemed to have the time for him.

One day, a very muddy and matted Westie came into the kennel/day camp, where I worked, to be groomed. It was Casey. I never saw him or his owner, but she had decided that they were not able to take care of him anymore and left a yellow stickie on the bulletin board. “Free six-year-old Westie, owner allergic.”

I went home with the note that day and my husband and I took a ride to the house. The owner came out of the house and said that the dog was kept in the back yard and that she could not come with us, as if she went near him, she would have to shower again. We opened the gate and the friendliest, biggest Westie we ever saw came running up and wanted us to play with him so very badly. The woman told us his name was Casey and we had to discuss him through the kitchen screen window. I told her that Casey had a sore above his eye and she said she couldn’t touch him, so I asked for some peroxide and some cortisone cream. I fixed him up and then started to take a good hard look at him. We were both shocked at the black elephant skin on his belly and his nose, and the inside of his ears was black and smelled terrible. When we looked into Casey’s beautiful golden eyes, we saw green goop and could tell his eyes weren’t as clear as they should be. It was just so awful to see such a sweet and loving dog in such terrible condition. We just looked at each other and knew we would take him with us immediately. We asked if we could take him overnight to see if he would get along with our Cairn and our Poodle-mix puppy. They fell in love when we brought him home, as we already had. The next day we took him to the vet and knew it would take lots of love, time, and money for the next few months to get Casey into good shape.

For months, we had to put steroid drops in his eyes, use several medications for his skin condition called Malasszia, and clean and apply medicine to his ears. As the months passed by, and we were the happiest of families, Casey began to throw up in the middle of the night. Then he got diarrhea. We noticed a tiny seizure one morning and brought him in for blood tests. We knew something was terribly wrong but hoped for the best. Casey’s albumin level in his blood was a 1.9 when it should have been a 2.4, and we were told to change his diet immediately and to watch him carefully because his poor body could just shut down at any time. He was most likely suffering from something called PLE or protein-losing enteropathy. He was put on steroids and anti-diarrhea medication in an attempt to get some of his symptoms to lessen, or go away. I actually started to make his food, since this disease can be caused by a food allergy. To confirm the diagnosis, Casey would have to have a stomach lining biopsy and internal organ x-ray, which were very costly, and we knew we couldn’t afford them.

I started looking on the Internet for help, and through WestieRescueMO we found the wonderful people at WestieMed. Casey goes in tomorrow for a follow-up blood test, and we will be talking to the Dr. about the biopsy and x-ray, now that WestieMed is there to help us with the bill. All we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you … and God bless the fine and generous people at WestieMed who care so very much! We would also like to thank the people of WestieResueMO for all of their caring and support. Casey had to learn how to sleep through the night and to sleep with us and not in a pet taxi, and he had to learn to play with us and not just by himself. He is Mama’s lapdog now too! We just love the little fella and are glad he was put in our path.

Terese and Steven Ward and Casey, Rocky and Tugger

Casey has a skin condition called Malassezia (yeast infection of the skin). This condition is becoming more and more prevalent among Westies. Westie Rescuers are seeing cases of this all over the country. This condition is very treatable…if treated properly. To help other Westie owners, we are making information about this condition available on our web site. You can read about it here: https://westiemed.org/malassezia

Angus

January 1, 2003January 9, 2021 by westiemed in Stories