Angus had been at the Halifax Humane Society (Daytona, Florida) for several weeks. He apparently was found in the home of his owner, who had been dead for a few days. After much legal action (certified letters and such), he was released to Westie Rescue.
Angus is about eight years old. He has mild to moderate cataracts, and is mostly deaf, probably due to chronic ear infections. He has bad skin, but that is clearing up with the help of antibiotics and medicated baths (and flea control).
He is an absolute love. He really doesn’t know how to play but tries. He does toss toys around and tries to catch them. He doesn’t do it for long, but I think it is because his teeth bother him (that will be taken care of after Thanksgiving!). He loves sitting on laps and giving kisses. He gets along with other dogs and cats, but would love a ‘special somebody’.
WestieMed has been incredible with his medical bills! Beth Garwood Florida
Update December 2000:
Our Angus is doing just great! He’s a funny ole guy, but a pleasure and much loved.
There are many responsible for making Angus’ rehab. a reality and we are grateful to all who made it possible—most especially Beth who took him to the doctors, etc. and gave him her special loving care.
Angus’ stocking is hanging up, waiting for Santa to fill—-probably some soft, small toys that he can throw up in the air and TRY to catch (not much luck, however.) I’m sure that in his own way he wishes you all at Westie Med—-and Beth—-a joyous holiday season. And, I add our glad tidings, too!
I received an email from a man about his five-year-old Westie. She had a severe skin problem and they didn’t want to deal with it. They had bought her expecting to have a show dog and to breed her a few times, and also as a family pet. She developed a skin problem and tore her hair out in patches all over her body. They bred her in spite of it. One puppy died, and she killed the other one, probably because she was so miserable. She had gotten an infection inside so bad that they had to do a complete hysterectomy. They said her personality changed after that and that she was sometimes a little nippy. They were afraid she might bite their nanny’s son, who is two years old. They had fought the skin problem for five years by shampooing her with Selsun Blue and didn’t want to keep trying. To be fair, they did feel that they were doing the right thing by giving her up to someone who might know more about how to help her. The man brought her to me, and I did see her nip towards him once, but she has never once tried to nip me in any way. She is a sweetheart.
Katie was diagnosed as having a Staph infection which could turn into Malassezia if not properly treated. She is now on the right road to recovery.
Thanks to Westie Med, her medical problems are being taken care of and she will soon be ready to be placed in a new loving home with a nurse who is willing to keep up with the treatments. I’m thrilled for Katie. I think she will finally know what ‘real’ love is.
Rebecca Dennett Westie Rescue Utah
Katie – WestieMed Recipient
Update June 2003:
You can see that Katie is growing hair back on her chest and looks great!!! She’s a very happy little girl and adores her new mom and dad.
Update November 2003:
You’ll be so glad to know that Katie is doing wonderful. Rory Litch took such good care of her when she first came into Rescue in Reno. I was so fortunate and blessed to be able to adopt Katie in January of 2003 and in the first three to four months, we still had problems with her allergies and licking of her back legs. In April, I finally did have a full allergy test done on her and now I know exactly what…food and environmental..she is allergic to. Even into April….maybe because of the spring allergies, she was still having licking problems…..and then she finally cleared up. She is on a duck and potato kibble and only carrots, bananas, and apples for snacks. She is doing wonderful. We walk together and this past winter, we even cross-country skied together. My husband and I adore her and we thank you for your help and services. She has made our life so happy.
I received a call from the Westport, SPCA about a Westie/mix they had in their shelter and they wanted to know if we had any room for her. Minnie was brought in by the dog control officers from someone’s farm. It appeared that someone dumped her on their farm and drove off. The officer had to carry Minnie in as she was unable to even stand up. Her nails were so long they curled under and we’re into the soft pads of her feet, she had no hair and open sores on her body. Both eyes were infected as were her ears.
Minnie – WestieMed Recipient
The Westport, SPCA did an awesome job with Minnie and tried hard to find her a home as they dealt with her ever-mounting medical problems. When Kerry called me they had had Minnie for two months and felt if a home could not be found for her she would be euthanized soon.
My husband and I headed out to the shelter days later to see Minnie. Doing rescue for a few years we thought we had seen it all, but when we saw Minnie, she raised the bar for us of what we thought was shocking. We both spent time with Minnie and Kerry and talked a lot about the care and long-term prognosis – but I think we all knew we were going to take her home and get her some help.
Minnie – WestieMed Recipient
Soon we were heading out for the long trip home and Minnie laid on the seat being a perfect angel except for constant scratching (and, well. causing our eyes to water from the smell). As soon as our feet hit the front door, Minnie was in the tub. She sat perfectly still for the whole 10 minutes the shampoo had to work while I massaged her poor skin and tried to assure her that we would get her back to health. We set her up in the kitchen away from the other pets in case she could possibly pass something to them, and she laid down and slept for four hours.
Her first vet visit turned into an overnight stay. The number of things she needed checked and done just couldn’t fit into a visit, so I reluctantly left her in their care and headed home alone. I must have called them four times checking on her and while they were not optimistic at all, by the next day the vet was as anxious as we were to get Minnie back to health. They saw in her what we did – the sweet pup with a sparkle in her eyes that even her extreme health couldn’t diminish. We headed home with shampoos, medications, creams, and sprays and fell into a schedule by the end of the weekend.
She now receives one bath a day in alternating shampoos and sometimes a second bath a day in oatmeal shampoo if she’s having an itchy day. She is on antibiotics, medication for the Malassezia, eye drops four times a day, and an antibiotic for the eyes twice a day. Her ears were infected so she also has cleanings and antibiotics twice a day for that. She loves her oatmeal spray and Gold Bond powder which not only helps her itching but she looks white and smells so much better. We have noticed for the first time yesterday that the odor is better and her eyes are clear of infection.
When we take her somewhere, she does draw a lot of angry looks from folks, and I know the anger is directed at me thinking we did this to her. But once we explain, they are on the floor on all fours talking and petting her and telling her what a sweet girl she is. She eats it up.
We are heading into our second week with Minne. Her ears no longer have an odor and she is running around the kitchen now and playing for the first time. She is very shy around strangers still but she lays in my lap and seems happy to just have a family. She does not shrink away when we touch her now and she has even barked a few times and wagged her tail for the first time yesterday.
WestieMed, thank you so much for the help you have given us – not just for vet bills, but for emotional support and also great insight and information. Minnie is slowly showing us the sweet little dog that has been hidden and it’s because of your help that this is possible.
Mary Adams West Highland Rescue of NY
Minnie 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
When my husband and I were combing the shelters for a few dogs to bring into our foster program, Little Orphan Angels, one Sunday, the animal control officer (ACO) showed us a little Westie they had been housing for a few weeks. She told us that he was found as a stray with his collar “growing into his neck” because it was too small. In addition, he had a bone lodged in the back of his jaw. He had apparently gotten so hungry he had tried to eat a bone which then got stuck. Because of the bone lodged in his mouth, he had a bad infection. If all that was not enough, he also had this black skin that looked like elephant skin (we now know to be Malassezia). The ACO said that when they bathed him for the first time the black skin and dirt just sloughed off and turned his bathwater black. They had to bathe him several times before they were satisfied, and still, he had black, scaley skin and a bad odor about him.
Soon after he was picked up and cleaned up, he went to surgery to remove the bone from his mouth. Then, he had to complete a course of antibiotics for the infection. Everyone at the shelter fell in love with his personality, but they were concerned that since he did not look (or smell) that great, he would not get adopted and would have to be euthanized. Hence, they pointed us to him on that Saturday.
Now, with a dog who has no significant medical conditions, we always check with the board and find the appropriate foster. So, we could not take the friendly little Westie that day. We did ask the ACO to put a hold on him and told her we would be back the following week. We did return to pick him up the next week and took him straight to our vet.
Unfortunately, Westie’s have very specific medical problems and not all vets are familiar with them. So, the first prognosis we received was not optimistic. Luckily, the newly named Boomer had a great foster mom who looked into the local Westie Rescue and got some information on a great, knowledgable vet. We drove across town and saw them and were given better news, but could not continue to drive so far for Boomer’s treatments and check-ups. Finally, we came across one of our regular vets who turns out to be very knowledgeable about Westie’s and got Boomer on the right course of treatment. This, of course, sounds like good news, but the right course of treatment for Boomer was quite a regimen! He had about 4 pills he took 3 times a day. He had to have a bath every other day with alternating types of shampoos, and he had to be on special food. Oh yeah, and he STILL smelled! He also itched! Boomer was so itchy, in fact, that he would drag himself across the room on his stomach!
Of course, no story would be complete without a happy ending, so here it is…Boomer was at the Petco where we do our adoptions several weekends and his various foster homes (he was a lot of work but so sweet, so our fosters took turns keeping him) for a few months. Finally, a woman who had previously owned a Westie in worse shape than Boomer e-mailed us. She was looking for another Westie since hers had recently passed away. They met, and it was love at first sight! The adoption was completed the following week.
Boomer now has a great home, is done with most of his medication, and is growing fur! He is the hit of the neighborhood and the best friend of his new owner (as pictured above)!
Thanks to Westie Med, Little Orphan Angels, the North Richland Hills Shelter, Parkside Animal Hospital, and his new owner Connie, Boomer is living the life every dog should lead–a very happy, healthy one!
About 10 a.m. one Tuesday earlier in August, I received a call from the concerned owner that they had heard I rescued and helped small dogs. As I have helped in the rescue and placement of Cairn Terriers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and some mix-breed puppies, I indicated I can sometimes help. What did they need?
Rags story begins when her well-intending owners of eleven years were moving and the main caregiver was returning to full-time employment. They decided to put her in the newspaper for free considering people would not be interested in buying an older dog. They did find someone interested and just let them pick the dog up and felt all was well.
For the original owner, all was well until about two weeks later someone called saying they had found their dog, locating them by an old tag left on Rags’ collar. Rags had apparently walked in their back door as they opened it to go out one evening. She was so filthy they did not know she was even a Westie. They bathed, defeated, and treated her ears thinking something had chewed on them as they looked infected with sores. Three days later the original owner picked her up and that is when they called me. They were afraid to try to place her again and did not have the time for her. They also mentioned sending Rags to animal control if I could not help.
So not being one to say no, I picked up the sweetest, confused, pretty little white dog I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and saw she needed immediate vet care for her ears. They had her groomed but had not had her to the vet. I and several others who heard of her plight could not understand how someone could give up such a beautiful little dog after owning her all her life.
After searching on the internet for what seems like hours, I found the representative for WHWTCA Westie Rescue. I told her I would gladly foster Rags and needed her help with placement for Rags, but also had very limited personal funds for veterinarian costs. My funds go very quickly having nine Cairn Terriers, most with special needs, two with seizures, three with severe skin allergies, one has had surgery to remove hip joint, etc., (who by the way have all been getting along wonderfully with Rags, she is so sweet). She immediately told me to look up WestieMed.com and see if they could help. Thank goodness there is such a group.
Rags first visit to the vet indicated she was heartworm free but had a severe ear infection in her right ear, also eye and skin irritations. The vet could not believe how strong and spirited she is for her age. She would need drops twice a day, plus daily and bi-weekly cleaning of both ears for blockages, as her hearing was impaired, and oral antibiotics for up to three months. As I had also noticed excessive drinking and piddling, which the original owner said she had never noticed. Rags also needed blood work which indicated no diabetes, thyroid problems, or other causes. So more and expensive blood testing has been done for the possibility of Cushing’s Disease. Without WestieMed I would have had difficulty finding she has early stages of an unpleasant but thank goodness a treatable problem. She will need medication for the remainder of her life, but it can be a good life.
And even though I have fallen in love with her, I know she can be placed in a new home with people who can really care for her no matter what.
Thank you again Robin Bateman and mostly RAGS
Rags – WestieMed Recipient
Update December 2002:
Rags are in a new long-term foster home with Sharon and Michael and is doing well. She’s a sweet, though quite an overweight girlie!
On behalf of Rags, WestieMed would like to thank Robin for fostering her for so long and taking such good care of her while a new foster home was being sought.
Angus came into our lives last year at Christmas. He had been used as a stud dog in a puppy mill, but had received little, if any medical care. He was rescued by a vet tech that had refused to euthanize him. At that time, he was very thin and had almost no hair-hardly recognizable as a Westie.
We assumed Angus’s foster care through the Florida Westie Rescue group. He had just been diagnosed with heartworm, and he was very timid around our family our other two Westies. We joked that our dogs looked like Vikings—hairy, noisy, and leaving a path of destruction in their wake—in comparison with the meek, petite, and scrawny Angus.
Angus started coughing on Christmas eve, and our vet diagnosed advanced heartworm infestation on the day after Christmas. We began treatment immediately, and Angus rewarded us all by being a real fighter. It was hard to keep him quiet as the treatment progressed and he began to feel better.
Angus – WestieMed Recipient
Angus is now heartworm free, and had recovered most of his coat. He still has
hyperpigmentation on his withers and chest, and his hair may never grow back in some spots. While he is loving and warm with us, strangers sometimes scare him. He has slowly learned how to be a Westie and it has been amazing to watch him develop both physically and emotionally.
We look forward to finding a loving family for Angus. Many thanks to WestieMed for the support that helped us save Angus. Angus was our first foster dog, but we hope to be able to continue to foster additional Westies here in Florida.
On the morning of April 2, 2002, I was walking through our local animal control, as I routinely do, looking for Chihuahuas or other similar dogs in need of rescue. Due to lack of space, time, and money unfortunately this shelter has to put many dogs down, for the slightest ailments. On this particular morning, we came across a little West Highland White Terrier (two-year-old Cody), who was signed off (to be euthanized), and we looked at her, played with her, and couldn’t figure out what the problem was, that would cause her to be put down. When we looked at her kennel card, we saw that she was owner surrendered for being pregnant. Pregnant dogs are not put up for adoption at this particular shelter. So, we went to the kennel manager’s office and told him we were going to pull this little lady from the shelter… and we did. She went to our Veterinarian, who confirmed her pregnancy, and said that she was otherwise healthy. Approximately two weeks later, on April 17,2002, she went into labor. After a short while of her in labor, and not producing puppies, we rushed her to our Veterinarian who did x-rays and said that she needed an emergency cesarean section, in order for her to deliver successfully.
The Buns – WestieMed Recipient
Thanks to WestieMed who so kindly donated funds to pay for this C-Section, Cody was able to successfully deliver five sweet Westie buns. Unfortunately, one passed away several hours later. The other four proved to be completely healthy, and were recently spayed & neutered, and have loving adoptive homes waiting. Cody, the pups mother was surprisingly the first to be adopted, by a wonderful home, which owns another rescued Westie.
Thanks to the kind contribution from WestieMed, five lives have been saved.
Thank you WestieMed!
Nick De Pompa Founder Chihuahua-Toy Breed Rescue
We asked how the “Buns” were named:
Response: Well, we are a bit nuts down her in Florida (maybe the heat). While Cody (the mother) was pregnant, we kept asking her “how many Buns have you got in there”, “how are the Buns today” etc., etc. When we would bring her in to the vet for her check ups (before birth), we would say to the vet “how are the buns” etc. When she went in for her C-Section, the vet came out of the surgery room and said “The buns are here!!”….And it kind of stuck from then on…
Update February 2003:
All four of the Buns and their momma Cody are doing just fine. We check up with our adopters at least monthly, and to date all reports have been of progress. Two of the puppies owners have acquired personal/in-home trainers to help modify behavior, but all are doing great with potty training etc. All of them are still completely healthy, except the smallest puppy Elma (re-named Isabella) had come down with a mild allergy to grass, but is doing well now that her folks know the route of the problem. The mother (Cody) is doing well also; she and her husband (adopted male/neutered Westie) are best of buddies and keep each-other entertained while their Mom works.
Take care & thanks for asking, Nick Chihuahua & Toy Breed Rescue
Jake is a two-year-old male Westie with Juvenile Cataracts. He was bred by a backyard breeder and purchased as a puppy by a single woman. However, the owner’s health made it impossible for her to care him properly. She surrendered him to the Westie Rescue program of the West Highland White Terrier Club of California.
The rescue volunteer stated that Jake was the sweetest Westie she had ever seen. She took Jake to a veterinary ophthalmologist to determine if anything could be done for his complete blindness. Jake contentedly sat on her lap at the doctor’s office, he was friendly with other dogs and cats and he let the doctor and staff do the evaluation exam without a squirm or a cry. The ophthalmologist stated Jacob’s vision could be restored by removing the cataracts. Jake has no other health problems and his prognosis for a long and wonderful life was excellent.
Soon foster care was arranged for Jake. He was fostered by a retired schoolteacher who was committed to take care of him before, during, and after the surgery to restore his vision. The surgery was scheduled for July 30, 2002.
After Jake’s surgery we received the following message: “Jake’s surgery went well. They were able to do both eyes. He is being treated with oral medication and several different eye drops. The day after surgery they tested Jake on the obstacle course and he did extremely well, both in bright and dim light. Everyone at the doctor’s office thinks he’s a wonderful dog. He’s so patient when they examine him. He never whimpers, growls or tries to squirm off the table. When I take him out to the yard he seems quite amazed by the world he’s able to see.”
WestieMed is pleased to help defray the medical costs to restore Jake’s vision.
August 2002:
We took Jake to Spokane yesterday for his three week check and he’s doing GREAT!! The doctor is very pleased with his progress and he’s the best patient they’ve ever had. Everyone in the office loves him. His eyes are clear, bright and shiny now and he can run around the yard and play and doesn’t run into things. I’m so happy for him. He’s such a wonderful companion. I want to thank you (WHWTCC Westie Rescue) so much for placing him with me and a HUGE THANK YOU to WestieMed for financing his surgery.
I received a call from a man in southern LA who said he had adopted a Westie from a local shelter. He went on to explain that after taking her to the vet and learning of her health problems he could not keep her and wanted to turn her over to rescue. Dave and Mary Shipman went to pick her up at the vet’s office and brought her along on a rescue transport to me. I was told that she had a bladder stone but had no idea how severe her condition was until Mary and Dave filled me in. The poor baby was completely incontinent and had to wear a diaper when indoors. She arrived on Sunday and we were at my vet’s door Monday morning. Surgery was done that afternoon and a two-inch stone was removed from her bladder. She had also been diagnosed as having a level three heart murmur, my vet could not find anything that serious and felt like it was a level one at most. No surgery required! She came home with me and the change was amazing, what a little sweetheart she is!
But Lilly’s troubles were not over, she is heartworm positive and began her treatment on 7-22-02. She is doing great so far and I expect a complete recovery!
I have no idea what circumstances led Lilly to that shelter… I can not see any behavior problems at all, she gets along well with my other Westies and loves to play. Now she has a family in her future that truly loves her, I am looking for that family now. 🙂
I have to say that without this help I would not have been able to continue with rescue until I raised additional funds somehow. Once again Westie Med has kept me afloat and I can not thank you all enough!!!
Laura Louisiana Westie Rescue
Update September 2, 2002:
Lilly was declared all clear of those nasty heartworms last week and was adopted this weekend. They are previous Westie owners, it was love at first sight!
Lilly – WestieMed Recipient
Update February 2003:
Lilly is doing great. She has fit in very well with our family, except for the cats of course. She has had no further medical problems except she favors her left rear leg. She loves to be the center of attention and doesn’t eat unless she is in the room with us. She sleeps at the end of our bed and has proven to be a good watchdog, although we haven’t found what she is barking at. She is also a skilled hunter with a heart. One day my wife let her in from the backyard with what looked like leaves in her mouth. It turned out to be a small bird that appeared to have no physical trauma though it was in shock.
We love Lilly and are very thankful for your assistance.
Sincerely, Bob and Gayla
Update June 2003:
Miss Lilly is doing great and has been a wonderful part of our family. She remains heartworm free. Gayla has really spoiled her. She loves to drink her water with ice in it and she thinks it is a real treat to drink out of a handheld cup. She eats special food supplied by our vet so that bladder infections can be avoided. She loves the attention that we give her. She does tend to be obsessive-compulsive especially where our cats are concerned. We keep them separated, not knowing who would be the winner in a confrontation. She has been such a blessing to us and we thank you so much for helping us find her.
Shannon’s story is an excellent example of what can happen when everyone puts the welfare of a dog before all other issues. This is a story of a number of volunteers and groups working together to contribute to the rescue and treatment of a truly wonderful Westie.
The first part of her story is told by Dianne Luistro of Northeast Westie Rescue. Dianne received the referral call about Shannon and coordinated her surrender and placement in an emergency foster home.
Part one: Dianne Coordinates the Rescue.
Shannon is a very sweet, four-year-old Westie girl with a gentle soul. Her former owners bought her as a puppy from a pet shop. She was well until October 2001 when she began scratching and losing hair. For more than a year, the family took her to the vet and tried to keep up the rigorous schedule of bathing, giving antibiotics, cleaning her ears, and taking her for walks. But, as they told us, other family demands caused Shannon’s care to come in last, and they felt she deserved better than that.
They contacted the MSPCA in Methuen, Massachusetts. The MSPCA staff could not guarantee she would be adopted and/or cured in her current condition. Nor, could they guarantee she would not be euthanized if a home wasn’t found. The MSPCA did give the family a phone number for Northeast Westie Rescue. It took another six weeks to gather the courage to call us. They were not sure what our reaction would be to her condition.
Of course, we were ready to take her in with open arms. But, we had a house full of puppies and needed an alternate foster home. We called Penny & Ed Cherubino, a Boston couple, who work with Westie Rescue of Missouri. They accepted the surrender and provided emergency fostered for Shannon on behalf of North East Westie Rescue.
Part two: From Penny – Shannon’s weeks in Boston
By the time I picked her up on June 6, 2002, Shannon had lost two-thirds of her hair. The only parts of her that were not bare were the top of her head, her rump, and tail. The exposed skin felt like an elephant’s hide and was black and crusty. Because she had fungal infections of the skin and ears, she smelled awful. She was a very sad, uncomfortable girl.
Fortunately, I had seen cases as severe as Shannon’s cured by Westie Rescue of Missouri volunteers. I also live within walking distance of the Back Bay Veterinary Clinic where Veterinarians with very big hearts were ready and willing to see an emergency rescue pup the moment she arrived in Boston. It also helped that Shannon’s family had supplied us with copies of her veterinary records.
The Back Bay Vets repeated the skin scrapings to be sure it was not a contagious disease that would transmit to our Westie, Maggie Mae, or the dozens of new doggie friends Shannon would make in our neighborhood. They diagnosed Malassezia Dermatitis, and we agreed upon a routine of care.
They prescribed:
A new antibiotic (in case she had become resistant to the one that had been used over the past year);
Ear cleaning and ointment twice a day;
Fifteen-minute baths with medicated shampoo every three days followed by a hydrocortisone lotion rubbed onto her damp skin after each bath;
Benadryl twice a day to relieve the itching
We decided to hold off on the potent, anti-fungal drugs to see if, with strict adherence to the routine, we could make some real progress without them.
Just to be sure of the treatment, I sent an email to the real experts–other rescuers! Members of the Westie Express Transport Group supplied ideas and successful programs for dealing with a skin problem of this magnitude. Within a day I had lots of solid information and a list of folks to contact for specific advice as I needed it.
I consider Angie Gittles of Capital Paws and WestieMed as my mentor on this rescue. The program the Vets and I agreed upon was one she has used with great success.
My one addition to the program was to put a size two toddler T-shirt on Shannon to make her more presentable to the outside world. It hid most of her bare skin. When we walked her, she got lots of pats and cooing as she won hearts in the Back Bay. The shirt also minimized the damage she was doing to her skin when she scratched. The downside of using a shirt is that it could hold in moisture which is not good for a fungal infection, so we used this with great care.
Once we all agreed to a few ground rules, Shannon became one of the most cooperative patients any rescuer could ask for.
Her first bath was a disaster. Shannon screamed like a banshee and struggled like we were trying to murder her. We quickly discovered that while she was terrified of being put into water, she didn’t mind if we poured water over her. We finished that bath with her standing on the kitchen counter for her fifteen-minute massage and rinsed her with buckets of water poured gently over her from behind.
Long walks in the city called for another agreement. Shannon had lost four pounds in the past 8 months. A lack of exercise has left her with very little muscle mass – she was not a strong pup. We were used to taking long walks with Maggie Mae and her pals. By day three, Shannon was sore and limping. So we agreed that she would walk a little and be carried a little. This proved to be easier than expected.
We have a group of doggie families who meet at a local cafe on a weekend morning to have breakfast together and then head out on a nice long walk with many puppy play breaks along the way. Miss Shannon came to love these outings. She would move from lap to lap at the cafe. Once on the road, we seldom carried her as one friend after another scooped her up and gave her a little rest and a big cuddle.
She settled right in to our home and seemed to improve every day. Soon we felt she was well enough to move on to her long-term foster home. Our continuing contribution to Shannon’s rescue will be to raise money for WestieMed to refill their coffers, so they are ready to help the next dog in need. Members of the Internet Group “The Great Westie Gathering” have already donated money for Shannon’s care and more donations are on the way. We are also keeping our eyes and ears open to find the perfect home for this special girl.
Part Three: Back to Dianne for long term foster care.
By the time my husband Frank and I took over her foster care, Shannon was free of all her scabs and smelled lovely for two to three days at a time. We could see the first signs of peach fuzz poking through. Shannon was still showing black skin, but she was gaining weight and eating well.
At our house, she was in the country. Shannon loved running through the doggy door out into the back yard. She mastered that doggy door the first day. Smart girl!!!!! She followed my two Westies: Rooney an eleven-year-old rescue and Annie an eight-year-old brat. (You know the type!!!)
A very important part of her treatment is a Malaseb shampoo bath every three days. Shannon is an angel when she has to stand in the sink for fifteen minutes while it gets absorbed.
She was on 25 mg of Benadryl to control the itching and inflammation. We were told to slowly wean her off it. By July 11, 2002, she was completely off Benadryl, had stopped all scratching, and was much more alert and active. We also began giving her one teaspoon of flaxseed oil. (a tip was given to us by North East Westie Rescue’s Jennifer Caffrey)
Angie of WestieMed also gave us some fabulous suggestions. One of the most effective was changing her diet to Science Diet Z/D — a low-allergen, synthetic-based protein food.
Shannon’s progress is amazing. Her skin and fur become softer every day. By July 16, 2002 she had put on two pounds and regained all of her muscle mass. She has hair growing on every part of her body except her eyes and nose!!!!!!!
She is not up for adoption yet. We want her fur to grow in a little more and want to continue to monitor her progress. Any potential owner must have the time to provide ongoing care. Shannon will need a weekly maintenance shampoo. Her ears need to be cleaned often, and she must get the proper food. But, this little girl is well on her way to becoming a little princess!!!!!
WestieMed has generously paid for her vet visits, supplies, shots and medication. They will also supply her with lots of Malaseb shampoo to pass on to her new owners.
Thank you WestieMed for approving the finances to enable North East Westie Rescue to carry through with Shannon’s Cinderella story.
Dianne Luistro & Penny Cherubino
Maggie – WestieMed Recipient
Update August 2002:
Shannon was adopted on August 11, 2002, by a wonderful family who has all the time in the world to devote to Shannon’s continuing care. Shannon also has a big brother dog named ” Spencer.” They both go to the beach on the weekends with their parents. Thank-you Westiemed and especially Angie who gave us the directions and formula to get Shannon well.
Dianne
Update December 2002:
My husband & I adopted Shannon (who we now call Maggie) in August from Dianne Luistro. She has brought so much happiness into our home & has flourished. At her last vet appointment she weighed 18 lbs., loves to eat, play & cuddle. She is still having her weekly baths & this week she went for her first grooming. She now looks like a show dog! The groomer said her fur was very full & healthy. She has won our hearts & has become best friends with Spenser (our Chessie). She gives him a run around the yard & he still hasn’t caught her! Just want to say thank you to all of you at Westie rescue for all the wonderful work you do.
Happy Holidays, Joan
Update January 2003: New Photos of Maggie
Maggie – WestieMed Recipient
Update June 2003:
Maggie is doing just great – she’s gotten fat and sassy! She is very comfortable in our home & has become quite affectionate. It seems as if she has always been here. I still have two unopened bottles of Malasab shampoo & if there is someone that needs it I would be happy to send them. The groomer uses her own shampoo & Maggie’s fur is beautiful. (when I can keep her clean, she loves to roll around outside!) I haven’t taken any new pictures, but when I do I’ll send some.
