Allergies – Page 3

Allie

March 1, 2009December 26, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

March 16^th started out like any other day. Woke up, let the Beagle man out, made coffee, checked email – Subject caught my eye: WHO CAN CARE FOR ME? I’VE BEEN ABANDONED!!! – I had to read on….

‘… as people struggle in this difficult economy, it is often our loyal and loving animal companions who suffer the most. This sweet little girl was found abandoned on a blanket, in a park in Framingham day-before-yesterday. The dog officer surmised she had been there all night, in the 19 degrees cold and rain. She is a sweet young dog who, as you can see, has a skin condition. She has had three skin scrapings to test for mites and they were all negative, however, the results of the tests confirmed a yeast infection. If no home or foster can be located for her, she is scheduled to be euthanized this coming week.”

LOOK at that face! I was smitten! When I arrived at the Framingham Animal Control office that day, she was standing in the back of the large concrete kennel — she had no hair, her skin was red, full of sores and lesions, her nails were long and curled, and HOW, HOW could a small dog smell so terrible? The Officer walked her out to my car – every three to four steps she would stop to pee — what was wrong? To be honest, I was wondering if she would make it at all… she was bleeding. Off to the most amazing Vet in MA – Dr. Holly Kelsey – her techs took this little one from my arms, washed her and soon after the Dr. started the examination, blood work, urine cultures, skin scrapings, x-rays, etc. Beenie was so agreeable. She was, no doubt, in pain yet not one growl, bite, or flinch. She had just surrendered.

Results: yeast infection, allergies, skin infections, bladder infection, ear infection, anemic, underweight, and the worst was the X-ray showed a bladder full of large stones. Stones that were too large to dissolve or pass; surgery was needed immediately. (I started to panic) I want to help, but how can I do this? What is going to happen to her? I can’t afford a $1,400. surgery… I wanted to cry. I thanked the Dr. and I took Beenie home. That evening she curled up on my lap on a towel and slept – I could feel the weight of her little tired body. For the next three hours, I made phone calls and emailed and I learned of WestieMed – and soon of ‘Bette’ – wonderful, unbelievable – with their support and this little girl’s determination, I thought pffft…she’s going to MAKE it!

After surgery, staples, antibiotics, allergy medication, special food, ear drops, medicated baths, up-all-night peeing, diarrhea, vomiting, etc… I can say that seven weeks later…

She’s the boss! She’s my little CEO. (True to this breed I’m told) She talks a lot, and she’s quite the conversationalist, she has opinions on EVERYTHING! She’s definitely a ham and a camera hog, but the best thing is her spirit. She is just so happy to be alive that it shows in her face every minute of every day.

I would have expected her spirit to be broken, or fearful of people, or overly aggressive. I mean, I would have more issues than The Reader’s Digest if I’d been in pain for that long. If you could translate her ‘Beenie-speak’, I would bet she says “LOOK, I’M SMILING! I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO TODAY! I LOVE MY FRIENDS, BROTHER, MOM, NEIGHBOR, MY FENCE DOG FRIEND JOYCE, PETCO, BELLY RUBS, PARK, CHICKEN, BALLS, EAR SCRATCHES, NURSING MY STUFFED MOUSE TOY, CHASING, RUNNING…’ She stole my heart from the very first time I met her!

She’s gained plenty of weight (because her Mommy is definitely qualified to fatten up a dog!) and now I can’t feel her ribs or backbone anymore. Her skin is healed and soft, her fur is completely back thick, shiny, soft and full.

We could all take a lesson from Ms. Beenie – happiness is a choice, a state of mind, not the result of your current circumstances. She’s made it!! Lucky me. My little Been Bag today! twelve pounds!

Crystal

Update September 22, 2009

Allie is my heart!

She has a chronic urinary problem, but we address this every day with antibiotics (two pills a day), and one allergy pill every other day, with a side of prayer that bladder stones do not form again. She sleeps in bed on a towel and she knows just where to go when she’s allowed up. Of course, the towel is right on the passenger side of the bed at the pillow for comfort. 🙂

She looks extra cute these days and super feisty with the weather change.

Kind regards,
Crystal

Update February 22, 2010

Allie’s SUPER!

She has had no further problems. At all. Nothing. Not one thing. No bad urine samples, no stones, no allergies, etc… She’s on a daily regime of one chewable vitamin C, bottled water, and WD Chicken crunchies. She snacks on carrots, apples, cucumbers, and the occasional biscuit.

She’s as healthy and happy as could be.

She’s the most determined little girl ever… sometimes I get frustrated and then I look at her (and I say this out loud), ”I LOVE THAT ABOUT YOU”… she wags her tail….

Little girls are made of sugar and spice, mine has spirit and moxie…. I LOVE HER

Thank you WestieMed…

Kind regards,
Crystal and Allie

Sophie’s Delight

November 1, 2007January 28, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

November 2007:

I was contacted regarding a four-year-old, unspayed, Westie in dire need of medical attention. The callers conveyed to me that they commented on a photo of a Westie at a business location and the owner said that she didn’t look like that anymore. She said she was allergic to cats, and she needed a new home. She would be happy to let them have her.

On approximately October 24th, the above persons met the owner in a parking lot and found this poor female unsprayed Westie filthy and severe ear infection, loss of hair. They were horrified at her state. The owner cried and said she could no longer afford the dog and signed the dog over complete with vet bills and AKC papers. The owner sent her with a volume of vet bills up until May 2007

The good Samaritans looked through the vet bills and found that Sophie had cost about $2500 to date in vet bills. None of the bills dealt with her skin problems, but she was billed for a ton of unnecessary work which was covered under “pet insurance.”

The finder wrote: The woman told me Sophie’s health was okay until about a year ago when they got two Persian cats. She says the vet thinks she is allergic to cats and that her health would not improve until she was removed from that environment. True or not, the woman was obviously desperate so I brought Sophie home to try to find help. The paperwork she gave me from the vet doesn’t tell me a lot but does seem reasonably consistent with the timeframe.

October 29th – Contacted rescue – They kept her for two days and were very enchanted with her, but her health was so diminished that they felt with their jobs they had no time for her, and wanted her to have a good life, made a Vet appointment and the Vet shook his head and said – she is going to be a “major project”. (at that time this Vet also didn’t give Sophie any meds, this was apparently a “consultation” visit. He told the ‘Finders” the cost and dedication would be off the charts, and how much did they want to do this? After the consultation, they decided to turn her over to rescue. We made arrangements for the transfer.

October 30th a.m. – Transport: In the fog @ 8:30 am Mary Scott drove out to Coupeville and boarded the Keystone Ferry to Port Townsend. She was armed with a crate, and leash and she also had the release forms and was going to meet the “husband” at 11:30 at the ferry dock and do a turnaround and come and drop Sophie off at my house. Mary called me from the Ferry at noon and said “I’m heading back, and you aren’t going to believe it. She is worse than Shannon was. She is bleeding out of crevices of her skin, she is biting and itching and I think I am going to cry. “ I said, “MARY, don’t cry now, she is on the road to recovery, I have to call the vet and see if I can get her in today.” Mary said – “She’s a mess, a poor pitiful mess”. It was a four transport.

October 30th – I transferred Sophie from Mary’s car to my car crate, and she itched and bled in my crate as I drove down to the Bothell Animal Hospital. I was on the cell phone ten times with their staff, they probably were sick of hearing me. I left Sophie for the night so she could get bathed and all her testing done and do something about her comfort. She had to have massive steroid shots. I also wanted them to bathe her and medicate her as she was in a sorry state, and very cranky. I didn’t want her first day with me to be unpleasant, and I needed time to prepare my home for her and an introduction to my dogs.

Dr. Shannon Smith called at sevem pm and said they injected her with steroids to stop the itching, she is getting a medicated bath two times tonight and she has had her ears flushed, her eyes flushed, antibiotics, and starts her Ketoconozole when she gets home. I will also be stopping on the way down tomorrow to pick her up – and get some doggie PJs. She has several infections going on and Dr. Smith found flea dirt which just adds to the whole mess. We didn’t want to treat her for fleas until she heals more, the cracks and dry skin are not good. It’s going to be a long haul and she said we can’t spay her until her skin heals or else the incision can get a horrible infection. We are closing off the evening with Sophie safe and warm and not in pain, me exhausted, Mary exhausted and me playing musical chairs with the other fosters and working on getting funding for Sophie’s meds. Blood was drawn to see what caused all these allergies.

November 3, 2007 – Sophie is responding to the medicated baths and exfoliation. Her ears are finally returning to normal, and she is still very cold and shivering. She is wrapped in baby blankets, and pjs. She has baby blankets and receiving blankets lining her crate and she prefers being in front of the fire place. She is slowly responding. She seems to be a one owner dog, and has never really been socialized. She has deemed me her HUMAN, and so we have some jealousy issues to work on. Other than that, she is a very sweet dog and thankfully perfectly potty trained and crate trained.

November 9, 2007 – Daily baths with Malaseb are really making a difference. Her clothing is changed two times a day to keep her clean. I wipe her feet off w/baby wipes when she comes inside. She finally started playing with toys and is very affectionate. Her hair is growing back on her face and body, but her legs are still in disarray. She has stopped itching which I contribute to the bathing. Sophie also allowed me to scrape her teeth with a dentist metal scraper and she let me brush her teeth also. Her back teeth are in bad shape and she will need her teeth cleaned. She is currently on non-grain dry food only with yogurt and grain-free dog biscuits or apples.

November 14, 2007 – Vet appointment showed that her yeast is subsiding but she still has a raging Staph infection. Her allergy tests came back and the only thing she was allergic to on the food/airborne side was: lamb! She showed a level two on fleas. The outcome seemed to be that this minor allergy was neglected and caused her to get into this state. Fortunately for us, we can solve this issue with flea meds and a change of diet. It was sad to know all this was caused by something so preventable. We discussed her spaying and Dr. Smith said another month until her Staph infection is cleared up. Also to put her back on more antibiotics.

November 16, 2007 – I have decided to put Sophie in another foster home because she is getting to attached to me. I find that rotating the fosters out, help them evolve in their personality, teach them manners in other homes, and just open up a new experience in their life. It also helps the foster moms experience all the different rescue dogs we come across.

November 20, 2007 – Foster mom reported she is doing well. She is getting along with the other Westie. She is still cold and prefers sitting in front of the fireplace. She is eating well and is a stellar house guest. We anticipate her staying in this foster home for three more weeks and then we will make arrangements for spaying and dental care.

Our outlook is that Sophie will have a great life, and not a life of allergies. She has been a joy to foster, and cute as a button. I suspect she will be in foster care for another two months.

Karin Parish – Seattle Dog Rescue – Westies

December 2007:

Glad Tidings to all!

Sophie has made a come-back and full recovery. (two months in our great care!)

She is scheduled for spaying and dental on December 27th.

We want to thank you for making it possible to help save her.

Karin Parish – Westie Rescue

Update May 7, 2008:

Sophie was adopted to a first time Westie owner single woman in a condo, and its a great match.

She was in foster care four and half months. (It was a long HAUL).

Both the owner and Sophie have the same temperament. Sophie is the Diva and her owner treats her as a diva with a complete wardrobe and such.

They are both stay at home “gals” so they bring each other much comfort.

Sophie rides wonderfully in a car, so she is a joy to take places.

She is happier being an only dog, as she has more room to store her TIARA.

Karin Parish – Westie Rescue

Shadow

December 1, 2006February 5, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

December 2006:

Shadow’s journey.

How do we know that God exists? One way to tell is if you have ever seen a small child wandering in a department store or on a busy city street without an adult right next to them holding their hand. If you look around you will see virtually every eye of every adult in the area will be fixed on the child and many of them starting to move forward to help…until of course the child’s adult companion shows up and everyone relaxes…I think that is one way that God acts in this world… through the eyes, hands, and hearts of good people here on earth who step forward and do what is good and right for those that can’t help themselves. And that is precisely what has happened to Shadow. It started with Westie Rescue of Missouri when Angie Jamison heard there was a Westie at a shelter in Northern Illinois. She then called Debbie Kolze who lived nearby to see if she could help.

Here is Debbie’s story of the rescue and her and her husband’s excellent and heroic foster care:

“Angie at Westie Rescue told me that there was a shelter in Seneca, IL that had a Westie. He was turned in to them by another rescue transport. When they got him he was full of fleas, ticks, was filthy, and literally nothing but skin and bones and missing large patches of fur. The shelter was very full, and Shadow did not do well there. So after a few days, they shipped him off to a woman named “Lee” who will take in the overflow animals at the shelter since she apparently has a farm or lots of land or something and is willing to help if the shelter needs assistance. Anyway, Lee gave him flea baths and wormed him. She said he wasn’t housebroken when she got him, but she trained him. She said he ate okay but everything he ate was just running out of him.
“On May 16th, 2006 I went to pick him up. I met Lee outside of Seneca, IL off I-88 at a convenience store parking lot. She handed “Duffy” to me as she had nicknamed him, and gave me a bag with some gravy pouches and some dry dog food. She said I could keep the collar and leash, then she signed the makeshift release form I gave her and drove away.
“Duffy” stood most of the way home in the front seat of my car. I thought he might be a Westie mix, maybe part Collie or Sheltie because he wasn’t very white and his face looked more like a Collie than a Westie. After a while, he laid down but just for a few minutes only to stand up again. I sensed that his back hurt. When I touched his back it was arched up high and I could feel every vertebra from his neck down to his tail. I didn’t like touching him at all, he was just a skeleton, and he smelled. But when he looked at me with the one lone round star in his right eye (he has cataracts that have blinded him), I said to him, “I think you are going to break my heart.” Because I didn’t think he would live another week since he was such a mess.
“I had called my vet before picking him up and had an appointment for later that afternoon. He weighed in at under 13 pounds. The vet said he was full of infections, his teeth, his ears, and suspected internally too. He was given an antibiotic shot and put on a couple of prescriptions for the infections and the obvious pain in his back or hind legs. I was told to bring him back in a week. He went back before that for severe diarrhea.
“After having him one week we took him to the groomer and he surprisingly did look like a Westie, a very very skinny Westie. I hate to say how much I disliked touching him other than his face those early days. When he started to gain weight, I’d touch his face and neck, and as he filled out I could touch his shoulders. He was just so skinny he felt awful. When he finally got to his optimum weight only the very end of the spine could be felt, and a little of his hips.
“I put him on a diet of dry food, that I’d moisten and microwave soft so that he could eat it with his badly infected teeth. I introduced different foods slowly and one at a time to see how he handled them. I knew I had to put weight on him, but slowly, I wanted him to build muscle. I fed him 4 times a day. The dry dog food mix soon was mixed with canned food in the morning and evening, and a snack of something like cottage cheese or a hard-boiled egg at lunch and again at bedtime, usually mixed with more dog food. The canned dog food was a turkey-based Adult Science Diet rather than beef or something else. Once he had his dental in June I no longer softened his dry food, and once he got up to eighteen pounds he only ate twice a day. It took him about three months to gain the six pounds. Then it was easy to pet him, pick him up and hold him and love him and not feel like I was hurting him.
“Around the same time he had the dental done, he got a one-year Rabies shot and started his heartworm meds. That was also when he seemed to developed allergies. He was scratching and itching and biting, so he got put on Advantage for fleas, just in case. He has bitten himself till he has bled, “hot spots” they call them, so he went on Benadryl. At one time he was getting three to four different pills a day. He was on Baytril for eight weeks, he was on Rimadyl for pain for at least that long, as well as the Benadryl, and other things along the way. Like things for his ears, he had a couple of ear infections while with us, it seemed to clear up and then come back. Just a note, the Rimadyl made it easier for him to go for long walks and he appeared to be more comfortable while on it. It’s a drug that is not good for long-term use I am told.
“Since he liked to follow us around wherever we went we decided to name him “Shadow” as in me and my shadow.
“That’s Shadow’s story until he was adopted by you on November 6, 2006.” Debbie

Debbie did such great work with Shadow that all my vet could find wrong with him was a couple of remaining skin hot spots and his severe difficulty with cataracts which have essentially made him blind. Shadow has that classic walk of a blind dog in that he walks with his head down and in a very halting, hesitant, and stiff-legged fashion…tail between his legs. Well, we have gone to two of the leading veterinary ophthalmologists in the Chicago area for their opinions and they both have identified a hyper-mature cataract in the right eye blocking 100% of his vision and a mature cataract that blocks perhaps 90-95% vision in his left eye.

Since Shadow has not been neutered, the vets have theorized that Shadow was used as a puppy mill stud and when he could not perform any more he was “thrown away”. From the age of cataracts and their configuration, one of the eye doctors said that the right eye could have formed its cataract from a blow or trauma to that eye as the one on the left seems to be a naturally formed one due to age. So it is easy to see that Shadow was not a pet and was just caged and used for years by his unscrupulous keepers.

I see some further evidence of his background in his behavior around the house now. He doesn’t know how to play, nor is he at all socialized to how humans pet or hold dogs. His world at the puppy mill was one of being used until he was no longer useful with no love or care for any of his needs.

Well, Angie, Lee, Debbie, and I have each in our way tried to shower him with enough care to try to make up for his years of imprisonment. He is much better now, his skin has cleared up, his ears are clean and healthy and he even gets excited and gives lots of tail wags when I come home from work. He’s even striding more bravely on walks and is showing more confidence and poise around the house. He’s a gentle little guy who never barks and never puts up a fuss when he gets his eye drops or is examined at the vets…it’s all new to him.

Now, thanks to WestieMed’s grant, he will be able to have a chance at opening up his world and having his sight restored with cataract surgery. For however much time he has left it is wonderful to think that it won’t be spent alone in the dark, anymore. Now he has friends reaching out to help him and care for him…finally. On behalf of Shadow and all of us who have helped him along the way, thank you very, very much.

Sincerely, George Kase, Shadow’s new dad.

Update January 2008:

t is with an enormous amount of sadness that I must tell you of the passing of my boy Shadow on this past Monday morning, January 28th at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Buffalo Grove. From internal bleeding caused by complications of his Kidney disease.

Shadow was truly a lionhearted being. Courageous in everything he did, he never let his blindness nor his weakened muscles stop him in any way. He enjoyed his walks and sniffing as well as just exploring for the fun of it. He liked to lay on his blankie and particularly after a good meal, he really liked to roll around on it with abandon. One hobby he developed in recent months was a particular affection for finding one of the other dog’s bowls during mealtimes for a quick snack before being caught. I can’t say enough about him and how much richer he made my life for the brief time he lived here.

He’ll be missed very, very much.

George

Max

October 1, 2006February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

October 2006:

Max was an owner release to Oklahoma Westie Rescue (OWR). I think Max was given up out of love, not because his owner didn’t want him anymore. Max lived the last five years with his first mom and dad, but when they got a divorce, Max and his mom went to live at her mother’s house. Max’s owner’s mother said that he smelled bad and wouldn’t let him into the house, so Max was chained up outside to the tree. Max started losing his hair and itching all the time. Max’s mom took him to the vet and then to the dermatologist where she spent a large amount of money getting him tested. They diagnosed Max with being allergic to almost everything outdoors and many foods. The doctor suggested he be allowed inside and that his diet is changed to a food that doesn’t contain any of the allergens. But Max still went home and was still chained to the tree in the backyard, unable to chase the squirrels or have a soft comfy bed to lay on. And he continued to eat the same food. His condition worsened and his mom finally realized that she couldn’t give him the proper home he needed. She gave him up to OkWR so he could find a new home.

My fiance, Rod, and I decided that we needed another Westie in our lives. We had had our first Westie, Piper, whom we adopted through the humane society, for a year and believed that she needs a companion. After looking at many dogs thru OWR, we saw Max and thought he might be a perfect fit. On Max’s first home visit, he searched the house and finally found the toy box, dug through it until he found a chewy bone. He settled himself down on the floor and went to town chewing and knawing on his new find, just like it was made for him. Max had found his forever home.

A couple of weeks after adopting Max, he became sick. Rod came home from work and Max didn’t greet him at the door. Max wouldn’t go outside or eat. When Rod showed Max the cat and he didn’t chase him, he knew something was wrong. Being the over-concerned parent, I took him to the emergency room where they evaluated him and gave him some fluids and meds so he could sleep. The next day, we took Max to the vet where she diagnosed him with some sort of gastritis. She kept him all day and gave him fluids thru an IV. When I picked him up he had a pep in his step and a gleam in his eye. We took him home and he was back to his normal self, chasing Piper and protecting us from the squirrels. We are so happy that Max came into our lives. He has brought out the puppy in Piper. Rod and I both work full time and go to school. You have no idea how much you have helped us out. We would do anything for our dogs and we are so happy that you guys are willing to help us out.

Thank you from the bottom of our puppy lovin’ hearts!

Tere Hogan and Rod Earnest

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

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!!

Bach

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

March 2005:

The mission of Rainbow Rescues, Inc., in Casper, Wyoming, is to visit kill shelters in hopes of saving dogs that are about to be euthanized usually due to lack of space. One day a very small creature appeared, huddled in the back corner of a kennel. He was very dirty, yellow, shivering, and frightened beyond words – to the point of nipping when approached. Who knows “Bach’s” history? He was found at a waste treatment plant. Very difficult to get to for the little one; it did seem that he had been dumped. Fortunately, the shelter impounded him, cared for him the required seven day period for strays, and was willing to release him to rescue.

We went directly to the vet, mostly to see if he was closer to life or death. Good news: with a couple of baths, Bach magically became a white “swan.” He was determined to be about seven to eight years old and generally in good health. But he had been sorely neglected for years. Bach had four vet stays, three for surgeries. His teeth were cleaned (none had to be extracted,) a baseball-sized hernia was repaired and four to five small tumors were removed. Then several large warts were removed, one from his eyelid. Finally, two more tumors were removed. He had a complete health exam, blood screening, and many medicated baths which he quite enjoys. Bach’s coat is extremely thin, nonexistent in many places. There is no hair on his tail, back legs, or neck. He takes a couple of medications to encourage skin/coat health. Good food regularly and a sense of security have helped too.

Through all of this, Bach never nipped again. He certainly knows that he is no longer alone, out in the cold Wyoming weather. He has recovered nicely. After a couple of months of care and TLC, Bach turned out to be a doll. He loves basking in the sunshine, going for walks, eating, and more eating. And he is beginning to cuddle; it took a long time for him to be comfortable with that. He does sit up to win hearts – and it is very effective! All of his incisions have healed and some are even covered with hair! He is now housetrained, crate trained loves to ride on a pillow looking out the side window, and is very obedient and well mannered.

The donation from WestieMed to help with his medical expenses made it possible for Bach to be completely rehabilitated, physically and emotionally. He will be forever grateful for their compassion and generosity. According to the vet’s last comment, “he is making great progress and should have several years of healthy life ahead.” Bach may be enjoying the Utah sunshine for the rest of his life. He has a very positive forever home currently being evaluated.

Sincere appreciation for your assistance.

Rainbow Rescues, Inc. Bach, Valued Rescue Dog Jan Dodson, Director

Penny

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

February 2005:

I run a small dog rescue and a commercial dog breeder asked me if I would take Penny, a fivee-year-old Westie female in his kennel because her health was deteriorating for unknown reasons. Her hair was falling out and she was losing weight. I took her to my vet who gave her a thorough exam and did blood work, all of which was inconclusive. He suspected food allergies and put her on a special diet, Science Diet Z/D ($52 for 18 lbs!).

Another possible cause for her condition could have been uterine infection or disease, so the next step was to spay her. He didn’t see anything unusual about her uterus or ovaries, so he did a liver biopsy when he spayed her. While waiting on the results, she starting looking better, and while the results indicated that she was producing excessive steroids that could be due to diseased adrenal glands, it is possible that a tumor in her ovaries or uterus could have been what was causing the excessive hormones.

Penny’s breeder/owner told me that Penny had become increasingly agitated about being confined and that he had to take extra precautions to prevent her from escaping her whelping quarters and roaming the neighborhood. My vet said that history supported his theory that a tumor in her reproductive tract was producing excessive testosterone, so we will wait two weeks to see is her condition improves. If it does, then the problem was probably in her reproductive tract. If not, the problem is in her adrenal glands and she’ll have to start treatment for that. As a precaution, we will also keep her on the special diet for now as she could also have food allergies as well.

Needless to say, the vet bills were mounting!! I’m an independent rescuer whose only source of income for the rescue is adoption fees, and Penny’s vet bills would far exceed her adoption fee, so I turned to WestieMed for assistance and they came to the rescue, covering her vet bills.

Pat Kellim
Small K9 Rescue Paragould (NE) Arkansas

Shorty

February 1, 2004December 28, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

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)