Anemic – WestieMed

December 2020

Fiona was found in North Carolina and taken to an animal shelter. Due to her poor condition, she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where she stayed for a week.

During this time, no one contacted the shelter and no owners were identified. After their specified hold time, she was released to Westie Rescue Southeast for further care. She was found to be deaf, anemic, malnourished and with a heart murmur.

I adopted Fiona on 11/22/20. I was in Maryland at the time, caring for my sister after she had surgery. As Fiona’s foster family was in North Carolina, we met in Virginia for the handoff. Fiona remained with me at my sister’s home for the week. She got along fine with other animals, mostly steering clear of them.

On the afternoon of Thanksgiving, 11/26/20, she fell down 4-5 carpeted stairs she had been able to traverse without difficulty on prior days. She remained sitting very still at the bottom of the steps. I did not witness the fall. I picked her up and she would not allow me to touch her back right leg, screaming when I tried to do so. She held it up and was non weightbearing.

I immediately took her to an emergency animal hospital in Rockville, Maryland. She was found to have a nondisplaced fractured right tibia. There was concern that her bradycardia (found to be 70-90s at the vet office, but during prior exams had been as low as 40), would require caution with sedation to splint/cast the leg.

My plan was to return home to Ohio the next day. To minimize risk of complications, Fiona was discharged without splinting and with pain medications to return to Ohio on 11/27/20 (Friday). I contacted my vet in Cincinnati, but they could not accommodate sedating her and proper monitoring that day, so I chose to take her to an emergency vet in Cincinnati. Upon reviewing the xrays from the vet in Rockville, this vet found concern that a bone tumor may be present, as the result of the fall seemed more traumatic than the described fall. (As I said, I did not witness the fall, but another person did, they felt Fiona was started and fell).

After more xrays, any bone abnormality was ruled out and the leg was placed in a splint. Fiona’s prognosis is good for a full recovery of her leg. Limited activity is easy to maintain, as she continues to recover from her general deconditioned state she was found in. Fiona’s leg is expected to heal in 6-8 weeks.

Jen Hosler

Update May 25, 2021:

Fiona and I are very thankful for WestieMed. After being rescued by Westie Rescue Southeast, she underwent an amazing transformation. What was barely recognizable as a Westie is in now a beautiful girl. She had a major setback with a broken leg and that’s when WestieMed saved the day.

Now she has regained her position as a grumpy old lady full of Westietude and is ruling the roost over the two hoodlums that live here, Rudy and Sparky.

Thank you to WestieMed.

Jen Hosler

Update November 11, 2021:

Awww. Fiona died in July. She had come so far and her little leg healed well. She stopped eating and was in pain….could not rest comfortably. It’s never easy no matter how many times you go through it.
Jen

September 2007:

Age of Dog: Two years Rescue State: Georgia Medical Condition: Degenerative Joint Disease and Legg-Perthes

Synopsis: Sammi was encouraged to be surrendered by a good Samaritan who knew the owner was handling the dog irresponsibly in that she would let the dog run loose and it was frequently being lost. She wasn’t getting any attention and had been neglected in the sense of any grooming or hygiene. One of our members worked with one of the wonderful regular vets of the West Highland White Terrier Club of Greater Atlanta (WHWTCGA). WHWTCGA took Sammi into the rescue program called upon this vet to assist us and Sammi. She was a scruffy mess that desperately needed cleaning up. She was given a general physical and was treated for hookworms and spayed. She was anemic and not very playful at that point. She was then placed in foster to recover and be evaluated. When she became comfortable in her foster home, she started snapping and biting particularly when approached from the back or picking her up. It was initially thought that she needed behavior training by the club’s trainer, but prior to sending her there, we thought it was best to have a vet re-check her for any other medical issues. It was determined that she was in pain from her left hip because she had extreme degenerative joint disease (Legg-Perthes) and possible spine problems. The treatment of choice was an FHO — femoral head ostectomy — which was successfully performed. But the surgery would have to be followed by several weeks of therapy to get her to exercise and use her leg.

Sammi has made great strides thanks to our loving foster home. From what we can tell the pain is gone! She will let you pick her up although she reverts back to her alpha habits occasionally so we have continued her in a foster home that has another Westie and an older cat. She goes on walks daily and uses her leg more each day. After two surgeries, multiple x-rays, some medications for the pain, and physical therapy she has now participating in some training classes to assist in the bad behavior habits she has developed through her medical issues. If it hadn’t been for the good Samaritan’s knowledge of Westie Rescue and the lady surrendering her neglected Westie who knows how long poor Sammi would have suffered leading to an inevitable biting incident.

From her picture you can also see what basic grooming, proper hygiene, and diet with a little TLC will do for the looks too – isn’t she adorable? It will be several weeks before she will be ready for any forever home placement, but she is definitely on the right road to a great Westie life thanks to our volunteers, caring vets, and the support of WestieMed!

–WHWTC of Greater Atlanta

Update March 1, 2010:

We have not heard anything since early 2009 from the forever home. At that time Sammi had well recovered from her surgery and was enjoying life healthy and happy. She won’t set any land speed records but her mobility was excellent.

We will call her again just to see. The adoption home had not renewed her membership with the club for 2010 and we didn’t see her at meetings in 2009.

Kristine Tarrer WHWTC of Greater Atlanta