Cancer – WestieMed

McDuff

January 1, 2020December 25, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

January 2020

On November 24, 2019, a severely neglected white dog, tinged with brown fur from the filth and grime of the elements, was found by animal control, wandering as a stray, in the streets of Orlando, Florida. Upon intake into Orange County Animal Services, a high kill shelter, the county vet was unable to perform the necessary examination of him, due to severe matting, so the shelter groomer was tasked with completing a total shave down of him. It was at this time, the shelter staff became aware of the oozing golf ball-sized tumors he has on his head and back, along with about thirty other smaller tumors, of various sizes all over his body. Sadly, he was still put on the general floor for adoption, even in this poor condition; and, to add insult to injury, none of the shelter staff was aware this little guy was a Westie! After being at the shelter, for twelve days, the rescue coordinator finally released him for rescue, at which point a local rescue accepted him under their rescue umbrella, with my husband and I being contacted requesting us to accept and care for him, as a foster.

On December 6, 2019, he exited the shelter as a happy, alert dog, with severe kennel cough, which proceeded to pneumonia. After almost forty-five days of continuous care for the pneumonia, he is almost completely recovered, and we finally are seeing him have a zest for life, wanting to play with his foster brother and sisters, with a tail that seems to almost always be wagging. Since his arrival to our home, he has been under constant vet care, with us becoming aware that he is aged closer to ten years, versus the six years that the county vet had estimated him to be. Per labs, he has elevated liver enzymes, but thankfully he does not have Cushings. As we are unsure of the nature of the tumors, as well as to the cause of the elevation to his liver enzymes, we are not sure if he will be a candidate for adoption; however, my husband and I have committed to him, for the duration of his life, for however long that may be.

Thanks to the assistance of WestieMed, and its supporters, he can have the surgery to remove the tumors, as well as for a dental with extractions. Additionally, he will be seen by a specialist for an ultrasound of his liver and gallbladder, as well as for a bile acids test, and a complete liver profile. His allergy issues will also be addressed.

We have named him McDuff and are calling him “Duffy”. McDuff is very much loved by my husband and me, and even by his Scottish Terrier foster brothers, Hamish and Bruce; his Scottish Terrier foster sister, Zoey; and, even by the resident cat, Timothy (although their bonding is more characterized as a love/hate relationship).

We know each rescue dog has a story to tell, and we are hopeful that the ending chapters to McDuff’s book will be full of only happy memories, with the sense of security that comes from having a family that loves him unconditionally, and from being blessed to have caring people, like those of WestieMed, offer their kindness and support in his time of need.
Mina

Update February 6, 2020

Just wanted to let you know that McDuff had the tumor on the top of his head removed yesterday, under local anesthesia. The decision to use local versus general was sole because of the recovery period needed for his lungs after getting over pneumonia; however, since the tumor kept getting infected it becomes imperative that it be removed as soon as possible. Already, he feels so much better. Now comes the wait to find out the pathology results. Fingers crossed it is non-cancerous!

He is such a sweet boy that I want to be able to watch him chase the squirrels for many springs to come; to run the beaches in the summer months; and, to chase the lure on the dogs monthly outings to the lure line events.

This was for sure a major life changing event in his life: One we could never have accomplished without the assistance of WestieMed! We are so appreciative of your groups help in giving McDuff this chance to finally have all his medicals addressed.

Next major event for him is March 23, 2020, when he will have the dental with extractions, as well as more tumors removed – all those will be done under general anesthesia. Oh, and I wanted to let you know that he is now known as McDuff Johnson! We could not imagine sending him back to the rescue that pulled him, for many reasons, but the main one being that we love him!

Hugs to you!
Mina

Update February 20, 2020

I have some wonderful news to share with you on McDuff. The tumor on his head is NON-cancerous — we are so happy! It ended up being a Basal Cell Tumor (trichoblastoma).

So, end of next month he has the dental and hopefully the rest of all these tumors removed. The one on the back is back to draining. But, he was paid a huge complement today by someone that could not believe he is the same dog. He is so happy, and very energetic now.

Only other issue is his breathing, which we hope will continue to improve over the next month.

We are not having wheezing, just some coughing when pressure from the harness is present. He also is a snorer.

Mina

Update July 3, 2020

McDuff has had a long road to recovery due to having pneumonia. He has undergone one surgery for the removal of a tumor on his head, as well as just a second surgery for a dental and tumor removal. He will hopefully be available for adoption soon, under the care of our state’s breed-specific rescue: Sunshine State Westie Rescue, which he has been transferred from me to them to ensure he goes to a Westie specific household.

Sincerely, Mina Johnson

McDuff was transferred to us from Mina Johnson, on May 26, 2020. One June 22, he went into surgery to have the dental done and two growths removed. We are currently screening applications for his placement. I needed to wait for the biopsy results to come back before we actually make any choice. The great news we got is that the mass that was the biggest concern that was on his back, was benign and the second mass was on/in his ear. He is recovering well from the procedures. He’s a funny and sweet boy and I don’t think there will be any problem finding him a great home.

Aggie Latyak,
Sunshine State Westie Rescue

Update December 1, 2020

McDuff was transferred to us from Mina Johnson, on May 26, 2020. On June 22, he went into surgery to have the dental done and two growths removed. We are currently screening applications for his placement. I needed to wait for the biopsy results to come back before we actually make any choice. The great news we got is that the mass that was the biggest concern that was on his back, was benign and the second mass was on/in his ear. He is recovering well from the procedures. He’s a funny and sweet boy and I don’t think there will be any problem finding him a great home.

I wish I had a better update for you. McDuff was given serious medical care, including another $1000 we put in on top of your generous $2500 for his medical care. We had an ugly tumor removed and another suspicious one also and biopsied to be sure it wasn’t anything to be concerned about. They were negative and he was ready for his new home. He was adopted by an amazing couple who loved him unconditionally. Unfortunately, two weeks into his adoption, he suddenly became very ill. After all the tests the vet believed he had a blockage of some kind. He went into emergency surgery and what they found was that he had a tumor in his stomach and it had metastasized into other organs. He showed no signs and lived a great life right up until the last couple of days. When they were advised by the vet how bad it was, they decided he should not, could not suffer. He went to the bridge on July 31, 20. Sorry for the bad news.

Aggie Latyak
Sunshine State Westie Rescue

Kiki

September 1, 2018December 23, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

Kiki is a Westie female about 5 years old. She came from an East Bay (California) shelter on July 9, 2018, with a terrible skin condition and two diagnosed mammary tumors. She was not spayed and appeared to have had multiple litters of puppies. The shelter believed she was a breeding dog. She weighed in at a skinny sixteen pounds. She was picked up as a stray.

Kiki was placed in a foster home and baths were immediately started along with a vet appointment to get medications. Kiki responded to her new environment immediately with medication, diet, baths, lots of love and toys.

A consult was arranged to evaluate her tumors and a suspicious cyst on her side that appeared to be a sarcoma. Surgery was scheduled for August 2, 2018, in an effort to get her skin condition under better control before surgery. Her skin infection posed a risk of infection. Her surgery was fairly successful per her oncologist. She recovered quickly and without any infections but Kiki’s oncologist did not feel the margins were sufficient on the cyst (sarcoma) and follow-up treatment was needed.

After evaluation of the treatment options, it was decided the best option for Kiki and her long-term survival was a second surgery called a ‘scar revision’ on the sarcoma to get an adequate margin although it could do some muscle damage. The surgeon felt she would bounce back from the second surgery quickly. There is very little medical evidence to support radiation in the treatment of mammary tumors in dogs. A second opinion was sought from another oncologist who reviewed Kiki’s medical records. He also felt the scar revision surgery was Kiki’s best option.

A scar revision surgery was performed on August 30, 2018. The oncologist felt the news was excellent on the second surgery and there was “complete excision” and “no further treatment is needed for “the cancer”.

Barbara Mordy
Westie Rescue and Placement (WRAP)

Update July 2019

Kiki was adopted on October 4, 2018. Unfortunately, her cancer returned and her adopters paid for two additional surgeries before she passed away on June 3, 2019. Here is her obituary:

Kiki came to WRAP on July 9, 2018. She was found on the streets of an East Bay city in very rough shape. She had terrible skin issues and had obviously been used for breeding. She had two large mammary tumors- which we knew were probably cancer. Barbara did not have a foster home for her, but she was definitely a Westie, so my husband and I agreed to foster her. Kiki came into our home silent and depressed. Her first surgery was 2 weeks later. She had mammary cancer and a sarcoma. Her recovery went well and with each day we could see her spirit get brighter.

This spirit was simply amazing and we adopted her. She loved to play with toys; she always wanted to be on our lap….we even built a little box for her to get on the sofa herself.

Kiki was a godsend for us. She reminded us how we can take our health for granted. She was so happy each day, playing with toys and our other two Westies. My husband fell in love with Kiki, and they had a special bond. He got on the floor to play with her most mornings, and Kiki would bark at him when he did not. Kiki loved sitting on my husband’s lap when he read the paper in the morning. It was their routine.

She became the happiest little Westie we had ever seen, and we adored her!

Kiki made me laugh….I mean really laugh every day! Kiki had plenty of Westitude and oh, how she loved to boss me around! Especially when it was time to eat! I have many videos of her and I am so thankful for them.

We had to say goodbye to Kiki on June 3, 2019. We spent the morning holding Kiki, taking turns doing so. Even to the end, she was loving. She had stopped eating, though, and we know she was in pain. We had to let her go, but we miss her to this day. She died in my arms, resting on my shoulder. Eleven months with Kiki was not enough time. Eleven years would not have been enough time. That BITCH cancer took another sweet life. We have had a lot of Westies. They all ARE and WERE special and wonderful, but there was something extra special about Kiki. She was one of a kind. She reminded us to stay in the moment and to take each day as precious.

I know in time I will laugh again. And yes, we will foster again after our hearts have time to heal. Don’t be afraid to foster. You might get lucky enough to find a Kiki.

Chloe

March 1, 2018December 23, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

My two sons are 21 and almost 19. They are fine young men growing up and pursuing their lives. As such, it left me and my husband with more alone time than we were prepared for. I found myself feeling like another dog, a Westie, would help fill the void.

We already have one Westie boy, Harley, whom we rescued almost ten years ago from Westie/Cairn Terrier Rescue of SW Ohio. He is the apple of our eyes and we thought a new addition would be nice for our family.

Enter Chloe. She’s such a boisterous little lady, who captured our hearts right away. The boys love her and she loves them. More than anything, Chloe is a “daddy’s girl”. She follows my husband around the house constantly. I am her back up, parent.

We are lucky enough to know her prior story before coming to Rescue or to us. Her owners were an older couple. They were advancing in age and health problems. The Mrs. was becoming increasingly allergic to Chloe. They had to make the difficult decision to rehome her. I had just called Carla from the rescue and told her to keep an eye out for another Westie. A week later we get a call saying she had a Westie for us to look at.

We picked up Chloe on February 24th and all of us fell in love with this silly girl who captured our hearts with her sweet face and her antics. There was much to do to help her to adjust to her new home. That first evening, however, I noticed her left eye was not looking quite right. That very first night, we took her to the vet to have a look. The vet told us she thought it was a possible cyst and referred us to an animal ophthalmologist.

Two weeks later we saw the specialist and were given the bad news. Chloe has cancer in her left eye and it is not just a small spot but a large one and the docs are unable to “repair” it to keep her vision; they can only take the eye out. I was devastated to think of my little girl losing her eye. However, the doc tells us that dogs are way more adept at changes like this than humans. In fact, he thinks she has not been seeing very well, if at all, with the left eye-so this won’t be a huge change for her. All four of us were so overwhelmed that we were in such a whirlwind after just getting Chloe.

I am so glad that WestieMed is helping us with her surgery and we don’t have to worry about all the finances of this. We can help our new little Westie girl recover and adjust to her new normal with all the love we can give her.

Debbie Ruter

Kenner

May 1, 2016December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

I received a call from another rescuer about a Westie that was in a shelter north of Austin. He was found wandering the streets and nobody came to claim him. I was told that while he was at the shelter there was no interest in him and if a rescue didn’t take him he would be PTS (put to sleep). We agreed to take him, coordinated to meet and I made an appointment for this guy at the vet. When I met up with the other rescuer, she said the shelter hadn’t mentioned anything but she thought he had Kennel Cough.

I had already chosen the name Kenner before meeting this Westie. I was taking Kenner straight from this meetup to the vet appointment previously made. It was about a twenty-minute drive which gave me time to listen to his cough. Within minutes, my instincts told me that this was NOT Kennel Cough but probably Westie Lung Disease (Pulmonary Fibrosis).

Between his unknown length of street time and his cough, Kenner was a pitiful sight when he first came into rescue but he had the sweetest disposition and put up no resistance as the vet checked him over. This was the same vet that had treated a prior Westie of ours with Westie Lung Disease and she agreed with my instincts. Sadly, our instincts were confirmed.

We made the decision that Kenner would be a forever foster of Westie Rescue Austin. He has been with us since October 2012 and doing well with his meds. He gets along great with the other furkids in the house. He monitors all activity in the kitchen and thinks the oven exists only to bake dog treats. He can be sleeping soundly in the bedroom but appears instantly in the kitchen when the kitchen light is turned on. Kenner has never been active but does enjoy being outdoors when weather permits (i.e., not too hot or humid). He doesn’t demand attention and will occasionally sit in my lap for a brief spell (and actually seems to beam with pride). Kenner also suffers from ongoing skin issues and heart disease. Recently it became obvious that he was having some issues and his dogtor confirmed his heart ailments were becoming more progressive and now requiring medication.

Kenner is such a gentle soul but as his dogtor says he is a fighter. Sadly, we know he won’t win this battle against Westie Lung Disease but we will continue to love him, bake him dog treats, and keep him happy.

Linda Duncan
Westie Rescue Austin

Update November 7, 2016

I was hoping to be providing a good news update for Kenner. Sadly, he made his trip to the Rainbow Bridge today (11/7). the dogtor is fairly certain it was not Westie Lung Disease but cancer-based on his bloodwork.

Linda D.

Snowflake

December 1, 2015December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

Snowflake is a senior Westie male who came into North Atlantic Westie Rescue’s program under tragic circumstances. One typical afternoon, Snowflake and his Havanese fur brother were waiting for their owner to come back from routine surgery. But instead, a stranger came and brought them to a shelter. Their owner had passed away and her family asked the shelter to take the dogs. Snowflake’s world changed, even more, when his fur brother died shortly thereafter due to diabetes complications.

The shelter staff knew Snowflake needed experienced help to ensure Snowflake would live the rest of his life in a loving home. So off went Rita and Tim, two of North Atlantic’s volunteers. Within a day or two, Rita noticed Snowflake was very lethargic, had diarrhea that just would not get better, and he vomited a few times. A trip to the vet revealed Snowflake’s abdomen was full of fluid, and his blood work showed elevated liver values. In order to better get a handle on Snowflake’s condition, North Atlantic authorized the vet to perform an ultrasound and aspirate some of the fluid from Snowflake’s belly. The ultrasound did not reveal anything conclusive about why there was so much fluid in Snowflake’s belly. With each passing day, more fluid-filled in his abdomen. The vet recommended endoscopy be performed urgently, as further fluid buildup could lead to pulmonary and heart problems.

With a generous grant from WestieMed, Snowflake had his surgery. The endoscopy revealed severe irritable bowel disease, but no cancer as we had feared. The doctor noted his intestine looked like “cobblestones!” We suspect that Snowflake has been suffering from IBS for a long time, so the vet prescribed a very specific set of medicines to begin healing Snowflake’s gut. Snowflake, now in his adoptive home in Vermont, is improving every day. With a consistent special diet and regular veterinary care. Snowflake’s prognosis is excellent!

North Atlantic Westie Rescue thanks the WestieMed board for enabling timely diagnosis of Snowflake’s condition. We also want to thank Rita and Tim for being vigilant and getting Snowflake the care he needed when he started to show signs something was wrong. He has begun his new life is his forever home with a solid treatment plan and a family with much love to give him for many years to come!

Rachel Scott
Director
North Atlantic Westie Rescue, Inc.

Update October 3, 2016

Thank you again for your help with Snowflake. Snowflake ended up having cancer and he passed away about four months after we worked with your team.

Thank you,

Rachel

Merlyn

April 1, 2014December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

Merlyn came to New York Westie Rescue from a shelter. His owners had surrendered the old boy saying that the wife had ‘suddenly developed allergies’ to him, but his condition told another story. He was underweight, arthritic, his coat was very thin and his skin was not in good shape. His teeth were a mess, as well. He was old, grumpy and didn’t see or hear very well and walked with an odd gait from arthritis. He also had a growth in his left ear and an ear infection. He’d never been neutered, so his prostate was quite enlarged and like a lot of old men, he dribbled a bit. Poor Merlyn really wanted to be loved but wasn’t sure how to respond sometimes when he got it. He startled easily and would snap out of fear sometimes. We weren’t sure of his exact age, but the vet estimated that he was probably at least twelve or thirteen if not older. He didn’t have any adopters that were very interested in taking him on, so NYWR made the decision to keep him in the sanctuary.

After proper vetting, a new diet, dental cleaning, and neutering, he seemed a bit more comfortable and began to settle in, although because of the damage done by the severely enlarged prostate prior to coming into rescue, he would have to wear a belly band most of the time. He soon appointed himself the Lord of the Manor and when we got another little old fellow, Egan, who was in really terrible shape, he took up his post as Egan’s guardian and would watch over him, a task that he took very seriously and continued until Egan was well on his way to healing.

Unfortunately for Merlyn, his ear was not responding well to treatment. The vet tried a number of things but nothing was working and his ear began to get worse. We finally made the decision to get a second opinion. The vet we took him to decide that the only thing that was going to end Merlyn’s constant discomfort with his ear was a partial ablation of the ear canal, which is a very expensive procedure.

Thanks to WestieMed, we are able to schedule this surgery for Lord Merlyn, and provide him with some comfort and relief in his old age. Thank you WestieMed for the great work that you do and making it possible for Merlyn to start feeling better!

Josie Smith, Director
New York Westie Rescue

Update July 14, 2015

I am sorry to tell you that our sweet, loving little Merlyn passed to the Rainbow Bridge on June 4th of this year. After the surgery that Westie Med provided the funds for, a biopsy of the tumor that had invaded his ear canal revealed that he had a rare form of cancer, ceruminous adenosarcoma. There was nothing at that point that could be done to help him so we kept him comfortable in our hospice program and he survived with a good quality of life for several more months. Unfortunately, the tumor caused a stroke and when he lost his quality of life we made the decision to let him go.

Thank you for making the surgery possible, and allowing him to live without the pain of the tumor pressing on his nerve, and being loved and cherished. All of our Westies are special, but there was something about Merlyn that made him extraordinary. He was an extremely loving, loyal fur baby who was grateful for every little kindness and always thanked me for everything with a kiss. It never failed. Before he would eat, he would say thank you. When I tended his ear, he was grateful and would say thank you. Right up until the end he took his thrice daily house patrols quite seriously and would check each room and door to make sure that there were no intruders. He guarded me with devotion and never left my side. I miss him terribly.

I am more grateful than I can ever express for the help that WestieMed provided that allowed us to be blessed with him a while longer, and for him to experience the love and care that he was so grateful for. There are not enough thank you’s in the world to fully express our appreciation for the wonderful work that you do. So many Westies count on you.

With Eternal Gratitude,
Josie Myers-Smith

Charlie

September 1, 2012December 24, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

Charlie came to us with two other Westies and two Scotties after a commercial breeder dumped them in a rural shelter in Kentucky in late August 2012. This particular shelter works in tandem with our shelter partner in Bowling Green, KY, and when the dogs were dumped, we immediately got a plea for help to pull from our contact in Bowling Green. We drove up the next day and pulled all six dogs and took them straight to our vet in Franklin for exams, vetting, and dental. Tennessee Scottish Terrier Rescue ended up taking the two Scotties, and our little band of Charlie, Chip, Maggie, and Hailey were vetted and boarded for a week so we could be sure they didn’t bring with them any Kennel Cough or parasites. Needless to say, our vetting bills for these dogs was pretty steep just for basic vetting and dentals. Everyone did well and traveled on to their four separate foster homes.

Charlie instantly began meshing in his foster home with five other Terriers, so much so that he took it upon himself to take a flying leap off his foster mom’s bed in the middle of the night about two weeks into his fostering, trying to follow one of the other Westies who decided she needed to go out for a potty break. His foster mom knew instantly he had hurt himself badly. She got him in later that morning to the vet who confirmed the ACL rupture. Charlie was in a lot of pain, but the vet got him on the proper meds to give him some relief and we scheduled the ACL repair surgery for a few days later. Fortunately, our vet works with Dr. Paul Newman, a wonderful orthopedic travel surgeon, and he took excellent care of Charlie. Two days later, Charlie was settling back into his foster home, and thankfully his foster mom is a nurse, so she can really help with the ins & outs of his rehab. Charlie will have to be kept quiet and rehab his leg for the next six weeks, which isn’t easy because he acts like he’s had nothing done. He wants to run and play with the others! His foster mom has nicknamed him “Sir Bulldozer Charles” because while in the “cone of shame” he must wear for a few days, he doesn’t let it keep him from getting to things he either wants to smell or carry in his mouth. He just scoops it up in his cone! Charlie is a very loveable little fella that will make someone a superior forever family member in a few weeks. We cannot thank WestieMed for the kindness and generosity once again shown to Westie Rescue of Tennessee, Inc.! Thank you again for helping us with Sir Charles!

Carol Whitmer
Officer/Director of Communications

Update January 9, 2013

Charlie had ACL surgery but we sadly learned that he had an aggressive tumor in his leg that had spread into his back causing a lot of pain.

We regret to tell you, but Charlie went to Rainbow Bridge on January 8, 2013 and now rests peacefully.

We are all very sad, but also very thankful for WestieMed’s assistance with him.

I thought you would enjoy seeing this photo of a once puppymill stud dog, turned loved and treasured foster pup.

Thanks,
Carol Whitmer

Lacey

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

January 2005:

Lacey came to Westie/Cairn Terrier Rescue when she was thirteen years old. She had been owned by the same family since she was a puppy and they had taken very good care of her. They had her spayed, kept her shots and heartworm up to date and did some very expensive surgery on her back knees.

Lacey had a history of bladder infections and this family had her ultrasound and it was discovered that her kidneys were smaller than they were supposed to be. The left kidney has dilated collecting ducts and is slightly smaller than normal and this may be what is precipitating the infections. She gets blood in her urine when this happens and she strains to urinate.

Lacey’s luck turned bad when the family made the decision to get a Boxer puppy and the two of them would get into fights. Instead of finding a home for the Boxer, the kids made the decision that they had to keep the pup and that Lacey (even though she had always lived with this family) would have to be the one to go.

So, at thirteen years of age, she came into rescue, and after a few months, a home was found with an older lady who vowed to give little Lacey a forever home. She kept Lacey about a year and a half and then got sick and had to move in with her son. Again, Lacey was sent packing back to rescue. She had another bladder infection and had blood in her urine and was put on Baytril. She seems to get better, and then a few weeks later, the blood reappears, and she strains to urinate.

I decided to get to the problem and had Dr. Kristine Rabb do a urinalysis, complete bloodwork, and an x-ray. Her bloodwork came back normal and her x-ray didn’t show any stones or abnormalities and the only thing her urinalysis showed were clumps of white cells attacking the infection. Lacey was put on Clavamox for fourteen days and C/D dogfood and for now the blood has gone away.

Thank you WestieMed for helping me with some of the bills accumulated for Lacey. I am caring for fifteen rescue dogs, and your help comes at a time when finances are tight.

Lacey is available for adoption, and if someone can give this sweet, little girl a loving home for the last of her years, she (and I) would be so grateful.

Carla Smith

Update, June 2005:

Lacey is still with rescue and her chances of getting a forever home are slim-to-none as no one wants a 16-year-old. She continues to have bladder infections, and I continue to medicate her. She will stay with me until it is time for her to go to the Rainbow Bridge.

I thank you WestieMed for helping with some of her vet bills, and if she does get a home, I will be sure and tell you. You provide a wonderful service to those of us with little Westies that are hardship cases. I will always be in your debt, as will little Lacey.

Carla Smith Westie/Cairn Terrier Rescue

Update, November 2005:

On November 29th, little Lacey went to the Rainbow Bridge. She quit eating a couple of days ago and seemed to be genuinely uncomfortable with the way she was laying. Her tumor had progressed to golf-ball size, and the cancer was finally becoming unbearable to her, so we made the sad trip to the vet where she went peacefully to sleep.

Carla Smith Westie/Cairn Terrier Rescue

Dodger

November 1, 2004December 30, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

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