Kramer has had skin problems for as long as he can remember and his family, who loved him very much, contacted Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston for ideas to help him feel better. We spoke with them about diet and medical care. They adjusted his diet and took him to specialists who prescribed medicated baths and medications. All the while, Kramer’s family was also dealing with other family members’ medical issues and, when it became too much for them, asked that WSRH take him in.
Kramer was a happy boy despite his obvious misery so we rolled up our sleeves to try to get him feeling better. Our vets at Bear Branch Animal Hospital assessed him and helped form our initial course of treatment which included continuing restricting his diet and his anti-fungal medication, antibiotics, prednisone, and medicated baths. Although skin scrapings did not show any mites, the blackness around his eyes, ears, and sides made us suspect he might have demodectic mange so we added Advantage Multi to his regimen and, when he started to improve, we started to wean him from his medications. Kramer was able to stay off prednisone long enough to get a much-needed dental but his skin started getting worse again so the vet recommended putting him back on a short course to try to get through the issues.
Kramer – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Over the next months, we continued Kramer’s regimen of antimicrobial and anti=fungal baths along with medications and restricted diet and he seemed to improve and then he would suddenly get worse. We tested him for thyroid conditions, which showed normal, but biopsies of his skin showed the presence of resistant staph infection, requiring specific antibiotic treatment. Following a three month course of the antibiotic determined to combat this bacterial infection, tests showed it had cleared and another resistant bacteria presented, requiring a different antibiotic. We also had allergy tests done to determine if there were any environmental causes, but he only showed sensitivity to Black Willow trees and cat dander, neither of which are in his immediate environment.
We have considered Kramer to be like an onion, peeling one layer of issues after another, as we continue to treat fungal and bacterial infections. We are grateful to WestieMed for assisting with the process to rule out some issues and, hopefully, get a handle on what is needed to get and keep Kramer healthy. We look forward to his finding a forever home where he can live happily and healthily ever after.
Maggie Escriva
Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston
Update July 11, 2018
Kramer – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Kramer turned six yesterday so it seemed a good time for another update. As you know, he found his furever home with a longtime Westie rescue volunteer who will continue his regimen and keep him feeling good.
Kramer’s mom works from home and says he is her shadow, always nearby watching what she’s doing.
We are grateful to WestieMed for the assistance that enabled us to continue testing and treating Kramer until we could get through the itch. He has a good life ahead of him now that all the infections are gone.
My name is Lucy. I’m thirteen years old and for most of my life, things were great. I was the pampered and cherished baby of an elderly man and was treated like a Queen. But one day, everything changed. My beloved man died and his wife wasn’t able to cope. People took me away from the plush indoor city life I had been living and drove me to rural Arkansas. I was tied to a stake outside in the heat. My beautiful fur disappeared as fleas and mites attacked my delicate skin, and I got a sunburn, too. A neighbor saw me and told the people to take me inside or she would call animal control. They put me on a porch and fussed when I pottied there. I ended up back outside most of the time. Although things looked bleak, I tried to remember my human, Papa. I waited for him to come and save me, but he never did. Instead, he sent some angels from far away to help me!
Meanwhile, my sad story had been relayed to some people in Knoxville, Tennessee, who started a campaign to save me! Brian and Debra Douglas told a friend named David Bolton who told another friend named Patsy Stair, who set things in motion. Soon, a miracle would happen—I would be rescued! On June 17, 2012, the Arkansas people loaded me in their car and drove for a long time. The car stopped, and they gave me to two sweet ladies. Their names were Diane Vann and Patsy Holt. They were from Alabama and they had driven all the way to Arkansas to save me! Once I was in their loving care, I knew things were going to be okay, and I never looked back.
Diane and Patsy H. drove to Nashville, Tennessee, and handed me to Patsy and David Stair. I said goodbye to the Alabama ladies and laid down on my new blanket in the front seat between David and Patsy. I love men so much that I scooted as close to David as I could.
When we got to Knoxville, Patsy cleaned up my face. My eyes had lots of hard stuff under them and I held still while she soaked it off. She talked softly to me and I noticed she was crying. I wanted to say, “yes, I look bad right now, but I trust that you will take care of me.” She brushed my teeth and used a warm cloth on my poor raw skin. The next day, she took me to a sweet groomer named Tania, who made me feel great. Then she took me to a pet store, where she bought me some fancy food, some treats, a toy and a pair of pink pajamas to cover my sunburned skin. At last, I was being treated like royalty again!
Then Brian and Debra Douglas met us, and once again, I was whisked away to another adventure. Because my skin was so bad, they took me to a dogtor where I lived for a few weeks. It was okay, but I wanted to be part of a family. Little did I know what was in store for me next!
Brian and Debra had been searching for a home for me, and one day, their friend, animal advocate Carmen Trammell, found the perfect place! Another car ride took me to a pretty house with a fenced back yard in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. A nice lady named Kaye Wimberly answered the door accompanied by her two rescued Yorkies and Westie girl. I could tell right away that this was a castle fit for the Queen I was, so I plopped in the middle of her bed and refused to move! I was home!
Luckily, Kaye knew all about Westies and their skin issues, and she took charge right away. Her other dogs wisely realized that I was special, so they let me be the boss.
Lucy – WestieMed Grant Recipient
By the time I got to Mama Kaye’s house, my skin was black, crusty, and oozing puss and blood—not a good situation for a Queen! I cried when I moved because it hurt so much. Kaye took me to Jackson Square Animal Clinic, and they diagnosed me with demodectic mange, cellulitis and bacterial pyoderma. They started me on antibiotics and shampoo therapy. Then, they found out that I had chronic renal insufficiency, low-grade anemia, and proteinuria. They put me on a Hills K/D Canine food, enalapril, and oral vitamins. Whew! Lots of big words for such a little dog to remember, but I was just glad they were taking care of my skin and my kidneys!
To help my skin get back to Diva condition, I am shampooed three times each week. Mama Kaye isn’t physically able to do it, so she takes me to the dogtor’s office and they give me the spa treatment. My skin is improving and I’m even growing back some of my gorgeous fur. I love playing with my toys and my fur siblings. Mama Kaye says I always will have a loving home with her!
Lucy – WestieMed Grant Recipient
While I was being pampered and doctored, Diane, Patsy, Brian, and Debra were busy raising money to pay my dogtor bills. I became a FaceBook celebrity! Lots of donations were received, but it wasn’t enough to pay for my baths and medicine. I’m pretty high-maintenance, you know! Diane contacted WestieMed, and Mama Kaye sent them my information. They even talked to the dogtor to be sure they understood what I am going through and what my future needs would be. Not surprisingly, the wonderful people at WestieMed thought I was worth saving, too! Because of WestieMed, I can be healthy and happy for the rest of my life! If I could, I would send kisses, licks, and sniffs to everyone who has helped me. I can’t help thinking my human Papa sent all the angels disguised as strangers to take care of me.
Update February 8, 2013
Just to let you know that Lucy is doing well. She has a little eye infection but it is clearing up fine. She also has problems with skin lesions occasionally, so she is on antibiotics off and on. I’ll send a picture later.
Kaye
Update July 11, 2013
Lucy is doing pretty good. She hasn’t had any skin lesions lately but is still licking her feet. She went to the groomers today, so I’ll try to get a picture of her in the next day or two to send to you. She is still on her special diet and medicine but seems to be doing good.
She is definitely a little diva. In fact, if she decides she wants some water in the middle of the night she starts barking until she wakes me and the other furry animals. She has me trained already. She is really a sweet girl.
I’ll send some pictures later. I really appreciate all you have done for her. It was such a shame what happened to her, but I’ll make sure she has a good life from now on.
Kaye
Update February 10, 2014
Lucy is not doing very good right now so she and I could use your prayers.
Lucy was doing pretty good until and a few weeks ago. At that point she started sleeping more, not playing with her toys, and not eating as much. Then she started losing weight. I took her to the vet last week and we did so more blood work which had several items for the kidneys in the red line (i.e., not doing as well). She has also lost about three lbs. from her last visit and her teeth were really bad. We had put off doing a cleaning because of her other problems but decided that it may be part of the losing weight problem. So, Lucy had a dental last Wednesday and the vet had to remove nine teeth. I felt so bad that I had not done her dental earlier. Anyway, she has not eaten much since then and I have had a real problem getting her to take her medicine. So I took her back to the vet today. She had lost an additional 4 oz., so the vet kept her overnight and probably for a few days to give her iv’s, antibiotics, and check her blood work again to see if any change in the kidneys. I am making her some chicken and rice to take t her tomorrow. I know she really loves the people’s food and the vet agreed that we needed to get her eating again and then go back to the kidney diet. The chicken and rice should help her some.
So, please keep Lucy in your prayers. She is such a special baby and I think she will come out of this. The kidney blood work was not extreme last week so hopefully, we can get it back under control again.
I don’t know what I would have done without WestieMed and everyone’s help. She is a special little girl and I want to give her the best I can — she deserves it.
Thanks for everything. I’ll keep you posted. Kaye
Update February 15, 2014
I got a good Valentine’s Day gift last night. I got to take Lucy home from the Vet. She has had a pretty rough week but was beginning to perk up a little. Thursday I was really worried because her blood work was elevated (in the red for the kidney functions) higher than earlier and she would not eat. We decided to give her something for an upset stomach and that has helped. She is now eating (hand-fed by the vets, the vet staff and me). She has been a real Diva on giving her pills at the vet and at home. I could use a stiff drink after giving her medicine and sure Lucy would love one too, but no luck for either of us. Friday evening she was feeling a lot better and even standing up in the crate. She definitely was ready to go home, so she got her and my wish.
The vet has added another medicine to help the kidneys. She now is on Azodyl (which eliminate toxicants and helps the kidneys), Enalapril (heart and kidney), Clindamycin (antibiotic), something for upset stomach, Pet-Tinic (vitamins) and Recovery RS Dog food. I have been hand feeding her chicken and scrambled eggs, but the little Diva has to be tricked. I have to get her up the bed with the other dogs, give each dog a bite or two before she will eat her bites. Then I give her more bites, as well as the others. DOES SHE HAVE ME TRAINED. It doesn’t matter I’ll do whatever it takes to get her feeling better. Once she gets back to eating well, I’ll put her back on the kidney food.
I’ll keep you informed on Lucy’s progress. Kaye
Update February 18, 2014
I’m sorry to say that Lucy passed over the Rainbow Bridge last night. I really appreciate all WestieMed did for little Lucy. You really made her life extend a little longer. She was in the Vet hospital all last week and I brought her home Friday when she seemed to be doing better. She quit eating on Sunday but her kidneys were still functioning. Monday she took a real turn for the worst and passed away that night.
Thanks again for giving me time with my sweet little Lucy. Kaye Wimberly
Update February 27, 2014
Lucy – WestieMed Grant Recipient
I will continue to donate to WestieMed as long as I can. You do such wonderful work for Westies. I was so blessed to have Lucy and grateful for your help.
I thought you might like to have a picture of Lucy.
Lucy really loved her babies (toys) and would carry them from room to room particularly when it was time for bed. Her favorites were Lamb Chop, baby Lamb Chop and Santa. I don’t know how she did it, but she could get al three in her mouth.
I received a call from a “concerned person” who told me about some westies that were in a backyard breeding facility in upstate New York. The lady said the owner had contacted her about giving the westies up to rescue because the facility was being closed. Their owner described JoJo as a small breeding westie in good health.
I drove several hours and met the lady who contacted me. She had JoJo and another westie. JoJo was indeed a tiny westie weighing in at just over eleven pounds. She said the “owner” told her JoJo might possibly be pregnant. JoJo was current on her rabies shot and needed updating on all other inoculations.
The following day I took JoJo to my vet and he confirmed the fact that she indeed was pregnant. He could see three maybe four shapes. He was not concerned about her being in distress as she was running around and playing with westies. She seemed in good health. He gave her an antibiotic and also a vitamin.
JoJo went to her foster home shortly after that. As the weeks went by JoJo got bigger and seemed to be fine. One day she began throwing up and was taken to her new vet. The foster Mom worked for this vet. She ate a piece of rawhide and a chunk got stuck in her throat. The vet tried several things and finally removed the rawhide.
However, he had to do an emergency C-section due to JoJo’s delicate condition. She and the puppies would die without the surgery. The surgery was a success and five puppies were born prematurely. Unfortunately, all the puppies died within a week. They were simply too early.
On March 3, 2012, JoJo went to her forever home. She had a vet checkup today. She has gained some weight and is doing well.
Sincerely,
Bob Murphy Rescue Westies WPA
Update February 9, 2013
I adopted JoJo from Westie Rescue in Pittsburgh, PA.
JoJo is doing wonderful! Other than allergies she has no health problems. It’s just her and me and believes me she is quite spoiled, to say the least. She gets groomed every 8 weeks and has a wardrobe as large as mine! Her Steelers coat cost more than mine. LOL.
Thank you for helping JoJo, without WestieMed we would not be as happy as we are.
If not for a concerned human being, Jake might not have been with our rescue today. The woman who contacted us cared enough about him to talk his owner into surrendering him to her. She, in turn, took him to her vet for immediate care and then contacted us and took the steps to place him into our rescue program. This kind soul shared that the owner did not care about this little guy and she warned us he was in bad shape but nothing could prepare any of us involved in rescue for what was in store when we saw him at Montrose Animal Hospital, our rescue vets. He was two years old, weighed a minuscule ten pounds and the lesions on his body were indescribable.
Our veterinary clinic allows us to have rescues surrendered to them so Jake, as he is now known, was taken there. He was in such bad shape that it was necessary to shave him, but it was so painful that he had to be lightly sedated to reduce the trauma to him. Fur was trimmed away and it revealed inflamed and bleeding skin lesions. After all, was said and done, Jake had severe demodectic mange and secondary infections. He went into foster care with a litany of medications from ear drops, eye ointments, antibiotics to antifungals, and a de-wormer. Needless to say, neuter surgery was the least of the worries at this point and the goal was to get him stronger and back to the Westie “attitude” we Westie owners all love and know.
Jake’s foster mom was amazing. The amount of love and attention Jake received was over the top and went a long way in his healing process. He has never been left alone at home – he travels to work with foster mom or dad every day dressed in his sweaters to keep him warm until his coat grows back. Daily medicated baths have progressed to weekly baths to help his skin. Walks have been slow in evolving because his paw pads were so inflamed that it took time to get him to where he could comfortably take leash walks.
Jake – WestieMed Grant Recipient
We all thought this little guy was on the way to his new “forever” home because he was recovering from the mange – his fur coat was coming on strong and he was finally was able to be neutered. Unfortunately, Jake’s journey to health was not over by a long shot.
Jake started limping toward the end of February, and examination by the vet showed a luxating patella. The initial medical intervention included pain medication and crate rest but was ineffective, and surgery was required. Surgery was performed on March 16, 2012, and Jake’s prognosis is great. The vet indicated that all looks good and this should be the last of Jake’s issues. He is now ready to find that “forever” family.
Jake’s story and the journey is confirmation for why the members of our club do what we do. Westie Club of the South is an independent 501 (c)(3) club dedicated to helping our Westie companions. Funding to rescue and treat needy Westies is raised through our efforts alone. While we try to absorb the costs without assistance, Jake’s situation has been a challenge to us; hence, our request for assistance from WestieMed.
Cynthia Levine Chair Atlanta Westie Rescue Committee Westie Club of the South, Inc.
Update October 2, 2012
Jake – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Right after Jake was adopted, his little boy had to have corrective surgery on both legs. The photo of them in bed is right after the surgery. The doctors had to actually break both legs and re-set them. He spent two months in a wheelchair.
Jake – WestieMed Grant Recipient
As you can see from the other photo, he is now sans casts, and the best part is that he and Jake can run together.
If you will recall, Jake had no fur when he came into our program, but look at him now!
We are all so thankful that WestieMed has such a generous heart.
Cindy Levine, Chair Atlanta Westie Rescue Committee Westie Club of the South, Inc.
Update January 8, 2013
Jake – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Jake is doing great, not so fond of the cold rainy days but other than that he is fabulous. His skin looks terrific and he has grown so much fur. He limps some times but it doesn’t seem to bother him.
Jake is gorgeous, of course, but the photo with all his brothers and sister is just beautiful. There isn’t much to tell. Jake is the perfect Westie now that he is healthy. My thanks to WestieMed for your part in helping Jake.
Cindy Levine, Chair Atlanta Westie Rescue Committee
In mid-April, WRT received a call from our friends at Young-Williams Animal Shelter in Knoxville, TN that they had a sweet little male Westie that had been picked up as a stray and no one ever came looking for him. Paddy was estimated to be about two years old.
Thankfully, they work with us and know to call us before putting one up for adoption to the general public. We arranged to have one of our East TN volunteers pick him up and transport him to us in Middle TN. We got a full vet report from the shelter vet (which is rare), along with two well-defined x-rays (which is even MORE rare that they would send those to us!), that identified a bad break in this little fella’s left rear leg.
We got him checked out again by our vet here in Franklin, and it was determined by her and by the orthopedic vet she uses that the break would cause little Paddy to lose his leg, if not corrected surgically quickly. The break had not healed correctly and needed to be re-broken, the femur shaved down and reset correctly. It was also identified by our vet that he suffered from a strain of Mange (thankfully not the contagious kind!), and he would need medicated dips every two weeks along, with two to three rounds of antibiotic (Baytril). We are happy to report that his skin condition is improving, and thanks to WestieMed, he will soon resume his life has a rambunctious, happy little Westie boy that can “zoom” around a room or outside with his other terrier friends!
We look forward to giving you many wonderful updates and pictures of this exceptionally sweet boy! Thank you again from the bottom of our Westie Rescue of Tennessee hearts!
Lilly is a one-year-old, unspayed, Westie who was born in a puppy mill situation (we believe) in a town called Sudbury, which is in northern Ontario.
She was originally going to be used for breeding however she got ill so the “breeder” advertised her in a local paper as “take her or we will put her down” A young girl, approximately 25 years old, and her father answered the ad and took Lilly when she was approximately four to five months old. The young girl was, we suspect, mentally challenged so was very unprepared and unequipped for the financial and emotional responsibility of taking care of an ill Westie, and felt the best solution was to keep her crated all day, for about six months and did not get her any Veterinary care.
Lilly’s skin and condition got worse and worse until the young girl could no longer cope and placed an ad on a website with her pitiful picture, offering her to anyone who wanted her. Very luckily, one of our Westie lovers saw the ad, contacted us and Westies in Need called the owner right away and offered assistance.
A Westies in Need family who have adopted two of our Westies (one puppy mill girl named Molly and a blind Westie named Tara) offered to make the four and half hour drive (one way) to get her for us and then turned around and drove right back to our waiting arms. We took her to our Vet that same day and her treatments began.
She is a tiny, sweet, fragile, sick little girl who has had a hard start to life, but we will make sure she gets the very best care possible from this moment on.
Westies in Need would like to thank WestieMed for all they do and for their very generous donation for Lilly’s care.
With love and thanks, Corrie Yeoman Kim McLean Directors, Westies in Need
Update January 6, 2010
To all of the wonderful folks at WestieMed, Just a quick e-mail to say thanks and thanks again for the generous donation you made to our rescue for our girl Lilly! It is so very much appreciated…we will keep you updated on her progress. Thanks!!
Corrie Director, Westies in Need
Update February 4, 2010
Lily – WestieMed Recipient
Well, it has been about six weeks now since our Lilly came into our Westies in Need rescue program and I wanted to send you all a follow-up picture and update.
When Lilly arrived she was so very sick and she was about seven pounds At the next Vet visit she went up to about seven and a half and at her last visit she was now almost eight pounds…slow but steady and we would love to see her gain a bit more.
Her fur is coming along…again slow…but a bit more every day! She was bathed three times a day for the first two weeks, then twice a day, then once a day and is now down to a bath every other day. The first few weeks she just stood there and did not move when you bathed her…now she hears the water run and she is gone!!! Too funny!!!
The biggest change we have seen (and I mean HUGE!!!!) is in her attitude. When I first got Lilly she slept about eighteen hours a day, would not run or play at all and had no life her eyes at all….well…she is now a little spitball!
This young lady has Westie-tude to spare! She barks at me if I am not quick enough with her supper, runs up and down our hall chasing my Charlotte like she is in the Indy 500, eats like there is no tomorrow, plays for hours on end with toys and is an absolute joy!
She is the sweetest, most loving and cuddly Westie I have ever known…if you let her she would live her life snuggled on your lap playing with your fingers or trying to chase your eyelashes!!! What a joy she is!
I will keep you all updated on her progress. I want to thank you all once again for your love, your support and your donations for this little girl. She had a rough start to life, but she is certainly making up for it now.
With love and thanks, Corrie Westies in Need
Update June 25, 2010
Lilly, as you know, came into the rescue on December 10th and at that time she was a mess, but she became stronger and stronger as the months went on and was even starting to grow some hair and not smelling as bad.!
Lily – WestieMed Recipient
THEN…April came and she had a small sore on her head one day (the size of my little fingernail) …in two and half days it covered almost half of her head (picture is attached) and was oozing and pussy. I thought for a moment she had flesh-eating disease….needless to say, we were off to the Vet in a minute and she was diagnosed with a severe bacterial infection that her current antibiotic was doing nothing for and Demodex Mange.
So from April till now it has been a long haul and we have kinda had to start at the beginning…she lost all her hair (damn!!!) and had, I would say, sixty small, open sores on her body from the mange.
Lily – WestieMed Recipient
She is now seeing her regular Vet as well as Steven Waisglass, a Canine Dermatologist. She went immediately on a different antibiotic and is now also on Ivermectin for the mange. She was also found to have a problem with her Thyroid (I sent all her blood work off to Jean Dodds) so she is currently on Thyroid medication as well.
I have attached some pictures for you to see…I need to take some more of her now as she is starting to improve. She is back to wearing little clothes all the time and she has to wear her back boots again as well so she does not rip her skin when she scratches.
We are back to a bath every other day with the Dermabens shampoo and then another shampoo with the Nizoral and then an oatmeal rinse and I have a Derma cool spray that I can spray on her in bad, itch spots.
Lily – WestieMed Recipient
Through all this, she is still eating and pooping well and is still the sweetest little thing. In April when she was VERY sick she was back to sleeping most of the day and very lethargic, but she has improved since then…does not sleep too much during the day and is back to playing with toys and trying very hard to play with my Charlotte, who still wants absolutely NOTHING to do with her. So funny!!! She was only 3.4 kg when she arrived in our rescue and is currently 5.6 KG now, so a good and steady improvement with her weight.
We appreciate WestieMed more than you know. Corrie and her little Westies, Charlotte and Miss Lilly
Update April 12, 2011
Lily – WestieMed Recipient
My Lilly is doing better…still not 100% which is disappointing but she is looking better. Her skin is still an issue and will probably be for all her life.
She is now seeing a holistic Vet in Toronto…she saw the canine dermatologist for months but I was unhappy as he just wanted to continue her treatment with additional drugs, so I am now on the holistic approach.
She has been on a RAW diet for a month now as well, but I have seen no improvement at all as far as her skin. Here is a picture I took of her in December! Corrie
Update January 9, 2012
I want to send you a follow-up regarding our Lilly. She was a little Westie who WestieMed helped over two years ago now. You helped me so much as well as Bette, answering all my questions – you are so knowledgeable and I could not begin to thank you enough!
Lilly continues to do well, not 100% but I doubt that she will ever be…but she is happy and a whole lot better than she was when she arrived in our rescue.
Last month we had 19 Westies come into our rescue – a very busy month but all are doing great!
Maggie was misdiagnosed with allergies for two years. Her previous owner could no longer afford the vet bills to treat her and the stress of her not getting any better was too much. After giving Maggie up to rescue she was taken to a different vet and was soon diagnosed and properly treated for mange.
This poor dog had suffered for two years. The new vet said her skin was so badly damaged it will always be a black color. Once Maggie was given the proper treatment she started to heal.
Maggie – WestieMed Recipient
My son had always wanted a smaller dog of his own so I took him to meet Maggie and an instant connection was made. So for his 16th birthday present, Maggie came to live with us and continued to heal.
She has given us so much joy and love and we feel that we are the lucky ones to have found her.
Unfortunately, after four months the mange returned and three of her paws were again infected. She has had two dips and injections and another round of antibiotics so she is once again on the mend.
We are praying that this does not continue to reoccur.
Otherwise, Maggie is doing great and loves her new home. Julie White
Maggie – WestieMed Recipient
Update September 23, 2009
She is doing wonderful.
She is a great joy in our home and can’t imagine life without her
I have attached a new picture for you to see. Julie White
Update March 2, 2010
We have had Maggie two and a half years now and she is doing great. She is so loved in our home and we feel lucky she found us.
Hi, my name is Canny, it was Cannon but I didn’t even know I had a name. I didn’t know humans did anything for dogs, except give food and water. This is my story of how I got rescued from a puppy mill and found my forever home. You see, I was in this puppy mill all my life and I am eight now. I lived and slept on cement, and was given food and water but I had no idea there was anything else.
One day this wonderful lady with a warm heart and sweet eyes picked me up from where I lived; her name was Judi. There were 4 of us that left that day. Judi took 2 of us and her friend Denise took the other 2. Judi put me in a crate but there was something warm and soft to lay on, wow that was different. Judi was a rescuer. I didn’t know that I needed to be rescued and I didn’t fully understand what being rescued would mean to me.
Judi was shocked when she saw where I lived and said it looked like “the Walmart of Dogs”. She said the “pens” were 4 X 6 and each pen had twenty dogs in them. I just thought that was normal. We went for a ride. Judi was so kind, she gently petted me, talked to me softly, and told me everything was going to be all right. The next day we went to Dr. Zimmer. He made me feel very sleepy. I felt different when I left there but it was still nicer than where I had been. Before Judi got me I had never been to a house. I just stood close to the wall so scared. Then some humans came and took away the little girl that was with me. This made me even more frightened. Then another set of humans came and they were looking at me for a long time while Judi talked to them. Then the female human came over, bent down, put her hand out, and started talking to me. Her name was Jacque and she seemed nice too. She picked me up and we left Judi’s. I can’t tell you how frightened I was.
We went to Jacque and Bill’s house. There were 2 other dogs there but they didn’t look like me, they were shelties. We all got along pretty well and there were a lot of things to sniff. The shelties, Heidi and Colby showed me things we were supposed to do. They showed me where the food was, that there was a special place outside where you go to the bathroom, and where you sleep. Jacque and Bill just kept talking to me and petting me. I was starting to like this place. A couple of weeks later, Jacque called Judi and said she had some concerns about my health. She said we were going to Dr. Zimmer again. Dr. Zimmer looked at me very closely and said I had some very serious problems. I have crusty, yucky eyes with tumors on the upper eyelids, I itch everywhere constantly and my skin is very smelly, my ears are nasty inside and sometimes I bump into things because I can’t see with the crusty stuff that is in my eyes plus I had lost weight. Dr. Zimmer and Jacque looked very concerned. Jacque told me it was going to be all right.
Now I come to the part of my story where Jacque finds Carol Sanger (Indiana Westie Rescue) and WestieMed. Jacque told them we needed help. She did all the things she was asked to do. Then one day I saw Jacque crying really hard at her computer. I didn’t understand but she said WestieMed is going to help plus Carol, a wonderful, kind lady, was going to help us too. Jacque says were are going back to Dr. Zimmer on January 8th and we are going to start with testing. In the meantime, she keeps bathing me every 4 days with this soap that does help the itching and the smell. But I have learned so many things. I get to sleep on very soft blankets, I am starting to learn how to play, and I even get to sleep on her bed when Bill is gone. I have even learned when you smell food, if you stand beside them long enough and stare at them, they might give you a bite! It’s pretty fun here. But the very best part, is I am going to get well. Jacque (I guess I can call her Mom now) says she didn’t know there were people out there that cared so much. When she talks about WestieMed and Carol she always gets tears in her eyes. That’s when Colby, Heidi and me, Canny (I know my name now) go over and make sure she is okay. She loves on us and says everything is going to be all right. I will let you know how things go and thank you WestieMed and Carol for being so generous.
Canny
Update May 15, 2008:
Hello All in Westie Land!
It has been a while since I last wrote but so many things have happened, I almost don’t know where to start. Mom and Doc. Zimmer got together and figured out a plan. It is amazing how much better I feel. I can see better, all the nasty tumors on my eyelids are gone and I don’t have that crusty junk in my eyes. My ears don’t make that squishy noise, the pain and the smell is gone. My teeth are clean and I look like a Westie again. I have learned so many new things. I know the word come means to run as fast as you can to Mom. Sit, means to lay my carrot tail on the floor. Wait means to sit longer but eventually, you get to move. If I do these things when I am told….Mom gives me a treat, that’s the best part!
Mom and Dad tell me all the time I am the funniest dog they have ever had. I discovered that rolling on your back, wiggling back and forth feels really good. Mom said she must be missing out on something good since I roll all the time. Someday I will get Mom to try that too, but she said that she would be more careful where she rolls! When I come inside, Mom always says, “Why do they call you WHITE Terriers?” when my back has grass stains and other things I won’t mention.
I found out this white stuff comes out of the sky, I don’t like it, so I scratch the back door and Mom appears. My sister, Heidi, makes the path to go around the back yard when the snow is there and I follow her. Colby, my brother, runs back and forth, jumping and barking. Mom started laughing at me one day and I didn’t know why. She said it was because I kept going around the path that Heidi made when the snow wasn’t there! When I figured that out, I started rolling again.
Some sad things have happened too. In November ’07, my sister started to feel bad. Mom took her to the vet and the tests came back fine. One night, Mom was sitting on the floor with Heidi. Mom had bought big fluffy pillows for us to sleep on. Heidi was laying on hers but she didn’t look good. Mom took Heidi’s collar off so she could breathe easier. Mom and Dad picked her up with the pillow and laid her on their bed. Mom laid down beside her. Mom was just sobbing, but kept petting her and said it was okay to go to Heaven. Then we all knew Heidi was gone. Mom gave Heidi’s pillow to me. I felt sad too. Her collar was on the floor; I went over, picked it up, laid it on her pillow, and then laid on top of it. Mom really cried and said that was the most touching moment she had ever seen. I am sending you a picture, so you can see how I will remember beautiful Heidi.
Mom is sending her favorite picture of me; she takes them all the time and makes videos of me. The picture here was when I had my first official grooming. I do look pretty cute. Mom says I am getting more playful and I come out to greet people when they come inside. Plus I stand up at the side of the bed and I get loved on all the time. Dad tells me I am a popcorn freak. As soon as I hear it pop, I run to the microwave and then follow whoever gets the bag. She always says that we have all been smitten by the Westietude!
Mom found this article on the internet. She wanted to include it because she wants others to know that animals bring so much joy to humans lives. She says she is so lucky to have me and I am her little angel.
Ten Commandments for a Responsible Pet Owner
Dictated by the pet. 1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful. 2. Give me time to understand what you want of me. 3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being. 4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment. But I have only you. 5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me. 6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it. 7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, and yet I choose not to bite you. 8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long or my heart might be getting old or weak. 9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too will grow old. 10. On the difficult journey, on the ultimate difficult journey, go with me, please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Because I love you so.
Well that’s what has been happening in CannyLand. I will write more when I can and let you know how exciting my life is now that someone really loves me.
Canny
Update August 3, 2010:
I was the forever Mom for Canny in 2006. I will be writing Canny’s final chapter as I had to put him to sleep on July 7th. I will send you the rest of Canny’s story.
We got Pirate when my husband and I were fostering Westies for Westie Rescue. It was the end of September when I went to pick him up. He was the cutest little thing, but oh so skinny. He came from a puppy mill in Missouri and was about eight months old. That is about all we knew about him. Anyway, we quickly decided on the name Pirate and he started to settle into our home. He played so well with our resident Cairn Terrier, Pedro, that we started to worry about how these two would handle being separated. Pedro had seen other dogs come and go, but he really seemed to take to Pirate. It seemed like the two worked in concert. Anyway, after about two weeks, we realized that we couldn’t let this little guy go, so we went ahead and adopted him.
About a month later, my husband noticed a bloody spot on the bottom of Pirates neck. We didn’t know what it was, so we took him to the vet. She looked him over and decided it was a hot spot. She shaved the area, which is standard procedure for hot spots, but a “Hot Spot” is NOT what this was. When they shaved the area, they razor burned Pirate, and the next day the darn thing grew in size and had scabbed over. I read on the internet that this can happen with hot spots, so I just kept on giving him his antibiotic and spraying the thing with hydrocortison.
Pirate – WestieMed Recipient
It continued to grow, and since I live in a university town with a great vet teaching hospital, I decided that I needed to get him into seeing a dermatologist. Problem was, I couldn’t get an appointment for another two weeks. In the meantime, Pirates “hot spot” continued to grow. It got so awful and HUGE! I was getting desperate and was searching the internet for anything I could find to help me deal with this problem.
That is when I came across the WestieMed site. They have pictures of a dog named Millie who had severe Malazessia and it looked so similar to what I was seeing on Pirate. I started taking pictures of Pirate and sending them out to WestieMed, and just for good measure, also to Westie Rescue. Both organizations came to my aid, but I couldn’t believe the response that WestieMed gave me. They said it was the worst “hot spot” they had ever seen! My heart sank. What was going to happen to my poor little Pirate?
Then Westie Rescue responded and wanted me to see the vet that they use. I had to drive about 50 miles, but it was totally worth it because this vet found the REAL problem. Pirate has Demodex Mange! It was never a hot spot, to begin with! I was given a stronger antibiotic and was supposed to start dipping in Mitaban as soon as some of his oozing sores healed up.
I waited two days and felt that I just couldn’t take it anymore. I tried the vet teaching hospital again and was begging them to move up my appointment, but they didn’t think they could do it. All they said I could do was to bring him to their emergency room and perhaps if I got lucky, there would be a dermatologist on duty who might be able to look at him. Well, I took my chances and brought him in.
Pirate – WestieMed Recipient
This next part just blows my mind! As I was walking Pirate in, Pedro got away from me and was running all around the parking lot. I was trying to catch him when this nice man started helping me and calling for Pedro. He finally caught him and when I went to get Pedro, he told me that he was my neighbor and that he recognized Pedro from seeing us walk him around the block. He also told me that he works at the Vet hospital and that he is a Dermatologist! Oh my Gosh, this had to be from the Lord because I couldn’t have hoped for anything better. I told him that I was here to get someone to see Pirate and he agreed to see him right away.
Well, he confirmed the diagnosis of Demodex Mange, and also that the bacterial infection was causing major havoc too. The good news was that they have another form of treating Demodex that doesn’t involve dipping or waiting for wounds to heal. I could start Pirate on it right away. The only thing was that some dogs don’t tolerate it well, so it would take a while of increasing the doses to see how Pirate is going to handle it. Well, it has been about ten days now, and Pirate is taking the full dosage, and so far, tolerating it just fine. He is back to being a bouncy little puppy. His ears still flop down though, because he has some demodex sores on them that weigh them down. He also has to wear a collar sometimes to keep from scratching, and he has lost a lot of hair. That doesn’t matter to us though, because we would love him even if he was bald.
Our journey isn’t over yet. Demodex is largely a disease of the immune system. See, all animals and even people have these little mites living in their hair follicles. It’s just that for most of us, our immune systems keep them in check. For some reason, Pirates immune system either was compromised briefly or just isn’t super strong, probably as a result of poor breeding habits at the puppy mill. Anyway, he will have to take this medicine for a couple of months and have repeated skin scrapings to see if the mites have been eliminated. Hopefully, we will also find a way to boost his immune responses for the rest of his life, but right now getting rid of the mites is the first priority. It isn’t going to be the easiest thing to deal with, but I think we are going to get through it.
I couldn’t imagine how I would be dealing with this if WestieMed hadn’t been around to help. Not only would I be worried sick about Pirate, but I would also be worried sick about how to pay for all his vet expenses. Some people have had to put their dogs down because they couldn’t afford the vet bills. Demodex can be expensive because it takes so long to treat, and some dogs may need help for the rest of their lives. WestieMed is giving Pirate a fighting chance, and they are saving Pirates life. He isn’t even a year old yet. The people at WestieMed have also been a huge moral support. Best of all, Pirate is getting better! He is a great little dog and totally worth saving. I wish everyone who has contributed to WestieMed could meet Pirate because I am sure they would be reassured that their money, time, and talents are being put to good use. We are all so thankful for WestieMed. It reminds me of a story I heard about a little boy who was walking along the beach one day and throwing the beached starfish back in the ocean so they wouldn’t die. A man came along and said, “son, what you are doing is fruitless. This is just one little beach, and there are thousands of beaches full of starfish who are dying. It just doesn’t really matter if you throw these back and save their lives.” The little boy thought awhile, and picked up another starfish and threw it back into the sea. Then he said, “Well, it matters to that one.” Thanks again Westie Med!
