Harry
Rainbow Bridge January 2007
September 2003:
The call came on September 4, 2003. The local Humane Society asking if I’d be able to take in a Westie rescue turned in earlier that week. I am listed with the shelter as a rescue contact for Westies and thank heavens they are willing to call. I arrived at the shelter the next day not knowing what to expect. I had been told that the dog had skin problems and that the surrendering family was not the original owners. He had been a “yard dog and not house trained”. The technician disappeared into the back exam room and reappeared shortly with Harry. My heart melted for multiple reasons. First of all, those little black/brown button eyes looking so forlornly at me. All the other reasons for the overwhelming emotion revolved around his appearance and health. He had huge scabs and raw spots on his body. He clearly had an infection not only on the surface but internally as well. He was coughing and laboring to breathe. I knew his vet bills would be expensive and that we might not be able to find a family to adopt him. I knew leaving him at the shelter would be certain death as there would be no extended care available to him. Regardless of all the barriers, I knew I had to take him home. I’d make whatever financial adjustments I needed to in order to get this little guy the attention he deserved.
Harry spent a week at the vet being treated for all that ailed him. His ailments ran the gamut – vomiting, diarrhea, skin infections, ear infections, and upper respiratory infections. His gums were oozing infection and prohibited him from making progress with the antibiotics or being able to eat without throwing up. The vet noted some abnormalities when neutering him and initiated x-rays. We found that his heart is enlarged. At this point, we aren’t sure if that is secondary to the infections or that he has a heart condition. Bless my vet for being truly compassionate and working with me to get Harry healthy and stable. He changed the course of treatment and now Harry is making progress by leaps and bounds. He has come home and become a member of the family. He shares attention and playtime with Britt, his mentor-Westie, and Mac, the old Scottish Terrier. His new friends have taught him house manners and good behavior.
I continue to struggle to understand how someone could allow one of God’s creatures to be treated so poorly. I have to remind myself that at least the people who had him previously surrendered him to the shelter rather than abandon him. I know that Harry still may have medical issues but we will overcome those and make sure he is able to enjoy life as best he can.
As mentioned before, I have other terriers – one of which has been diagnosed with Cushing’s and bladder cancer. His expenses were already mounting and Harry’s expenses were adding to the financial burden. WestieMed stepping in with support has helped soften the blow to my pocketbook! I thank WestieMed for the support and contribution. More importantly, thank you to every WestieMed contributor for making the assistance possible through the donations made to the organization. Those contributions make it possible to help these little creatures find a happy life, to find loving owners, and to give love as they are so able to do! Thank you, everyone!
Beverly Harrison
Update: August 2004:
Here’s an update of pix of Harry and the rest of my clan. The Scottie is a new addition as of this weekend. I lost my nine-year-old Scottie to cancer on July 4th. Tobi, the Scottie came to me through the Scottie rescue program. Everyone is getting along and is establishing the “pecking” order. Harry is doing as well as can be expected. He had an ultrasound on June 4 and his heart is doing well although he continues with COPD. He is on Enalapril and Metacam daily which seems to help his mobility. He has good days or bad – like all of us. He got a little chunky and I put him on some low-calorie food. Losing a few pounds seemed to help reduce his coughing spasms. Considering everything, he’s tough as nails and continues to be a joy.
Update January 2007:
Wanted you to know that Harry, my faithful little companion for the last three plue years, has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge . Harry, a Westie rescue and recipient of WestieMed assistance, had many health issues that slowly took their toll. He was faithful, loving and true to his breed in his fight against his health issues. He shall be sorely missed.
BJ (aka Beverley) Harrison
Alex
July 2003:
My Little Old Man
I met Alex one day driving down the road. I stopped at a stop sign and as I looked to my right this skinny virtually hairless dog caught my eye. He had a collar and was walking rather slowly. I stopped my car hoping to help the little guy home. As I approached this poor little dog I noticed he had no tags. He couldn’t hear too well because he was older and had severe ear infections. His eyes were infected, his nails were about and an inch long and he smelled really bad. I felt so bad for him how could anyone neglect this innocent creature. I brought him to a couple of animal hospitals in the area to see maybe if they knew him. They did not. I was also told by my vet he was anywhere between ten to fifteen years old. I was than asked if I wanted to keep him I should run a battery of test. My heart sank. I knew I could not take him home. I already had two Wheaten Terriers, Jake and Bailey, a nine-month-old baby and my cocker spaniel, Joshua passed away one year ago. I knew where I had to go next, the dreaded animal shelter. I couldnt bear to see him go. I cried and cried. This nice woman who ran the shelter saw I was upset. She told me she knew someone who could help place “Alex” in a home. I felted a sense of relief because I knew he would not be adopted from the shelter because of how he looked, smelt and his age. This woman called this angel and she said she would pick her up. I left my number for this kind individual and asked if she would call me so I could find out Alexs future (In the meantime I hung lost posters in the three surrounding towns where I lived to see if I could find the owner. Of course nobody called. I thought that was probably the best thing since they neglected this poor little animal).
A few days later I received a call from Karen and she said she had someone to adopt him. I felt good but, at the same time sad because I had developed a bond with the little guy. I told Karen if anything fell through to please call me and I would try and take him but the chances were slim. Well Karen called back and told me the woman could not adopt Alex. She told me she was going to have to bring him back to the shelter at the end of the week and have him destroyed. She couldnt keep him she already had too many animals.
I WOULD NOT let this poor dog be destroyed. I knew I had many medical bills ahead of me. Alex was put on eye drops for his eye infection, Baytril for his respiratory infection (he had massive amounts of mucous draining from his nose and eyes. He had so much mucous that one of his nostrils was closed shut many days), steroids, ear drops, antihistamine and ketoconazole. He was diagnosed with Malassezia along with a host of other problems.
I have had Alex now for about one month and he has turned around so much. He has become a member of my family. At first because he apparently was sleeping in the streets where he was always disturbed he probably never had a good sleep. Whenever he would sleep he would jump, startled if approached. Now he sleeps like a baby. He initially could barely walk. He still has some problems but he runs and plays with his toys and has a great appetite. He no longer has mucous discharge. He is very sweet dog everyone loves him.
I wanted to extend my thanks to Westie Med for helping with Alex’s medical bills. I am sure Alex appreciates it as well. I am glad I was able to help my little old man. Thank you again.
Sincerely, Connie P. Blue Point, NY
Alex has a skin condition called Malassezia (yeast infection of the skin). This condition is becoming more and more prevalent among Westies. Westie Rescuers are seeing cases of this all over the country. This condition is very treatable…if treated properly. To help other Westie owners, we are making information about this condition available on our web site. You can read about it here: Malassezia.
Casey
January 2003:
Terese from Missouri.
Casey was purchased as a pup in St. Louis, MO.
A mother with a sick ten-year-old daughter thought a puppy might help her daughter get well faster. As the daughter got better, the mother realized that she really didn’t want a dog in her house, and also thought that some of the family may be allergic to Casey, so she moved him outside permanently.
Casey learned to play with a soccer ball, and empty two-liter bottles in the back yard all by himself. When he was bored, he would grind his teeth on the lava rocks in the garden until his canines were all completely flat. This continued in the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter for the next 6 years. In that time, Casey developed problems with his eyes, ears, and skin from being exposed to such severe weather, and from having very little attention paid to him by anyone. He was rarely groomed, and no one seemed to have the time for him.
One day, a very muddy and matted Westie came into the kennel/day camp, where I worked, to be groomed. It was Casey. I never saw him or his owner, but she had decided that they were not able to take care of him anymore and left a yellow stickie on the bulletin board. “Free six-year-old Westie, owner allergic.”
I went home with the note that day and my husband and I took a ride to the house. The owner came out of the house and said that the dog was kept in the back yard and that she could not come with us, as if she went near him, she would have to shower again. We opened the gate and the friendliest, biggest Westie we ever saw came running up and wanted us to play with him so very badly. The woman told us his name was Casey and we had to discuss him through the kitchen screen window. I told her that Casey had a sore above his eye and she said she couldn’t touch him, so I asked for some peroxide and some cortisone cream. I fixed him up and then started to take a good hard look at him. We were both shocked at the black elephant skin on his belly and his nose, and the inside of his ears was black and smelled terrible. When we looked into Casey’s beautiful golden eyes, we saw green goop and could tell his eyes weren’t as clear as they should be. It was just so awful to see such a sweet and loving dog in such terrible condition. We just looked at each other and knew we would take him with us immediately. We asked if we could take him overnight to see if he would get along with our Cairn and our Poodle-mix puppy. They fell in love when we brought him home, as we already had. The next day we took him to the vet and knew it would take lots of love, time, and money for the next few months to get Casey into good shape.
For months, we had to put steroid drops in his eyes, use several medications for his skin condition called Malasszia, and clean and apply medicine to his ears. As the months passed by, and we were the happiest of families, Casey began to throw up in the middle of the night. Then he got diarrhea. We noticed a tiny seizure one morning and brought him in for blood tests. We knew something was terribly wrong but hoped for the best. Casey’s albumin level in his blood was a 1.9 when it should have been a 2.4, and we were told to change his diet immediately and to watch him carefully because his poor body could just shut down at any time. He was most likely suffering from something called PLE or protein-losing enteropathy. He was put on steroids and anti-diarrhea medication in an attempt to get some of his symptoms to lessen, or go away. I actually started to make his food, since this disease can be caused by a food allergy. To confirm the diagnosis, Casey would have to have a stomach lining biopsy and internal organ x-ray, which were very costly, and we knew we couldn’t afford them.
I started looking on the Internet for help, and through WestieRescueMO we found the wonderful people at WestieMed. Casey goes in tomorrow for a follow-up blood test, and we will be talking to the Dr. about the biopsy and x-ray, now that WestieMed is there to help us with the bill. All we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you … and God bless the fine and generous people at WestieMed who care so very much! We would also like to thank the people of WestieResueMO for all of their caring and support. Casey had to learn how to sleep through the night and to sleep with us and not in a pet taxi, and he had to learn to play with us and not just by himself. He is Mama’s lapdog now too! We just love the little fella and are glad he was put in our path.
Terese and Steven Ward and Casey, Rocky and Tugger
Casey has a skin condition called Malassezia (yeast infection of the skin). This condition is becoming more and more prevalent among Westies. Westie Rescuers are seeing cases of this all over the country. This condition is very treatable…if treated properly. To help other Westie owners, we are making information about this condition available on our web site. You can read about it here: https://westiemed.org/malassezia
Minnie
November 2002:
I received a call from the Westport, SPCA about a Westie/mix they had in their shelter and they wanted to know if we had any room for her. Minnie was brought in by the dog control officers from someone’s farm. It appeared that someone dumped her on their farm and drove off. The officer had to carry Minnie in as she was unable to even stand up. Her nails were so long they curled under and we’re into the soft pads of her feet, she had no hair and open sores on her body. Both eyes were infected as were her ears.
The Westport, SPCA did an awesome job with Minnie and tried hard to find her a home as they dealt with her ever-mounting medical problems. When Kerry called me they had had Minnie for two months and felt if a home could not be found for her she would be euthanized soon.
My husband and I headed out to the shelter days later to see Minnie. Doing rescue for a few years we thought we had seen it all, but when we saw Minnie, she raised the bar for us of what we thought was shocking. We both spent time with Minnie and Kerry and talked a lot about the care and long-term prognosis – but I think we all knew we were going to take her home and get her some help.
Soon we were heading out for the long trip home and Minnie laid on the seat being a perfect angel except for constant scratching (and, well. causing our eyes to water from the smell). As soon as our feet hit the front door, Minnie was in the tub. She sat perfectly still for the whole 10 minutes the shampoo had to work while I massaged her poor skin and tried to assure her that we would get her back to health. We set her up in the kitchen away from the other pets in case she could possibly pass something to them, and she laid down and slept for four hours.
Her first vet visit turned into an overnight stay. The number of things she needed checked and done just couldn’t fit into a visit, so I reluctantly left her in their care and headed home alone. I must have called them four times checking on her and while they were not optimistic at all, by the next day the vet was as anxious as we were to get Minnie back to health. They saw in her what we did – the sweet pup with a sparkle in her eyes that even her extreme health couldn’t diminish. We headed home with shampoos, medications, creams, and sprays and fell into a schedule by the end of the weekend.
She now receives one bath a day in alternating shampoos and sometimes a second bath a day in oatmeal shampoo if she’s having an itchy day. She is on antibiotics, medication for the Malassezia, eye drops four times a day, and an antibiotic for the eyes twice a day. Her ears were infected so she also has cleanings and antibiotics twice a day for that. She loves her oatmeal spray and Gold Bond powder which not only helps her itching but she looks white and smells so much better. We have noticed for the first time yesterday that the odor is better and her eyes are clear of infection.
When we take her somewhere, she does draw a lot of angry looks from folks, and I know the anger is directed at me thinking we did this to her. But once we explain, they are on the floor on all fours talking and petting her and telling her what a sweet girl she is. She eats it up.
We are heading into our second week with Minne. Her ears no longer have an odor and she is running around the kitchen now and playing for the first time. She is very shy around strangers still but she lays in my lap and seems happy to just have a family. She does not shrink away when we touch her now and she has even barked a few times and wagged her tail for the first time yesterday.
WestieMed, thank you so much for the help you have given us – not just for vet bills, but for emotional support and also great insight and information. Minnie is slowly showing us the sweet little dog that has been hidden and it’s because of your help that this is possible.
Mary Adams West Highland Rescue of NY
Minnie has a skin condition called Malassezia (yeast infection of the skin). This condition is becoming more and more prevalent among Westies. Westie Rescuers are seeing cases of this all over the country. This condition is very treatable…if treated properly. To help other Westie owners, we are making information about this condition available on our web site. You can read about it here: https://westiemed.org/malassezia
Rags
September 2002:
RAGS TO RICHES
About 10 a.m. one Tuesday earlier in August, I received a call from the concerned owner that they had heard I rescued and helped small dogs. As I have helped in the rescue and placement of Cairn Terriers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and some mix-breed puppies, I indicated I can sometimes help. What did they need?
Rags story begins when her well-intending owners of eleven years were moving and the main caregiver was returning to full-time employment. They decided to put her in the newspaper for free considering people would not be interested in buying an older dog. They did find someone interested and just let them pick the dog up and felt all was well.
For the original owner, all was well until about two weeks later someone called saying they had found their dog, locating them by an old tag left on Rags’ collar. Rags had apparently walked in their back door as they opened it to go out one evening. She was so filthy they did not know she was even a Westie. They bathed, defeated, and treated her ears thinking something had chewed on them as they looked infected with sores. Three days later the original owner picked her up and that is when they called me. They were afraid to try to place her again and did not have the time for her. They also mentioned sending Rags to animal control if I could not help.
So not being one to say no, I picked up the sweetest, confused, pretty little white dog I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and saw she needed immediate vet care for her ears. They had her groomed but had not had her to the vet. I and several others who heard of her plight could not understand how someone could give up such a beautiful little dog after owning her all her life.
After searching on the internet for what seems like hours, I found the representative for WHWTCA Westie Rescue. I told her I would gladly foster Rags and needed her help with placement for Rags, but also had very limited personal funds for veterinarian costs. My funds go very quickly having nine Cairn Terriers, most with special needs, two with seizures, three with severe skin allergies, one has had surgery to remove hip joint, etc., (who by the way have all been getting along wonderfully with Rags, she is so sweet). She immediately told me to look up WestieMed.com and see if they could help. Thank goodness there is such a group.
Rags first visit to the vet indicated she was heartworm free but had a severe ear infection in her right ear, also eye and skin irritations. The vet could not believe how strong and spirited she is for her age. She would need drops twice a day, plus daily and bi-weekly cleaning of both ears for blockages, as her hearing was impaired, and oral antibiotics for up to three months. As I had also noticed excessive drinking and piddling, which the original owner said she had never noticed. Rags also needed blood work which indicated no diabetes, thyroid problems, or other causes. So more and expensive blood testing has been done for the possibility of Cushing’s Disease. Without WestieMed I would have had difficulty finding she has early stages of an unpleasant but thank goodness a treatable problem. She will need medication for the remainder of her life, but it can be a good life.
And even though I have fallen in love with her, I know she can be placed in a new home with people who can really care for her no matter what.
Thank you again Robin Bateman and mostly RAGS
Update December 2002:
Rags are in a new long-term foster home with Sharon and Michael and is doing well. She’s a sweet, though quite an overweight girlie!
On behalf of Rags, WestieMed would like to thank Robin for fostering her for so long and taking such good care of her while a new foster home was being sought.
Maggie Formally Shannon
July 2002: Shannon from Massachusetts!
Shannon’s story is an excellent example of what can happen when everyone puts the welfare of a dog before all other issues. This is a story of a number of volunteers and groups working together to contribute to the rescue and treatment of a truly wonderful Westie.
The first part of her story is told by Dianne Luistro of Northeast Westie Rescue. Dianne received the referral call about Shannon and coordinated her surrender and placement in an emergency foster home.
Part one: Dianne Coordinates the Rescue.
Shannon is a very sweet, four-year-old Westie girl with a gentle soul. Her former owners bought her as a puppy from a pet shop. She was well until October 2001 when she began scratching and losing hair. For more than a year, the family took her to the vet and tried to keep up the rigorous schedule of bathing, giving antibiotics, cleaning her ears, and taking her for walks. But, as they told us, other family demands caused Shannon’s care to come in last, and they felt she deserved better than that.
They contacted the MSPCA in Methuen, Massachusetts. The MSPCA staff could not guarantee she would be adopted and/or cured in her current condition. Nor, could they guarantee she would not be euthanized if a home wasn’t found. The MSPCA did give the family a phone number for Northeast Westie Rescue. It took another six weeks to gather the courage to call us. They were not sure what our reaction would be to her condition.
Of course, we were ready to take her in with open arms. But, we had a house full of puppies and needed an alternate foster home. We called Penny & Ed Cherubino, a Boston couple, who work with Westie Rescue of Missouri. They accepted the surrender and provided emergency fostered for Shannon on behalf of North East Westie Rescue.
Part two: From Penny – Shannon’s weeks in Boston
By the time I picked her up on June 6, 2002, Shannon had lost two-thirds of her hair. The only parts of her that were not bare were the top of her head, her rump, and tail. The exposed skin felt like an elephant’s hide and was black and crusty. Because she had fungal infections of the skin and ears, she smelled awful. She was a very sad, uncomfortable girl.
Fortunately, I had seen cases as severe as Shannon’s cured by Westie Rescue of Missouri volunteers. I also live within walking distance of the Back Bay Veterinary Clinic where Veterinarians with very big hearts were ready and willing to see an emergency rescue pup the moment she arrived in Boston. It also helped that Shannon’s family had supplied us with copies of her veterinary records.
The Back Bay Vets repeated the skin scrapings to be sure it was not a contagious disease that would transmit to our Westie, Maggie Mae, or the dozens of new doggie friends Shannon would make in our neighborhood. They diagnosed Malassezia Dermatitis, and we agreed upon a routine of care.
They prescribed:
- A new antibiotic (in case she had become resistant to the one that had been used over the past year);
- Ear cleaning and ointment twice a day;
- Fifteen-minute baths with medicated shampoo every three days followed by a hydrocortisone lotion rubbed onto her damp skin after each bath;
- Benadryl twice a day to relieve the itching
We decided to hold off on the potent, anti-fungal drugs to see if, with strict adherence to the routine, we could make some real progress without them.
Just to be sure of the treatment, I sent an email to the real experts–other rescuers! Members of the Westie Express Transport Group supplied ideas and successful programs for dealing with a skin problem of this magnitude. Within a day I had lots of solid information and a list of folks to contact for specific advice as I needed it.
I consider Angie Gittles of Capital Paws and WestieMed as my mentor on this rescue. The program the Vets and I agreed upon was one she has used with great success.
My one addition to the program was to put a size two toddler T-shirt on Shannon to make her more presentable to the outside world. It hid most of her bare skin. When we walked her, she got lots of pats and cooing as she won hearts in the Back Bay. The shirt also minimized the damage she was doing to her skin when she scratched. The downside of using a shirt is that it could hold in moisture which is not good for a fungal infection, so we used this with great care.
Once we all agreed to a few ground rules, Shannon became one of the most cooperative patients any rescuer could ask for.
Her first bath was a disaster. Shannon screamed like a banshee and struggled like we were trying to murder her. We quickly discovered that while she was terrified of being put into water, she didn’t mind if we poured water over her. We finished that bath with her standing on the kitchen counter for her fifteen-minute massage and rinsed her with buckets of water poured gently over her from behind.
Long walks in the city called for another agreement. Shannon had lost four pounds in the past 8 months. A lack of exercise has left her with very little muscle mass – she was not a strong pup. We were used to taking long walks with Maggie Mae and her pals. By day three, Shannon was sore and limping. So we agreed that she would walk a little and be carried a little. This proved to be easier than expected.
We have a group of doggie families who meet at a local cafe on a weekend morning to have breakfast together and then head out on a nice long walk with many puppy play breaks along the way. Miss Shannon came to love these outings. She would move from lap to lap at the cafe. Once on the road, we seldom carried her as one friend after another scooped her up and gave her a little rest and a big cuddle.
She settled right in to our home and seemed to improve every day. Soon we felt she was well enough to move on to her long-term foster home. Our continuing contribution to Shannon’s rescue will be to raise money for WestieMed to refill their coffers, so they are ready to help the next dog in need. Members of the Internet Group “The Great Westie Gathering” have already donated money for Shannon’s care and more donations are on the way. We are also keeping our eyes and ears open to find the perfect home for this special girl.
Part Three: Back to Dianne for long term foster care.
By the time my husband Frank and I took over her foster care, Shannon was free of all her scabs and smelled lovely for two to three days at a time. We could see the first signs of peach fuzz poking through. Shannon was still showing black skin, but she was gaining weight and eating well.
At our house, she was in the country. Shannon loved running through the doggy door out into the back yard. She mastered that doggy door the first day. Smart girl!!!!! She followed my two Westies: Rooney an eleven-year-old rescue and Annie an eight-year-old brat. (You know the type!!!)
A very important part of her treatment is a Malaseb shampoo bath every three days. Shannon is an angel when she has to stand in the sink for fifteen minutes while it gets absorbed.
She was on 25 mg of Benadryl to control the itching and inflammation. We were told to slowly wean her off it. By July 11, 2002, she was completely off Benadryl, had stopped all scratching, and was much more alert and active. We also began giving her one teaspoon of flaxseed oil. (a tip was given to us by North East Westie Rescue’s Jennifer Caffrey)
Angie of WestieMed also gave us some fabulous suggestions. One of the most effective was changing her diet to Science Diet Z/D — a low-allergen, synthetic-based protein food.
Shannon’s progress is amazing. Her skin and fur become softer every day. By July 16, 2002 she had put on two pounds and regained all of her muscle mass. She has hair growing on every part of her body except her eyes and nose!!!!!!!
She is not up for adoption yet. We want her fur to grow in a little more and want to continue to monitor her progress. Any potential owner must have the time to provide ongoing care. Shannon will need a weekly maintenance shampoo. Her ears need to be cleaned often, and she must get the proper food. But, this little girl is well on her way to becoming a little princess!!!!!
WestieMed has generously paid for her vet visits, supplies, shots and medication. They will also supply her with lots of Malaseb shampoo to pass on to her new owners.
Thank you WestieMed for approving the finances to enable North East Westie Rescue to carry through with Shannon’s Cinderella story.
Dianne Luistro & Penny Cherubino
Update August 2002:
Shannon was adopted on August 11, 2002, by a wonderful family who has all the time in the world to devote to Shannon’s continuing care. Shannon also has a big brother dog named ” Spencer.” They both go to the beach on the weekends with their parents. Thank-you Westiemed and especially Angie who gave us the directions and formula to get Shannon well.
Dianne
Update December 2002:
My husband & I adopted Shannon (who we now call Maggie) in August from Dianne Luistro. She has brought so much happiness into our home & has flourished. At her last vet appointment she weighed 18 lbs., loves to eat, play & cuddle. She is still having her weekly baths & this week she went for her first grooming. She now looks like a show dog! The groomer said her fur was very full & healthy. She has won our hearts & has become best friends with Spenser (our Chessie). She gives him a run around the yard & he still hasn’t caught her! Just want to say thank you to all of you at Westie rescue for all the wonderful work you do.
Happy Holidays, Joan
Update January 2003: New Photos of Maggie
Update June 2003:
Maggie is doing just great – she’s gotten fat and sassy! She is very comfortable in our home & has become quite affectionate. It seems as if she has always been here. I still have two unopened bottles of Malasab shampoo & if there is someone that needs it I would be happy to send them. The groomer uses her own shampoo & Maggie’s fur is beautiful. (when I can keep her clean, she loves to roll around outside!) I haven’t taken any new pictures, but when I do I’ll send some.
Thanks again, Joan Lewis
Dudley
April 2002:
Dudley was found in an alley. He was deaf and blind and obviously in pain. Despite his condition, he was completely docile and was taken directly to the Emergency Vet.
Dudley’s eyes were covered with blackened, stiff, infection-caked fur. At first, we thought his eyes had been gouged out. His ears were entirely filled with something that had hardened; it felt as if he had a big thick cigar in each ear. The emergency vet said that apparently, he had been standing in his urine in a cage for some time because his paws were stained yellow. His coat and skin smelled awful and his skin was full of scabs. After about two hours at the vet, they washed him and shaved and cleaned his face and ears, and dispensed one mg of Azium and 100 mg Polyflux, Clavamox 125 mg. for fourteen days, Panalog ointment fifteen ml, Triple antibiotic OO. We were told that one of the technicians was so disheartened at seeing his condition, she cried.
A couple of days later, we took him to our vet where they kept him for observation for the day. He has cataracts and his eyes still discharge gunk. Our vet told us he has a heart murmur and that we need to take him to a cardiologist. She said he also needs an ophthalmologic workup and a dermatological consult. A few days later, we brought him in for a follow-up check-up and he seemed to be progressing. A few days following that, he started limping, refusing to step on his left front paw. The vet dispensed Synotic w/Linc/Banamin and Baytril 68 mg. He’s now walking better, but his paw is still swollen.
Dudley’s recommended course of treatment is a cardiac workup due to heart murmur; ophthalmic workup due to eye discharge, cornea problems, and blindness; and dermatology consult due to pododermatitis, seborrheaoleosa, alopecia. allergies.
Update – May 2002:
Please accept and extend to the board of WestieMed, our heartfelt gratitude for the financial aid that made Dudley’s medical rehabilitation possible. I honestly don’t know what we would have done with this little stray Westie, had you not been there for him and us.
Each day Dudley gets better and better… and feistier. This past Sunday, he made his debut at a neighborhood sixty-family garage sale. He was quite the celebrity as he amazed neighbors who had seen him on that fateful day when he landed in our alley. They were astounded at how much healthier he appeared. When garage sale customers inquired if Dudley was available, they were told in no uncertain terms that they could take husband Tom, but never Dudley!
While Dudley continues to need work on his ears, eyes, paws, allergies, and teeth, we’re thrilled with the progress he has made. His Westie spirit and determination are inspirational.
We cannot thank you enough for your generosity and compassion.
Gratefully, Dudley, Tom and Linda Leahy
Update – June 2002:
Just wanted to send a new “after” picture of Dudley to show the improvement from his “before” picture taken in March. Again, thank you and WestieMed for all your amazing help.
Linda
Update – October 2002:
Dudley has definitely settled in with us and has managed to successfully train both Tom and me.
We cannot thank all of you enough at WestieMed for your financial and emotional support in helping Dudley move forward. I don’t know what we would have done had you not been there for him.
On the health front, Dudley’s eyes are coming along. We administer three meds three times a day. His ears are not faring as well in that the cartilage continues to harden. We’re hoping that he won’t need to undergo surgery, but it looks likely. We’ll learn the verdict this Saturday from his dermatologist Dr. Karen Kuhl.
On the behavioral front, we went through a period when if Dudley was sitting on the bed or sofa with Linda, and Tom would enter the room he would snarl and lunge at Tom. This protective (or so we guessed) behavior made us think he might have spent time in bed with a sick or dying person prior to his abandonment. When we realize how little he can see and hear, it’s amazing he doesn’t snarl more to changes in his environment. The good news is that he no longer snarls at Tom.
Our only challenge is his bladder control. He can’t seem to go for any length of time without urinating. During the day, we manage to get him out frequently. At night it’s a different story. We would really appreciate any advice you might be able too offer. We take him out between 11.00 and 11:30 p.m. and then he happily saunters into his crate next to our bed. He awakens at 4:00 a.m. and howls non-stop to go out. This incites our other dog Baka who is crated on the other side of our bed. They then make it a ceaseless doggy duet. If we don’t crate Dudley at night, we have several accidents. Any suggestions?
Please know how much we treasure all that you’ve done to help us.
Gratefully, Tom and Linda Leahy Dudley’s Devoted Humans
Update – March 2003:
It is approaching a year since Dudley came into our lives. We will celebrate his arrival–aka birthday–on March 17. Thanks to WestieMed, he is healthy and thriving.
Although his eyes and ears still operate at about 50%, he has learned to sit and stay. His vocabulary includes “dinner,” “go get Daddy,” “let’s go out,” “it’s time for bed,” and “do you want to go for a walk?”
Once again, we can’t thank you enough at WestieMed for helping Dudley and us.
All our best, Linda and Tom Leahy Dudley and Baka
Angus (Formely Buddy)
On the morning of May 5, 2001, I got a call from the director of the Islip Town Animal Shelter saying they had a Westie they thought I should take a look at. He was picked up as a stray and they thought he might be around five years old. I was told he was in pretty bad shape but I was not prepared for what awaited me. When they brought him to me in the director’s office my first thought was that this dog had been set on fire. His skin was blackened with raw, red patches, sores oozing yellow and fur falling off in clumps. His eyes were two pools of yellow pus and his ears were so infected and swollen they were closed, causing him to be deaf. He was extremely thin and weak. Not able to lift his head he would rest his nose on the floor. I did not think this dog could be saved. Then he slowly, painfully walked to me and wagged his tail ever so slightly. I scooped him up and brought him to my vet.
Dr. Pollack worked on Buddy for two hours, cleaning eyes, ears and taking tests. Buddy was found to have severe Malassezia which developed into a fungus. The infection in his eyes was due to dry eye and his deafness because of a raging yeast infection. The test showed Buddy’s white blood count was dangerously high and his blood proteins were very low. He weighed in at just fourteen pounds and couldn’t keep any food down. We were in a fight for Buddy’s life.
That first day I was sent home with Optimmune Cyclosporine ointment, Triple Antibiotic HC ointment, Synotic, Maleseb shampoo, Keflex, Atarax, and Ketoconazole. Buddy needed to be bathed daily and have his eyes and ears flushed. He was fed small amounts of food until he could eat without vomiting and then we just let him eat as much as he could hold. The vet said puppy food would be best as it was higher in calories and Buddy needed to gain weight.
Dr. Pollack saw Buddy approximately every ten days to do a complete blood workup. In the first two weeks he didn’t gain any weight and his blood count was worse. Then gradually Buddy began to respond to treatment. His eyes cleared up and his ears started to open. He was gaining weight and his hearing was slowly returning. His skin wasn’t so raw and had started to heal. But his blood work continued to worry us. Dr. Pollack ordered some x-rays and found his liver was slightly enlarged but everything looked okay.
We continued to give Buddy his daily baths and medication. He started to act more like a Westie, bouncing around the yard, barking at rabbits and investigating everything he could get his nose into. The next round of tests gave us good news. Buddy’s blood work finally came back normal. He was up to nineteen pounds and the fungus was nearly all gone.
On June 25, 2001, Dr. Pollack gave us the go-ahead to have Buddy neutered. His appointment is set for June 30. Once he is recovered from surgery, Buddy will be going to the forever home that has been patiently waiting for him.
Thank you WestieMed for your assistance with Buddy’s enormous medical bills!
Renee Savaria New York Westie Rescue
Update August 2001
Angus has been bathed twice this week. he gets his pills in a ball of liverwurst and loves it. He is a good eater and also likes the dog biscuit treats we got for him. He takes turns following Gene and me around the house. He sits in my gym and watches us work out every day and runs right over to be petted, whenever either of us stops to rest for a few seconds.
It is hard to believe that he has been with us for just one week today, for he has become a full-time member of our family, sitting on the couch with us or lying in bed with us and getting scratched or petted constantly. He does not kiss us yet, but we make up for it by kissing him. He is happy and full of life, wagging his tail at lightning speed, playing with the tennis balls that I bought him. He immediately decided that if we roll them to him he can roll them back with his nose, paw or mouth. If he uses his mouth, he does it by clicking his teeth together and it can be heard throughout the adult community we live in. Our grandchildren adore him and the youngest, Jacqueline, informed everyone that he is happy because “he loves her so much.”
We have told the folks in the village about his background and he is now pointed out and viewed as a hero, which, indeed he is, cheerfully coming through his horrendous past. He was truly blessed by Westie Rescue and his “nurse” Renee Savaria and my wife and me are now blessed with Angus. His new name hasn’t caught on with him yet, but I told him, this morning, that he and I share our Celtic heritage and that is why God gave him to us. Thank you all for filling our home with happiness.
Ed and Gene McGrath
Update July 2002
Angus is healthy and extraordinarily happy, since the entire adult community where we live, Sunrise Village, love him, as well as our children and grandchildren. The grandchildren are more thrilled that Angus is coming to visit, than the fact that we are arriving at the same time. Our children have gotten dishes and food for him, at their homes. When we take him into the town of Sayville with us, he is surrounded by children and adults alike. It is difficult to get through the town with his fan club. When he meets new folks, we always tell them about Westie Rescue on line. However, his skin condition is constantly lurking in the background and will flare up at any moment. What surprises us is that it gets almost out of control within a few days, despite bathing, apple vinegar dips, and medication. We started to take him to our original veterinary but felt that they didn’t understand the urgency or severity of his allergies and so, we have returned to the Sayville vet. Everyone who has treated him there has been very caring and seem to be more knowledgeable about his condition. He is diagnosed with a dual problem. The first is the skin allergies to his environment, grass, etc., which we treat, along with his eyes and ears, on a daily basis. They feel we must get this controlled and then attack the virus, which they refer to as “elephant skin” or areas of dark, thick skin. We hope to get it all under control by the Fall. We love him and it is evident that he loves us and has made himself at home. By the way, he is incredibly well housebroken. He is just a good guy. Many thanks to you folks. By the way, he weighs 23 pounds and may have to lose a pound, to regain his svelte shape.
Ed & Gene