Heartworm Positive – Page 2

Lacy

November 1, 2010December 26, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

One afternoon in mid-May I was talking on the phone to my daughter that lives sixty miles from me. While we were talking it became apparent that she was preoccupied with something. Finally, I asked what was going on. She told me that she was watching a little dog, like Skeeter (my Cairn Terrier) over in the neighbor’s yard. She was concerned because there were some large dogs hanging around. She was afraid they would hurt the little dog. Neither of us could sleep that night for worry of the little guy being hurt by the large dogs that were gathering. This is the beginning of Lacy’s story.

The following day I called my daughter and she told me the little dog was still there. Being a volunteer worker for Col. Potter Cairn Rescue, that afternoon found me at my daughter’s home. I needed to identify the little guy. If he was a Cairn I knew they would take him. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw him from a distance. His coat was so matted that the mats hung from him like pieces of an old rug. This poor little guy had been on his own for a very long time. We called him to us with pieces of lunch meat. He would come to within six to eight feet from us and then turn and run from us. It was then that I could see glimpses of white peeking out. I knew then that he was a Westie. For several hours we tried to catch him. Finally, we had to quit for the night. We went to a local store and brought a few cans of dog food and left it out for him. In the morning it was gone but we couldn’t be sure that he had eaten it. There were some other strays in the area. I had a 22 lb. turkey in the freezer so I cooked it and pulled it apart and made little bags of frozen turkey to tempt him with. I was sure that in a couple of days we would catch him. The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months. I found it hard to sleep at night I was so worried that he would get injured or killed before I could catch him. Each time that it would rain I would cry for him outside in the rain. I started calling him “Westie”. So many times I came so close to catching him. Soon all he had to do was see me and he would come for the turkey and treats, but just as I would reach for him he would turn and run.

We started looking for his owner. We made signs and put them up everywhere that had a bulletin board. We even put signs in the library and laundromat. I called three county shelters to see what help they would be. Each told me to catch the dog and then call them. They would hold him for five days while waiting for someone to claim him. Then if they determined that he was adoptable we could pay an adoption fee and take him. I’m so glad that we didn’t do that. They would have most likely have tested him and found out that he had heartworms and determined that he was not adoptable. They would have put him to sleep. That would have been the end of his story. It didn’t end there. Being a rescue person, I had numbers of people that I had talked to about Cairns. Eight people told me if I ever got a Westie please call them. I did, and the first thing they wanted to know was if he was vetted and healthy. Even though he seemed healthy I couldn’t promise anyone that he was, and I couldn’t afford to have him vetted myself. Still, that didn’t stop me. There was a little lost dog out there afraid and alone.

I made three or four trips each week out to my daughter’s home to try one more time to catch him. I sat on the ground with turkey. I even laid on the ground trying to win little “Westie’s” trust. It was now late August and he was still running around. He got to the point that he would put his little feet on my legs, yet any time that I moved he would run. Finally, in desperation I called my sister-in-law and asked her if I could get him…would she take him? She never asked for a clean bill of health. That was all I needed. The next day I was back out there and this time I would make a desperate attempt to grab him. He came to me as he had so many times before. This time when I was sure that he was close enough I made a lunge for him. I tackled him and managed to get a handful of fur. I held tight and closed him into my arms. He struggled against me. I buried my face in his dirty coat and cried. It was finally over. He was safe! I stayed the night and we handled him and cuddled him.

We were so surprised that he snuggled right in and even sighed and fell asleep in my arms. He somehow knew that he was safe. The following morning I started cutting out his mats before washing him. It took seven hours to groom him. You can imagine our surprise to find out that little “Westie” was not a little boy but a little GIRL. I called my sister-in-law and asked her if it were alright that he was a little girl…all All she wanted to know was when could I bring her to her. I took “Westie” to her the following day. The next day little “Westie” was taken to the vet. I got a call telling me that she was heartworm positive. A few days later I got a call telling me that “Lacy”, as she was now called, was in heat. I knew then, that no matter what, that rescuing the little Westie when I did was a miracle. Most likely she would have been killed by the stray dogs fighting over her. I didn’t know what to do so I went online to Col. Potter’s mentoring list and asked for help. They sent me to WestieMed. your organization. We, as Lacy’s extended adopted family, thank you from the bottom of our hearts…sometimes love alone is not enough. This is truly a love story.

Thank you WestieMed. for jumping in to help little Lacy. Thanks to all of you, for because of you, a little Westie whose days were numbered can now look forward to many years of life and love. Thank you and your wonderful group for jumping in and giving her the gift of life. Her nickname is Lacy Love. Once again I really want to thank all of you. I can’t believe how great your group has been. You have all went above and beyond working with me for little Lacy. I wish that you all could see and meet the little charmer. She is so cute and lovable. She really is the perfect little Westie girl…what an attitude she has. She is so full of herself and yet so sweet and loving. I really think that someone knew that she had heartworms and was coming into heat and didn’t want to deal with the expense and bother of the whole thing. Their loss is Lacy’s gain because she is loved so much.

Thanks To So Many,

Kathy Cabble

Lacy’s care was funded by a grant from The Pedigree Foundation.

Ralph

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

A few days before Thanksgiving 2009, I received an email asking if I could help a stray that had shown up on a porch in southern Missouri. The woman requesting the help was 100% positive the dog was a wheaten Scottie but in very bad shape. She was concerned he might not make it through the night.

I requested pictures to help identity and upon receipt, I still wasn’t sure it was a Scottie but thought it was possible. One of our foster moms and I made the two-hour trip to pick up the dog, and upon arrival found an emaciated and matted Westie boy. He could barely walk; he had no upper front teeth and his front bottom teeth were worn down to loose nubs. He was scratching and underneath the mats, his skin was almost completely bare. The mats on his hind legs were so huge and barely attached that it looked like he was wearing “chaps”. With heavy hearts, we put him in the car, thinking that we were bringing him home to be euthanized.

Back in St. Louis, I backed out of the driveway after dropping the foster mom at home and looked in my rearview mirror where I saw Ralph (we had named him during the trip back) standing up, wagging his tail. With tears in my eyes, I headed to the vet’s office, dreading what might come next.

Ralph’s examination determined that he had a major bacterial infection, a possible heart murmur, luxating patellas in both back legs, slight cloudiness in both eyes, and the sweetest disposition. As the vet looked in Ralph’s eyes, Ralph rested his chin in the vet’s hand…I knew we had to do everything possible to get him healthy again.

The mats were removed, antibiotics started, shot given to control the itchiness, and Ralph went to his new foster home. On the vet’s recommendation, the heartworm testing was delayed until Ralph had some time to recuperate.

It didn’t take long to find out that Ralph had been someone’s pet at some time. He is housebroken, loves car rides, begs for food, and has decided the best place to sleep is on top of the back of the couch. He enjoys walks with his foster Scottie sister. He has gained weight, his hair is growing back, and since he was showing overall improvement, he went back to the vet’s office for his heartworm test. To our dismay, he tested positive for heartworms.

After considering the alternatives, it was decided to wait a month for Ralph to get in better health and then begin the preliminary testing to see if he could withstand the heartworm treatment. We hope to begin his treatment in January 2010.

Ralph has snuck his way into our hearts. His name has changed to Ralph Henry. We call him RH for short but then refer to him as HRH (His Royal Highness). His age is estimated at nine to ten years old and he deserves to live the rest of his life in a loving home.

He will remain in foster care until the treatment is done, and we are hoping that a door will open to a perfect “furever” home.

Many thanks to WestieMed for their help with Ralph’s veterinary bills!
Vicki Frazier St. Louis Scottish Terrier Rescue

Update January 7, 2010

I wanted to give a quick update on Ralph. Took him in today for blood work. We will find out tomorrow or Friday if we can proceed with the heartworm treatment. His hair is growing in pretty well. He still has an aggravated spot at the base of his tail but the vet was overall pleased with his progress. We were able to get him trimmed up (especially on his head) today and think he looks very dapper. Thanks again for your assistance,

Vicki Frazier
St. Louis Scottish Terrier Rescue

Update June 26, 2010

We lost Ralph Henry on 3/9/2010. I had been to the foster mom’s home that morning and he greeted me as usual – happy and smiling. He was fine in the afternoon and greeted his foster mom the same way when she got back home from running errands. Just a little later, he threw up blood, etc……his foster mom grabbed him in her arms and ran a block up the street to her vet’s office. He passed shortly after.

He had finished the worst part of the HW treatment; received the final treatment for the baby heartworms and we thought we were home free. We were both devastated. When the foster mom called me hysterically, I drove to the vet’s office and said my goodbyes.

He truly enriched our lives and we are grateful to WestieMed for the financial aid. We console ourselves in the knowledge that he was happy and loved in the too-short time he was with us.

Vicki Frazier
St. Louis Scottish Terrier Rescue

Harry

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

Harry’s story begins like many other Westie rescues, on the streets. He was found wandering around in the snow in Richlands, North Carolina, back in February and brought to Carolina Westie Rescue in the spring of 2009.

He was brought to us by a wonderful good Samaritan named Susan Collins. Even though he seemed to be a throwaway dog, Harry still had a good spirit and personality. Susan informed us that Harry had heartworms and that a previous vet had recommended that the dog be euthanized.

Well, Westies never give up without a fight, and we were not about to either! We carried Harry to another vet and had a thorough exam performed. Other than his horrible ear infections, our vet told us that Harry’s heartworms were pretty advanced and that we could try and kill them with the slow-kill Immiticide treatment, but that he might not make it.

Our vet suggested we take Harry to the state veterinary school in Raleigh which has a team of cardiologists. And so, a few days later, that’s exactly what we did. We left Harry with those folks all day, and when we returned, we learned that Harry’s heartworms were not as advanced as we had been told. Now, heartworms of any sort are not a cause for celebration, but here we were thinking Harry was in an advanced stage of heartworms and that surgery was the only solution. The doctors at NC State told us that the slow-kill method was the correct course of action to take, but that Harry would have to be perfectly still during treatment. No running around the yard chasing the girl Westies, like he usually does. Harry should be beginning his first of three Immiticide injections very soon.

As of this writing, we are pretty upbeat about Harry’s prognosis and his making it through the treatment. We are looking forward to the days when he can run and play with the other Westies and not be winded. Carolina Westie Rescue would like to extend our warmest heartfelt thanks to WestieMed for all you do for these little white dogs.

Carolina Westie Rescue

Update March 7, 2010

I want to thank Westie Med for helping to save Harry’s life. You are all wonderful for helping him.

The long and grueling process of killing the heartworms took months and after going through treating Harry for Heartworm Disease Harry was hit with an acute attack of pancreatitis. Harry was left with an enlarged heart and breathing problems that appeared to be Westie lung Disease. Westies as we know are very resilient and Harry has a strong will to live. Harry has always been a happy, loving, wonderful Westie even during the times when he was so very sick. He has always had a strong will to live.

After having Harry for almost a year we found Harry a great home with a retired couple who had a sweet little girl Westie. They knew that Harry was left with some health problems, but were willing to give Harry a forever home. I miss Harry, but it is comforting to know that he has a great home and can live out the rest of his life with people who can appreciate Harry for the wonderful Westie that he is.

Harry now lives on Hilton Head Island and walks on the beach almost every day with his new forever family. Harry loves the beach and also gets along well with his new little sister.

He is living the good life. Thank you WestieMed!

Sincerely,
Sydney Christian Carolina Westie Rescue

Alice

February 1, 2008December 27, 2020 by westiemed in Stories

I am an independent rescuer. I became enamored of Westies when I was working with Maine Coon Rescue. I live in NE MO and had an adopter wanting one of my Maine Coon rescues. He lived in Springfield MO (SW MO) and after much discussion, we agreed to do some driving to meet. I had seen an advertisement somewhere online for a “Dog Auction” I had heard all of the horror stories about puppy mills and decided since I was in the neighborhood I would drop in there and see for myself.

The cat was delivered and I drove another 25 miles to a farm in SE MO where the auction was being held. I was surprised to see security and a sign that said no cameras. I looked around in the barns and saw many breeds of dogs waiting to be auctioned off. I picked out a couple I thought were very nice looking and sat down in a tent with a five-page book of the dogs being auctioned. Birth dates and statements like aggressive breeder ready to whelp etc. The dogs were stood on a table and the auctioneer sold them. The dog I had really liked was a Yorkie who sold for $1,400 dollars. The auctioneer said, “you will get that back from her first litter”. Toward the end of the auction, a yellow-brown dog came upon the table. “This is a six-year-old male West Highland Terrier still got some juice and will give you some nice pups” the auctioneer cried. Do I hear $50 fifty anyone? No one bid. He was ready to take him off the table when I heard myself say $50. His name was Chris of Four Oaks, an AKC registered boy, with his right ear so crumpled and swollen I couldn’t get a q-tip in it to clean it. Chris turned out to be white under all the dirt. I called his former owner and ask about his ears. The guy said he had tried everything — vegetable oil, alcohol, and Listerine. To make this story shorter than it was Chris stayed with me for six months eventually being adopted by some great folks in a huge RV who traveled with their dog who was also a Westie. This experience with Chris hooked me on the breed. Chris was crate trained from day one. After his first bath, all he wanted was to sit with me on my lap. He had a hard time learning to go up and down steps and didn’t have a clue what a toy was. It was a joy watching him learn to be a housedog.

Now on to Alice. Alice and her hubby Jake came to me in October 2007 because I had ransomed their two male pups and sent them on to Westie Rescue of MO. The breeder called me and ask if I would take the parents also. Jake, the daddy, went to Cincinnati Westie Rescue and when I discovered Alice was pregnant I decided she could stay with me until the pups were ready to go. Alice got a heartworm test, was wormed and she was given the basic shots. The pups were born in early November, two boys, and two girls. George and Gracie, Hannah and Elvis. Alice looks as if she has been bred every time she was in heat. I know the pups I had rescued were born in April.

The previous owner worked at a puppy mill and had bought Alice and Jake to breed in her backyard. They had been left out in the yard all summer. Full of fleas ungroomed and Alice had rubbed all of the hair from her back end trying to scratch the flea bites. All of the pups had adopters waiting for them. My granddaughter asked for Hannah, Gracie was to go to Houston TX where an adopter already approved by Westie Rescue of OK was waiting for her. Elvis and Alice were going to a terrific home near St Louis MO. And Georgie’s home in Chicago was getting ready for a home visit. Alice and Elvis went home first. Within a week the adopter called me with unbelievable news. Alice tested positive for heartworms. I was floored. I had her tested, what went wrong? My vet called her vet and they decided that Alice was in an in-between stage when she was first tested. The test did not show active heartworm. The adopters’ vet quoted the treatment at “$600 dollars and a lot of heartbreak down the line.” I am unsure what he meant because my vet told me it was nowhere that expensive and Alice would be fine. She was at most a class two infection. I was so relieved. The adopter had already decided to adopt the other male puppy so Alice is here with me going through the treatment. She is a real trooper and my vet has been so helpful. He kept her at the clinic each day after her shot and gave her something for the pain. I was emailing a Westie Rescue volunteer in IL who told me about WestieMed helping out with medical needs. I had already spent a lot on getting all of Alice’s puppies spayed/neutered shots, etc. and was very short on money. I can’t tell you how much it has meant to me to receive this help. WestieMed is the best!!

Oh yes, I did attend one more dog auction and ended up with a seven-month-old male Westie pup. He was very reserved and not very friendly. His name is Duncan McCloud and is my forever Westie. Alice will be ready for a new home in four months and we will find her the best home ever.

Thank you WestieMed for helping all of these wonderful little dogs.

Update August 27, 2008

Alice - WestieMed Recipient February 2008 — Alice – WestieMed Recipient

Alice passed her second heartworm test. She is negative. I learned a lot from this. The treatments are very painful. The vet kept her the first day of her shots at the office. When I took her for the second shot they were going to let her go home with me. We got a couple of miles out of town when she began to whimper and shiver. I pulled over and we sat for a while. I ended up taking her back to the vet and asking if they would monitor her and I would pick her up that night. When I went back in they asked me if Alice had ever evidenced seizures. As she had never had a seizure I was baffled. As they explained her behavior a little more I started to laugh. Alice has a quirk. She loves to chase lights and will lay for hours waiting for a reflection on my metal chair to flash on the wall under the desk. When she first started this we thought she saw or heard a mouse or a bug but came to understand she is on alert when there are lights flashing. The vet kept her in a stainless steel cage – perfect to reflect lights and shadows. Even the vet got a laugh out of out quirky girl Alice.

Alice is in foster care with her daughter Hannah. We have become very attached to her and her wonderful personality. She is a smaller girl only fourteen pounds. She is having some problems with her skin this summer the fleas have been awful and even Frontline and Revolution have not been 100% effective. So she is having the smelly skin and dirty coat. We have spoken to the vet about a shot but she isn’t having the hot spots so we are holding off and using a special shampoo. Thank you all so much for your help with Alice and her care. She the most special of Westies I have had in foster care. A true diamond.

Update March 1, 2010

Alice is still with us. The perfect home hasn’t come around. She is a great girl. Barks to go out. Her light fixation has caused some concerns with potential adopters. Some think it is cute and some are a bit afraid she is seizing (well, she is, but we don’t call it that) But no problem, she will always have a home here. We will probably need to do some dental work on her, the vet said her teeth were stained and weakened possibly from the breeder giving doses of tetracycline when she was a puppy. So Alli has lost some front teeth and the back ones look very yellowed. She and my Duncan get along as well as two terriers can. There are disagreements and then playful romps and tussles. Just common Westie stuff. Her daughter Hannah lives next door and visits daily. All in all, she is a happy Westie girl.

Pat Hardy/Smith

Update October 4, 2010

It is with great sadness that I report that Alice has left us for the Bridge. She came down sick on Sunday, Sept the 12th and passed at the vets on Tuesday the 14th. She seemed to suffer little or no pain. Dr. Hudson tried all he could but she went very quickly. I am so glad I kept her with me, she enriched our life here and made us laugh with her antics. Duncan is coping. We had taken in a rescue Doxie and it has helped him fill the gap Alice left.

Pat Smith

Oz

July 1, 2007January 29, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

July 2007:

Oz’s Rescue Story

Hi. I was a nameless Westie, up until last week. I could hear, but I didn’t respond to names. That’s because no one really talked to me until just recently. Sure, they talked to me at the shelter, where they were nice to me. But they had a lot of dogs to talk to, so I didn’t really answer too much. It’s been a long road for me, and I’m tired. I’m starting to feel better though. Let me start at the beginning.

I think I am four, but I feel a lot older. I was given as a gift to this family, who I think cared about me at some point because I seem to be pretty well housetrained, except for some occasional accidents, and I am neutered. But then they stuck me outside and stopped giving me shots. I got sick, and it got pretty hard to breathe. My heart started to feel funny, and then I didn’t want to run, and play and move around so much anymore. No one talked to me after a while, and I forgot my name. I don’t remember what it is anymore, so don’t ask me. I couldn’t tell you. I used to be a very cute puppy, but now I have bald spots on my skin, and I itch all the time. I look like an ad for the Hair Club for Westies. I had gunk coming out of my eyes, and no one gave me a bath. Eventually, they took me to this shelter in Oxford, MS and they said on the form, “Given as a gift. Didn’t work out.” The person who turned me in didn’t even stick around to fill out the back of the form with my medical information. It didn’t even matter enough for them to stay an extra five minutes. That made me sad. I really didn’t feel well, and the nice people at the shelter could tell that. They told me it was because I had heartworms, bugs in my heart. That’s because I was kept outside. If my first owners had taken care of me, it wouldn’t have happened, but I wasn’t worth the nine cents a day it would have cost them to keep me on the medication. I wasn’t worth nine cents a day to them, but I bet they would have found nine cents to keep bugs from growing in their hearts! The people at the shelter said I was a very nice boy, but I was too tired to cause too much of a fuss, and I didn’t want to get dumped again. I was just grateful to get anything at all. After all, I didn’t feel like I had any value at all.

Not too long after I got left at the shelter, this family with another Westie came to get me from Tennessee. They knew I had bugs in my heart, and they said they promised to get me treatment. They could see how messy I was because the nice people at the shelter had cut my hair to let my skin breathe. They promised to take me to the vet, and see about getting my allergies and bugs treated. I got taken home with my new Westie sibling, and I thought I had it made. I was gonna get to live indoors. I got a new collar, from the people at the shelter, and they even sent me home with a leash and Heartgard tablets, ten of them! I’ve never had so many new things. But it was not to be. A few days later, the people in TN told the people in Oxford “it wasn’t working out.” Their Westie was too hyper for me, and the medication was going to be too expensive, and I might not make it through treatment, so they were going to make the long drive to bring me back. I didn’t even get a bath. They took my new collar and the heartworm medication; I didn’t even get to keep my new things! That made me sad. So the people at the shelter posted my ad on Petfinder. But that same day something great happened – God sent out a call to Alabama, and someone answered it!

This woman named Xenia who loves Westies happened to be looking at Petfinder and saw my ad, and that things “didn’t work out for me” and I was coming home. She picked up the phone and called the shelter, and she called her vet to see what could be done, and then she was on the road in less than an hour. Four hours later, we met. I was a mess, and pretty embarrassed to meet her like that, but right away I could tell that no matter what I looked like, she wouldn’t be the type to go back on her word. She saw through the yuckiness and saw a beautiful Westie inside. Even though I had an eye infection and skin problems, I knew she was gonna get the bugs out of my heart, and get fur back on my body. She told me my name was Oz, and then she said something else I’d never heard before. On the way to this place called Alabama, she kept saying to me, “I love you.” I don’t know what it means, but it makes me feel good to hear it. And you know what? She says it a lot. I hear her say it to the other dogs that live in her house, all the time. I like that. It makes me feel secure like she won’t change her mind about us.

And it makes me feel like I have value. That night, she bought me a pet bed. It was the best! I also got a cow toy and my own room! She said I get to keep them – it was like Christmas!

Sometimes I have accidents in my room, but Xeni never gets upset with me. She never says a word, just gives me hugs and kisses. I think this has something to do with being loved. I’m feeling better, and I think I’m going to stay that way because Xenia’s been telling me about this place called Westie Med, and they love me, too! She says they love me so much they’re paying for me to feel better! She says they think I have value as a Westie, and they want me to have a real chance at life. She says I’m important, and WestieMed thinks so, too. She says I have a friend there, named Bette. I have friends at my vet, too. And guess what? I’m starting to be good looking again, and chubby. But don’t tell. I don’t want Xenia to cut back on the treats. It’ll be our secret.

You know what? I like this thing called love. Please pray for my continued recovery. I want to stick around to get more of it.

Update January 2, 2008:

Oz is doing well at this six-month point. His skin is nice and pink, no longer the irritated red color. The patches of yellow, flaky greasiness have subsided and his fur is growing in nicely. He is now the shaggy Westie I’d hoped he’d become.

When I first got Oz, he could barely walk from his bed to the door to potty. His breathing was so labored that he could not spare his mouth for kisses and felt as if he was being strangled if you tried to kiss his nose. Although my vet hasn’t given him the recheck for heartworms, it’s clear that the treatment must have been a success. Oz has more energy than I’ve ever seen in him. The other day he got away from me and gave me quite a run around the neighborhood, stopping finally not from the fatigue, but from a need to use the bathroom! He still makes a weird grunting noise when he is excited, but two vets at Banfield have now confirmed that he has no heart murmur, as would be expected with a damaging case of heartworm. I fully expect the next HW test to come back negative.

As for the current condition of his health, Oz seems to be prone to UTIs. This is the third one he’s had since I’ve been owned by him. (He came with the first infection, so I am not sure how long he had it or if that is in any way responsible for this propensity) He is on his third round of antibiotics and doing well on this brand. If this one does not do it, then we will x-ray for bladder stones, although there are no crystals present. He is in good hands at Banfield and visits regularly. If I do not bring him in for a few weeks, they call because they miss him. Can you believe that? I’ve never had a vet call and check on a dog just because they were thinking of him! They never call about Lacey or Sammy, but they are all just in LOVE with Oz.

When he goes in, they frequently give him free baths and blow drys. It doesn’t matter if he was brand-spanking clean when I brought him. Once Lacey and he were sharing a crate, and he peed in it (this was the start of this last UTI). Oz got whipped out and given a free bath and returned to me sparkling. They brought Lacey in, all wet and bedraggled, smelling of Oz’s urine. I was like, um??? Is Lacey going to get a bath? They were like, oh do you think she smells?? HELLO! It was funny b/c being wet really rankles Lacey’s delicate Westie sensibilities, whereas Oz could care less. But he’s the clear favorite. (They both got free baths that day, even though I had to ASK for Lacey’s.)

Blessings to you for funding Oz, this special Westie’s, recovery!!!!

Xeni

Update January 18, 2008:

I wanted to give you an Oz update. He has not been well.

I told you we’d been treating the bladder infection for several months, but he has also had one on and off since I got him. I thought it was just an adjustment issue, but this week he started to vomit and have blood in his poopy. I noticed because he peed on the baseboards, so the next night he slept in his crate until Nature’s Miracle had a chance to work. This was hard on both of us. 🙁 Otherwise, he seemed fine that night. But he poopied in his crate, and then when I got up he had finger-paw painted in the poopy. I found blood clots in it. So I took him to the vet, where he proceeded to vomit and free bleed out his bottom! Not a lot, but no Westie owner cares about the amount when blood is coming out!

They said he had a stomach virus, and that he was bleeding due to intestinal distress – stress colitis, but she wanted to see why he was marking, so she did the radiograph…he has a mass in his bladder! I am hoping it is stones, but it did not show up well. She said whatever it is, it’s been there a while because it is quite large. I am thinking his owner knew about this and that was another mitigating factor in him being dumped at the shelter without bothering to fill out his medical info. The good news is that his heart is in GREAT shape and not the least bit enlarged.

He’s going to have an ultrasound next week. Please spread the word and ask his other WestieMed friends to pray for him! He so deserves to be healthy and well. I am beside myself with anger at his former owner. And I feel guilty because I should have caught this earlier, but since I didn’t, he’s been feeling crummy on and off for all this time! 🙁

I will keep you posted about what’s going on with him, when I know more.

Hugs, Xeni and Oz-angel-baby-Westi

Update February 23, 2008:

I just heard from Oz’ vet! There is no longer any mass in his bladder! It is gone! Amen to the power of prayer! So no surgery will be needed and I am so grateful because he has been through so much. All I need to have them do now is the heartworm test to see if he is clear!

Thank you for everything!!! I will keep you posted on his heartworm test, too!

Blessings, Xeni

Update May 27, 2008:

I just wanted to update you: Oz had his comprehensive exam last week. The result: Negative. No heartworms!!!! AND the vet was so impressed with the difference in his skin! She said it looked great.

I am so thrilled. He’s been dancing around the house and peeing excitedly and inappropriately all over the bedroom in response to all the hugs and kisses he’s been getting. I say, bring it on, so long as it means he is healed.

I so love him. Thank you and WestieMed so much for helping me save his life, and especially for making it financially possible.

I don’t know where he’d/we’d be without you!!!

Hugs, Xeni

Annika

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

March 2005:

Dear Members of the Board of WestieMed,

I want to thank you for approving the funds to help me with the medical expenses for Annika’s heartworm treatment. Your generosity is graciously appreciated to help Annika back to health. Here is Annika’s story:

In February 2005, my friend Elizabeth, who owns two Westies and is affiliated with the Westie Rescue of Texas organization told me about a breeder who owned and operated a kennel in Fort Worth, Texas. Elizabeth had previously purchased two Westie puppies from this breeder. Elizabeth was aware that conditions at the breeder’s kennel had become deplorable and asked permission to take possession of three dogs that were no longer used for breeding.

Elizabeth brought me one of these dogs, a five-year-old Westie female, originally named Sneakers, who I renamed Annika. She was grotesquely dirty with feces in her snarled, mangled hair. I bathed her repeatedly attempting to eradicate the overwhelming odor. After special whitening shampoo and vigorous scrubbing, Annika’s coat turned from a foxy brown to a dusty pearl white shade. The groomer completed Annika’s make-over with a sheering job straight from the Australian sheep station. Stephanie, my friend who helps Elizabeth rescue Westies, brought Annika a flashy pink girly collar. Now, Annika at least looked GOOD and was house-worthy. Next stop: The Vet!

Annika had a multitude of nasty intestinal parasites but never fear, the multi-talented vet had the perfect elixir for that! However, Annika’s troubles didn’t end there. She tested positive for heartworms on February 25th. I am now going to be able to get the heartworm treatment started, which will save Annika’s life. She is a precious, mild-mannered, loving dog who deserves a fair shake. She is part of our family now.

Following the heartworm treatment, she will need vaccinations and spayed. Annika proudly wears her new stainless steel, bone-shaped tag and smiles because she is adopted and part of a loving family who is generous with their time, energy, and, yes, her favorite word: TREATS! Thank you again, Westiemed.

Sincerely, Dawn A. Logan, Annika’s new Mom

Update, April 2005:

With the heartworm and intestinal parasite treatment that Annkia has received, she has been transformed from a docile creature who had been kept in a breeding kennel all her life to a marvelous, fun-loving, affectionate, energetic fivew-year-old who seeks out toys to play with and hovers in anticipation that I will throw the ball so that she can happily retrieve it in a speedy fashion. The heartworm treatment done two months ago was successful; I am now able to end her confinement in the crate so that she is able to follow me from room to room, go on rides in the car, and take regular walks, which is part of my daily routine. Annika has responded beautifully to the care which she has received during the heartworm treatment and we have bonded very closely. She knows I am her Mom and that I will take care of her needs and most of her wants! She is willing to please and is learning a few basic commands. Her appetite is ravenous and she is getting stronger.

Annkia’s future will be bright because of the medical assistance from WestieMed. Thank you for your approval of her application.

Annika is now a very happy, loving dog who has people around her who shower her will affection and provide for her safety and well being.

I will continue to help with Westie Walks like the one we had this past weekend at Veterans Park in Arlington, Texas, to help raise money for WestieMed so that other Westies who need medical assistance can have the care they deserve.

Sincerely, Dawn A. Logan

Update, September 4, 2005:

Annika is a well-behaved, happy five-year-old, and has endeared herself to both my husband and me. She is currently in obedience training and from our point of view, she is at the head of the class. We are extremely appreciative of the help from WestieMed and will continue to contribute to WestieMed at the sanctioned Westie Walks each year.

Sincerely Dawn A. Logan

Beau Now Duncn

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

Angus

January 1, 2003January 9, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

Angus

September 1, 2002January 7, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

September 2002:

Angus came into our lives last year at Christmas. He had been used as a stud dog in a puppy mill, but had received little, if any medical care. He was rescued by a vet tech that had refused to euthanize him. At that time, he was very thin and had almost no hair-hardly recognizable as a Westie.

We assumed Angus’s foster care through the Florida Westie Rescue group. He had just been diagnosed with heartworm, and he was very timid around our family our other two Westies. We joked that our dogs looked like Vikings—hairy, noisy, and leaving a path of destruction in their wake—in comparison with the meek, petite, and scrawny Angus.

Angus started coughing on Christmas eve, and our vet diagnosed advanced heartworm infestation on the day after Christmas. We began treatment immediately, and Angus rewarded us all by being a real fighter. It was hard to keep him quiet as the treatment progressed and he began to feel better.

Angus - WestieMed Recipient — Angus – WestieMed Recipient

Angus is now heartworm free, and had recovered most of his coat. He still has

hyperpigmentation on his withers and chest, and his hair may never grow back in some spots. While he is loving and warm with us, strangers sometimes scare him. He has slowly learned how to be a Westie and it has been amazing to watch him develop both physically and emotionally.

We look forward to finding a loving family for Angus. Many thanks to WestieMed for the support that helped us save Angus. Angus was our first foster dog, but we hope to be able to continue to foster additional Westies here in Florida.

Sally McKee

Lilly

July 1, 2002January 7, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

July 2002:

I received a call from a man in southern LA who said he had adopted a Westie from a local shelter. He went on to explain that after taking her to the vet and learning of her health problems he could not keep her and wanted to turn her over to rescue. Dave and Mary Shipman went to pick her up at the vet’s office and brought her along on a rescue transport to me. I was told that she had a bladder stone but had no idea how severe her condition was until Mary and Dave filled me in. The poor baby was completely incontinent and had to wear a diaper when indoors. She arrived on Sunday and we were at my vet’s door Monday morning. Surgery was done that afternoon and a two-inch stone was removed from her bladder. She had also been diagnosed as having a level three heart murmur, my vet could not find anything that serious and felt like it was a level one at most. No surgery required! She came home with me and the change was amazing, what a little sweetheart she is!

But Lilly’s troubles were not over, she is heartworm positive and began her treatment on 7-22-02. She is doing great so far and I expect a complete recovery!

I have no idea what circumstances led Lilly to that shelter… I can not see any behavior problems at all, she gets along well with my other Westies and loves to play. Now she has a family in her future that truly loves her, I am looking for that family now. 🙂

I have to say that without this help I would not have been able to continue with rescue until I raised additional funds somehow. Once again Westie Med has kept me afloat and I can not thank you all enough!!!

Laura Louisiana Westie Rescue

Update September 2, 2002:

Lilly was declared all clear of those nasty heartworms last week and was adopted this weekend. They are previous Westie owners, it was love at first sight!

Update February 2003:

Lilly is doing great. She has fit in very well with our family, except for the cats of course. She has had no further medical problems except she favors her left rear leg. She loves to be the center of attention and doesn’t eat unless she is in the room with us. She sleeps at the end of our bed and has proven to be a good watchdog, although we haven’t found what she is barking at. She is also a skilled hunter with a heart. One day my wife let her in from the backyard with what looked like leaves in her mouth. It turned out to be a small bird that appeared to have no physical trauma though it was in shock.

We love Lilly and are very thankful for your assistance.

Sincerely, Bob and Gayla

Update June 2003:

Miss Lilly is doing great and has been a wonderful part of our family. She remains heartworm free. Gayla has really spoiled her. She loves to drink her water with ice in it and she thinks it is a real treat to drink out of a handheld cup. She eats special food supplied by our vet so that bladder infections can be avoided. She loves the attention that we give her. She does tend to be obsessive-compulsive especially where our cats are concerned. We keep them separated, not knowing who would be the winner in a confrontation. She has been such a blessing to us and we thank you so much for helping us find her.

Sincerely, Robert