Oklahoma Westie Rescue

Scrappy

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

Scrappy came to Oklahoma Westie Rescue (OWR) in rather sad shape. Scrappy came to us as a result of the diligence of some of our great OWR volunteers. We have several volunteers who are always watching, the newspapers, the internet, etc. for Westies. One of them notified me that she had seen an ad for a FOUND Westie. I immediately went to the ad which stated that a male Westie had been found injured on the side of the road. He needed medical care and the lady who found him was trying to find his owner. I called the lady and told her who we were and what we do. She reported that, sadly, after two weeks no one had called to claim this little guy. She had taken him to the vet for some preliminary first aid care but indicated that his leg was badly broken and would need further care. I told her we would gladly take him and get it taken care of if she wanted us to. She wanted to wait one more week to see if a family called to claim him if not, she would turn him over to us.

A week later I went to pick up Scrappy. What a sad sight! He had head wounds, body wounds, and a green cast on his front leg. He had been shaved so they could treat his wounds and was named Scrappy because of the condition of his body. Little scraps of wounds everywhere! He was a happy guy and had already begun to run around with his cast. He was very affectionate and loved people! He was sad to leave this wonderful lady who had saved him but he went along with me anyway. He soon took to me and followed me everywhere. We scheduled an appointment with a veterinary orthopedic surgeon to have his leg examined. Sadly, the surgeon said that while the one bone was healing the second bone was fragmented and would not heal without surgery. With the help of WestieMed we were able to do surgery immediately and took Scrappy home the next day. A long plate and six screws were needed to hold the bone back together. Scrappy was an excellent patient and was quickly on his way to recovery. He never seemed to mind being crated while he recovered and he was ever so grateful for the love and care. He soon was up and around running and trying to chase the kitty, not much kept him down.

We believe Scrappy to be about two to four years old. He is very alpha and loves to boss around the dogs in his foster home. He is very much a people person and he loves to give kisses and sit in your lap. Scrappy met an approved couple last week and paws are crossed that he will be adopted by that family next Monday. He will be in hog heaven as the lady wants a dog that will sit with her and take car rides with her. Scrappy certainly fits the bill!

OWR tries hard to cover its own expenses without outside assistance however we have had MANY sick and injured dogs this dump season and we just have not been able to cover all the vet costs. Thanks to WestieMed we were able to get Scrappy’s little leg fixed up!

We are also happy to report that on Monday Scrappy is being adopted by a lovely couple, the wife says she is looking for a lap dog, the boy has she found the right boy!! LOL

Thanks, WestieMed!

Update August 7, 2009: Scrappy has been adopted!

Little Scrappy is showing more of his personality with each new experience!! He is so precious. He loves to play fetch with his toys, and sleep on our laps. He isn’t sure about the car rides yet, but we are working on it slowly. He has nicely put our other two dogs in their place, only took a bark or two with a couple of growls and they got the message! Rix, the German Shepard, had decided he would like to be a little lap dog also!!

We took him to our vet to get his heartworm/flea and tick pills. He said he looks great, and his son, Dr. Jeff, told us why he loves little Westies. He loves their stubbornness and their spunk! He did tell us that usually, an adopted Westie will give you a couple of months honeymoon period and then you will see more of his personality every day! We already love what we have!! A little more will just make it more interesting!! He doesn’t play with Rix yet, so I would like to see that. I think that only takes time. Do you know he sits for treats!!?? Like he’s begging?? He just started that yesterday for Glenn! Without prompting.

He lays on the bed and watches me get ready for work. Pepsi isn’t doing very well, the medication is wearing off. The vet told us he was glad we got little Scrappy because we wouldn’t have her much longer.

Oh, we did take him for a walk with Rix and he loved it! It wore him out, and we didn’t go the three miles we usually do! When it cools down, it will be ritual for him, but we will have to build him up!

I will keep you updated!
MJ and Scrappy

Update March 3, 2010

I wanted to give you guys a Scrappy update! He is doing sooooooooo good! I am so in love as is Glenn! He is the most lovable dog! He plays with Rix, and our daughter is living with us on her move from New York to Texas, for about two months, with her Australian Shepherd and her two years old. Her husband is a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. Scrappy loves the Australian Shepherd, and loves being a part of a “pack”!!

He did have a biting incident. He bit Caleb, our youngest son who has the Westie himself!! Our daughter in law was petting Scrappy on her lap and Caleb reached over to pet him and Scrappy growled! (He did warn him after all!!) Caleb tried again and Scrappy BIT him!! Caleb should have paid attention to the warning!

Scrappy talks to us, as you know. But he is getting more and more vocal. He growls a friendly growl, howls, and makes all kinds of communicative noises! He loves to play tug of war with the other dogs, he still loves his little mouse. He is such a perfect fit!! He walks really well on a leash, and his endurance is building as we go. He is learning to love riding in the car and isn’t scared anymore. HE IS THE PERFECT PUPPY!!

We did have some dog food issues, however. We were feeding him the Wellness Whitefish and Sweet Potato, and he had the most awful gas!! A lot of it and it stunk so bad!! He only gets really healthy natural, no wheat treats, and it was just terrible!! So, our son and his wife shared with us that they had tried several brands on their Westie and they use Eagle Pack brand from Britton Feed and Seed. We got that, and we feed him the fish-flavored. He absolutely loves it and has no more gas. His hair looks better too. It has flaxseed in it. The other two dogs love it too, so they are on it. Just a side note, Britton Feed, and Seed said that Wellness just bought out Eagle Pack, so it has a new package. I guess that is a good thing, but I hope Wellness doesn’t change the recipe!

(Aren’t we on the learning curve?)

Sorry, we missed the roundup, too many other obligations! We will check for other activities and try to get a family pic with the three of us together!

Thank you all so much for our precious puppy. My dad and his wife love him too!! I am encouraging my dad to adopt a Westie, so we’ll see!

Mary Jane and Glenn Gottschalk

McKayla

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

McKayla was surrendered to Oklahoma Westie Rescue (OWR) in October when her human Mother passed away. No one in the family wanted McKayla so she was given to a family friend. The family friend was not in a position to keep McKayla so she contacted us to come and pick her up.

When OWR picked up McKayla we noticed immediately that she had a bad limp which proved to be a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) of her right rear knee requiring surgical repair. She was also infested with fleas. We got rid of the fleas quickly but couldn’t get her leg fixed because she had developed pyoderma as a result of the flea infestation. We had to wait almost thirty days to get the pyoderma cleared up before we could have her knee repaired.

During this time one of our adoptive families offered to foster McKayla for us. McKayla was so scared that she hid under their bed for two days straight. Finally, on the 3rd day, she came out and began playing with the family’s two Westies. It wasn’t long before the family decided that McKayla needed to be a permanent fixture in their home. Since the family had adopted from us previously they were already pre-approved so we told them that once we had fixed her leg that we would adopt her to them.

The orthopedic surgeon was out for some time on vacation so it took us a while but eventually, her repair surgery was performed. We have another adoptive family that offered to foster her after her surgery to help her through the recovery period (she couldn’t go back to the family that wants to adopt her because their home has many levels and lots of stairs, the surgeon said no stairs for at least three weeks). On Dec. 15^th she gets to go back to her adoptive family and they are waiting anxiously to have their little girl back.

McKayla is nine years old and we are thrilled that someone wants her as often the older dogs have a hard time finding forever homes. She is one lucky girl!

Theresa Stewart
Oklahoma Westie Rescue

Update February 17, 2010

McKayla and Maddie are both doing well. McKayla’s leg is fine.

Jan Vassar

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

Kenne and Gilley - WestieMed Recipient July 2008

Kenne and Gilley (Now Bonnie and Clyde)

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

Gilley and Kenna were born on December 3, 2007, in a kennel in Kansas. Oklahoma Westie Rescue received them through another rescue group on June 28. It was readily apparent that there was something wrong. They were certainly frightened but were also more low key than most pups their age. When we picked them up, our fears were confirmed. When I placed my hand on Gilley’s chest, it felt like my hand was on a washing machine. He reached his little head up and gave me a kiss on the nose and I was instantly smitten. One of our volunteers, who is a paramedic, listened to their hearts and confirmed that both the pups and their mother, who was also released to us, had heart murmurs, though Mom’s was not near as bad as the pups.

Since my house was full, we sent Kenna to Edmond to be fostered by my co-president to lighten the load and hopefully to keep the pups calm. That Monday, we both took our respective pups to different vets and were both told that they highly suspected that they had PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus), or holes in their hearts that should have closed shortly after they were born.

Our vets referred us to Oklahoma State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. We made appointments for them and took them together for echocardiograms and a complete physical. The pups had lab work done, chest x-rays, to make sure that they didn’t have any other congenital anomalies. The echocardiograms confirmed that they had profound PDA, with no other congenital defects. We were also told that, without the surgery, they would likely not make it to their first birthday.

When we received that news Kenna was on Theresa’s lap and Gilley was on mine. Almost at once, they both looked up at us with adoring eyes and we knew that we had to try to save them.

They are undergoing surgery July 22 and, if all goes well, they will be in ICU for two to three and be released to come home to the loving care of one of ours retired volunteers, who can devote copious quantities of attention on them both and nurse them back to health.

Once recovered, their prognosis for a long and happy life is excellent.

Thank you, WestieMed for considering our application for aid and for helping these two adorable Little White Dogs!

Meredith Butcher and Theresa Stewart
Co-Presidents
Oklahoma Westie Rescue

Update July 23, 2008

A quick update on the pups. Meredith and I sat on pins and needles most of the day yesterday waiting to hear from the hospital. OSU finally contacted us twice, once at 2:30 p.m. to let us know that Kenna made it through her surgery and was in recovery and again at about 6:00 p.m. to let us know that Gilley had made it through his surgery. Both dogs are now recovering and if all goes well we hope to bring them home by the end of the week. They aren’t out of the woods yet but each day that goes by is a step in the right direction. We will keep you posted on their progress and we will take more pictures to send as they recover.

Update July 26, 2008

Good news everyone!

Kenna and Gilley are home from the hospital and recovering nicely. They will be confined to their crate for an entire month and that is going to be hard on them as they are already wanting to run and play. We have to keep them very still and not allow them to run, jump and play during their recovery. They are going to be two bored pups!!!! LOL

Attached is a picture of Kenna and Gilley and their surgical team. On the right is Kenna with her student vet, Hannah who took care of her in ICU and on left is Gilley with his student vet, Cara who took care of him in ICU, in the middle is the surgeon that performed their surgeries, Dr. Ricker and on the far left is Natalie, another one of the cardio dept vets who helped with their care.

This picture is Kenna and Gilley’s recovery crate at Maureen’s house, not their favorite place to be!! LOL

We will provide more updates next week!

Thanks, everyone for your support for these two little ones!!

Westie Hugs!

Theresa and Meredith
Oklahoma Westie Rescue

Update July 31, 2008

Both pups are doing well. They are really bored so I had stopped by PetsMart and bought them Kongs and peanut butter to go in them. Hopefully, that will keep them occupied for a while.

Gilley wants desperately to be out and about and he loves to be held. While you hold him he loves to nibble on your ears!

Kenna is still somewhat subdued but coming around pretty quickly. She is still quiet but you can tell she is ready to be out of those crates as well. She too loves to be held. Picking them up and holding is somewhat tricky as you have to be very careful to avoid their incisions and they don’t exactly wait for you to get them in the proper places before they try to race off to go do something fun.

One week from tomorrow, their staples come out and two weeks after that they will no longer be crate confined. We are all counting down the days.

Above is a picture of Gilley and their foster Mom, Maureen.

Update August 27, 2008

As of last week, Kenna and Gilley were released from their crates. They haven’t stopped running yet!! Since they were so sick as pups they didn’t play much but NOW my goodness!! They have about eight months of their puppy life they are now trying to cram into their days. They run, play, jump in the kiddie pool and run and play some more.

Gilley is vocal, he would prefer to be inside with people and he barks to let you know what he wants in or to tell you that you aren’t paying enough attention to him. He will stand up on his hind legs to tell you that he wants to be picked up. As soon as you pick him up he immediately snuggles and licks your ears.

Kenna is a little bit more bashful, she prefers to play with Gilley and is forever jumping on him, grabbing his paws, biting his ears and whatever else she can do to annoy her brother. She too is loving but is rather bashful about it. She comes up to you quite shyly and is a little bit timid until you start petting her.

Their spay/neuter appointment is tomorrow and if all goes well they will be available for adoption next week. Both dogs will be adopted together as we won’t separate them at this point. They both should live normal happy lives just like any other Westie. Thanks, WestieMed for helping us give these little ones their lives back!

Theresa Stewart Meredith Butcher
Oklahoma Westie Rescue

Update February 11, 2009

Kenna and Gilley now called Bonnie and Clyde “The Heartbreak Kids”

We have been thoroughly enjoying our new lives with these dogs. They are very engaging, active, and have distinct personalities. They have learned how to go up four steps, go through their dog door and then down four steps to go out to the backyard. Bonnie often goes down balanced on her front feet with her back feet in the air.

Bonnie definitely has a more independent personality and she is very intelligent. We have had to get a crate with a different type of latch because she figured out how to open the spring-loaded type and slip out. She also has learned to climb over a 20-inch freestanding gate and a 27-inch gate. Now, if I’m gone for several hours, I have to put the 20-inch gate inside the 27-inch and so far she hasn’t tried to go over them. With the gates up, they have access to our kitchen area, their food, and water, and can go outside at will.

At first, Bonnie did not want to walk. Now she will walk with Clyde if they are on a tandem leash. We go for two-mile walks some days. Bonnie definitely thinks of herself as a guard dog. At the least little noise, she is halfway out the dog door surveying the territory to make sure things are OK. Bonnie is very jealous when other dogs come to visit, but she is getting better at backing down quickly once she has let them know this is HER home.

Clyde is very mellow. He pretty much lets Bonnie do what she wants. He loves to play and they chase each other back and forth across our back yard at high speed. Clyde loves to meet new dogs and play. Our daughter has an 80-pound yellow lab and a 50-pound black lab. When they come into town, Clyde loves to play like he’s a big dog and they run for hours.

At night, if we are watching a movie, the dogs love to sit on our laps and nap. They enjoy a treat at bedtime when they go in their crate for the night. They still share a crate at night, though during the day they like their separate spaces. If I am working in my home office, Bonnie goes under the desk at my feet, and Clyde is right behind my chair. They are very good companions.

Though they have come to realize that Mom is their pack leader, they love to play on the floor with their Dad at night when he comes home from work.

They have been very healthy-we have only been to the vet for their initial welcome checkup. He was pleasantly surprised that he could not find evidence of a heart murmur in either of them after their surgeries.

We are very grateful to Oklahoma Westie Rescue and WestieMed for these little white dogs. They have enriched our empty nest in ways we did not anticipate.

David and Mary Overton

Max

October 1, 2006February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

October 2006:

Max was an owner release to Oklahoma Westie Rescue (OWR). I think Max was given up out of love, not because his owner didn’t want him anymore. Max lived the last five years with his first mom and dad, but when they got a divorce, Max and his mom went to live at her mother’s house. Max’s owner’s mother said that he smelled bad and wouldn’t let him into the house, so Max was chained up outside to the tree. Max started losing his hair and itching all the time. Max’s mom took him to the vet and then to the dermatologist where she spent a large amount of money getting him tested. They diagnosed Max with being allergic to almost everything outdoors and many foods. The doctor suggested he be allowed inside and that his diet is changed to a food that doesn’t contain any of the allergens. But Max still went home and was still chained to the tree in the backyard, unable to chase the squirrels or have a soft comfy bed to lay on. And he continued to eat the same food. His condition worsened and his mom finally realized that she couldn’t give him the proper home he needed. She gave him up to OkWR so he could find a new home.

My fiance, Rod, and I decided that we needed another Westie in our lives. We had had our first Westie, Piper, whom we adopted through the humane society, for a year and believed that she needs a companion. After looking at many dogs thru OWR, we saw Max and thought he might be a perfect fit. On Max’s first home visit, he searched the house and finally found the toy box, dug through it until he found a chewy bone. He settled himself down on the floor and went to town chewing and knawing on his new find, just like it was made for him. Max had found his forever home.

A couple of weeks after adopting Max, he became sick. Rod came home from work and Max didn’t greet him at the door. Max wouldn’t go outside or eat. When Rod showed Max the cat and he didn’t chase him, he knew something was wrong. Being the over-concerned parent, I took him to the emergency room where they evaluated him and gave him some fluids and meds so he could sleep. The next day, we took Max to the vet where she diagnosed him with some sort of gastritis. She kept him all day and gave him fluids thru an IV. When I picked him up he had a pep in his step and a gleam in his eye. We took him home and he was back to his normal self, chasing Piper and protecting us from the squirrels. We are so happy that Max came into our lives. He has brought out the puppy in Piper. Rod and I both work full time and go to school. You have no idea how much you have helped us out. We would do anything for our dogs and we are so happy that you guys are willing to help us out.

Thank you from the bottom of our puppy lovin’ hearts!

Tere Hogan and Rod Earnest

Lily

February 1, 2006February 6, 2021 by westiemed in Stories

February 2006:

My name is Lilly. For the first seven years of my life, I was confined to a cage in Missouri and forced to produce many litters of puppies The summers were hot, the winters cold, and the barking of doggies constant.

One day, the greatest thing happened. The breeders decided to give me to a nice lady named Kathy from Scottish Terrier Rescue of Western Missouri. Kathy in turn gave me to some other nice people from Oklahoma Westie Rescue. Boy did my life change. I was given a bath, got all the food I wanted, and had a warm bed all to myself. The best part was the other happy westies that taught me to play.

One day, my new humans took me to the Vet. I got medicine for the first time in my life and found out why I had so much trouble breathing and gaining weight. It seems my heart has three leaking valves and, because of years of having puppies, I had hernias. The vets told my people to take me to Oklahoma State University (OSU) Vet School for a cardiac workup.

At OSU, the nice vets spent all day with me. I don’t know what a test is, but there were sure a lot of them. When the day was over, I got the news. My heart couldn’t be repaired, but with medication, my breathing wouldn’t be so hard. I could live with that, my life was already 100% better than it had ever been.

Just when I thought life couldn’t get any better, it did. In November of 2005 my new mommies, Beth and Pam, came to get me. They told me I would be theirs forever and promised to spoil me. They weren’t kidding. I got everything I wanted. My mommies were so easy to train.

One day in December, I started feeling bad. I couldn’t keep any food down and I was losing weight. My mommies rushed me to the vet and I was told I have an inguinal hernia and needed immediate surgery because my intestine had gone through the hernia and caused a blockage. My weak heart made the surgery risky, but my mommies wanted to save me and agreed to the procedure to repair the hernia and remove part of my intestine. Needless to say, I made it and feel better than ever. My health will never be perfect but I don’t care. I love my life and intend to enjoy it to the fullest. I even have an older sister to play with now.

I have been an expensive doggie so far and the bills were piling up. Mommies applied to WestieMed for some help and these good people agreed to pay some of our bills. Are these great humans or what?

I have so many wonderful people to thank for my life. Kathy from Scottish Rescue, Mike, Meredith, and Theresa from Oklahoma Westie Rescue, the many vets who healed me and WestieMed for helping my parents. My mommies and I will always be grateful and know we are truly blessed.

Love and Kisses, Lilly

Update, April 2006:

I am very saddened to report that Lilly died on April 27th. She succumbed to heart disease. We spent most of the late-night in the emergency center – the x-rays were frightening, her heart was so enlarged and most of her lungs were filled with fluid and very little air. She was severely struggling for air.

I must say that these last months of her life were very happy. She brought so much joy into our lives and seemed to really grab life with much gusto. She was feisty and sweet. She loved to stand with her front legs in her water bowl. We bought her a make-shift wading pool and she would stand in it with all four feet and drink water at the same time. She loved standing in her pool.

I am so sad and miss her greatly. Thank you for allowing me to have her for as long as I did.

Sincerely, Beth