November 2005:
We are a family of dog lovers and over the years have been blessed with two wonderful dogs – one a Pomeranian (Piper), the other a Husky/Retriever mix (Nicky). Nicky died four years ago and Piper a year ago May, so it was with much anticipation and excitement that we began looking for another dog to grace our family this summer.
We were interested in taking in a dog that needed a home and often visited the local (Fairfax County, VA) pound. We were particularly interested in a Westie based on their reputation – happy-go-lucky, boundless energy, and a wonderful family dog. At the pound, we put our name in several times, but no luck. Then we found PetFinders, which led us to Westie Rescue. That’s where we found Abbey.
Abbey was four years old, had been bred three times, and lived, for the bulk of her life, in a puppy mill. She had been purchased by a family, but after just two months, they relinquished her to Westie Rescue, saying that their other dog did not get along with her. Westie Rescue, however, believed that medical issues also may have been part of the reason that the family did not keep her. Apparently, Abbey had a history of urinary tract issues.
On July 22, 2005, we visited Abbey at the Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital in Annapolis, MD, about an hour drive from home. We connected immediately, and four days later we formally adopted her, with great anticipation and excitement. She was wonderful. We worried, however, about her health, because while the Veterinary Hospital basically gave her a clean bill of health, they also discussed and noted her urinary tract issues which forced her to urinate for excessively long periods of time. The doctor, at the time, prescribed dibenzyline to help with her urination. The medication seemed to help, and though the urinary issues were still present, we moved forward with the adoption.
At home, Abbey adjusted slowly the first week, but quickly became part of the family. At first, she was hesitant with people and somewhat nervous around young men. But she adjusted, and, week by week, became the fun-loving, playful dog that typifies Westies.
Unfortunately, her urination problems continued. When she goes to urinate, she squats for nearly two full minutes; for the last ninety seconds or so, it’s just single drops coming out. Clearly, something was not totally right. We took her back to the local vet (Pender Vet, in Fairfax County, VA) several times, but they said she was fine. However, on Tuesday, Oct. 18, she stopped eating and was totally lethargic, so we took her to the vet.
They admitted her, did some blood work, and concluded that she was in bad shape, leading them to decide to keep her overnight. That evening, at 11:45 pm, the doctor called to say that Abbey was in critical condition might not live through the night. At the time, the doctor said surgery might remedy the situation, but she cautioned that even with surgery, her chances for survival were 50/50. Fortunately, she survived the night and the next morning underwent surgery, to find out what was poisoning her body.
The doctors discovered that her bladder had ruptured, leading to her body shutting down. Over the next seven days, we stayed in constant touch with the doctors to see how she was doing, and, ever so slowly, she seemed to be recovering. We visited her several times in the hospital, and though she was listless for much of it, she did seem to perk up when we arrived.
A week after the surgery, on Oct. 24, she came home and we watched her improve every day. She ate very little at first and slept most of the time, but every morning she seemed to have a little more energy in her body, We were excited to watch her return.
After a week at home, we returned to the vet to remove the staples from the surgery and, after another series of tests, the vet declared that she was doing just fine, and could travel with us. Now, one month after surgery, she is doing exceptionally well, and we’re thrilled to have her with us.
Throughout the surgery and the vet visits, the vet told us that the bills would be high, but it was not until we picked her up on Oct. 24 that we learned exactly how high. Amid the joy of seeing her recover from surgery, we were devastated by the financial exposure. In just seven days at the vet, the total cost was over $4,500 and we tried to grapple with what to do.
That’s when we learned about WestieMed and immediately completed the necessary paperwork to seek financial aid. Two nights ago, when we heard that WestieMed had approved our application, and was going to reimburse us for $3,000 of the total bill, we were overwhelmed.
On behalf of Abbey, and our family, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your help and for your love of Westies. In the two days since we learned of your decision, we’ve told everyone about your generosity. Thank you so much for coming to OUR rescue as well.
Cordially, Roe Ferber, on behalf of Abbey and the Ferber Family