Rupert

by westiemed in Stories

We got an urgent plea from the shelter about little Rupert, a Westie who wasn’t yet available for rescue due to his stray hold period. We pulled him yesterday on a “Good Samaritan” basis, meaning we take full responsibility for his medical care. If an owner claims him during the hold time, we’d have to return him – but in all years, that’s never happened.

Rupert was brought in as a “stray” with terrible untreated wounds. Some had maggots, and they were horribly infected which will eventually require surgical debridement on his back, legs, and abdomen. We don’t know how long he suffered like this, but his temperature dropped at the shelter, and he started vomiting.

We dropped everything to rush him to our specialty emergency clinic, where internists and critical care staff were waiting for him.

Rupert had a severe raging infection, sepsis, anemia, and dangerously low electrolytes. He was brought to Horizon Emergency and was immediately put on supportive care and we were told his chances are 50/50.   He spent five days in extensive care where he underwent a procedure to address the puncture wounds on his back. One wound was successfully sutured after debridement (removal of necrotic tissue), while the other was left open to serve as a drainage outlet.  He received a second surgery the following day to address the larger wounds on his thigh, with the smaller one remaining open for continued drainage. The wounds around his ankles unfortunately don’t have enough healthy skin for closure, so they’ll need daily cleaning and bandaging. They’ll heal gradually by scabbing and scarring over time. Staff had to cut all his hair on his head to check for puncture wounds and thankfully his head and neck escaped the attack.

The medical team believes Rupert was attacked by a very large dog or possibly one or more coyotes. They noted evidence of crushing injuries, and the fluid buildup in his abdomen was attributed to trauma and his struggle during the attack. A G-tube was placed to help drain the fluid and reduce swelling.

He’s been on strong IV pain medications and antibiotics. Plasma transfusion was considered as a last-resort option last night but thankfully wasn’t needed.

Rupert was discharged and is so much brighter, more alert, and even showing interest in food again. His electrolytes are still off but improving slightly, liver enzymes remain elevated, but his protein levels have improved. His white blood cell count is trending better, and the team feels they caught the sepsis in time.  He has been transitioned to oral medications.  Unfortunately, since his wounds are so severe, he will undergo daily bandage changes under sedation for the next few weeks and as he heals, the changes will be reduced to every other day.

Rupert’s incredible resilience and will to live are a true testament to his bravery.  Let the healing begin!

Karen Simondet, WROC

 

 

 

Josie

by westiemed in Stories

We received an urgent call from our partner shelter asking if we could take in a senior Westie girl whose owner had relinquished her for euthanasia.

At 13 years old, Josie suddenly found herself alone at the moment she needed love and care the most.

While we don’t know the full story behind her owner’s decision, we choose to focus on the positive: the compassion shown by the shelters we work with, who reach out to us in these critical moments.

Because the call came in at rush hour, we made arrangements to pick her up the following morning. Thankfully, Josie spent less than 24 hours at the shelter. In that brief time, the staff immediately began treatment, gave her extra meals, and showered her with kindness.

Upon intake at the shelter, she weighed in at just 11.8 pounds. Our goal is to help her reach a healthy weight with extra meals and weekly weigh-ins.

Josie is facing several health challenges: she has virtually no tear production, resulting in infected eyes; both ears are infected; she has a severe combined yeast and bacterial skin infection; she is anemic; and she has spondylosis, a degenerative spinal condition common in senior dogs that can cause stiffness, discomfort, and reduced mobility. We’re awaiting the remaining blood work results and have additional diagnostics scheduled for next week to make sure we’re addressing everything.

She is exhausted.  Like so many dogs when they first arrive, the toll of her previous circumstances is clear. After her first medicated bath and a nourishing meal, she curled up and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep—likely the best rest she’s had in a very long time.

The costs involved in these senior rescues are significant—medications, specialized treatments, diagnostics, nutritious food, pain management, and ongoing care all add up quickly.

She’s safe now. And we’re just getting started.

Karen Simondet

Boomer, Lady and Maisie

by westiemed in Stories

 

 

 

 

 


We are heartbroken to share the story of three loving Westies who have endured months of neglect and isolation. All three are in dire need of dental care, bloodwork and eye exams to assess their health after such prolonged hardship. Their owner had been in the hospital and then hospice care for several months, leaving these precious dogs alone in their home for four or more long months. Despite the family’s desperate attempts to intervene, complicated family dynamics tied their hands, preventing them from rescuing the dogs soon and leaving them in a dire situation.

During those months, the only care these dogs received came from a reluctant neighbor who would leave a bowl of kibble on the floor once a day. They were never taken outside to feel the sun on their backs, breathe fresh air, or even relieve themselves properly. They lived in squalor, yet despite the neglect, these three little angels remain as loving and sweet as ever.

The situation has weighed heavily on our hearts for months. Knowing these dogs were suffering, yet being unable to help until their owner passed, has been agonizing.  But what’s important is they are now with us, safe and getting all the attention they deserve.  The two girls, Lady and Marissa are 11 and 12 years old and Boomer is 11 year old.  All three are in serious need of dentals, bloodwork, and microchips.  It appears the ladies are spayed, though we had Boomer neutered.

Taking on three neglected Westies is expensive!  We are grateful to WestieMed for their help getting us the vet care they need.

Karen Simondet – WROC

Update January 12, 2025:

We are absolutely thrilled to share some fantastic news!  Our trio have all be adopted into loving forever homes.  Boomer went to a wonderful new family who are brand-new to the WROC family – they fell in love with him right away!  Maisie and Lady were adopted by two previous WROC adopters who already knew the joy of having a Westie in their lives.  Boomer and Maisie found their perfect matches fairly quickly, while sweet Lady needed a bit more time and care.  She required significant medical attention before she was ready to be adopted.  After thorough examinations, we discovered she still had foxtails deeply embedded in her vulva, which required surgery for removal.  During her time in rescue, Lady lost over 5 lbs, and we’re so happy to report that her amazing adoptive family helped her complete her weight-loss journey – she’s now a healthy, happy 18 lbs!

A huge thank you to WestieMed that make these happy endings possible.   We couldn’t do this without you!

Maggie

by westiemed in Stories

This sweet lady lost her human and as a result lost her home.  She was living in an assisted living facility, and unfortunately, her health was deteriorating and no one stepped in.  Her human passed away so the family contacted us.  Maggie is 12.8  years old and is currently being treated for her yeasty skin, fungal and bacterial infections.  Her ears are infected as well and she has a 4/6 heart murmur.  She is receiving medicated baths and had a full work up with our vet last week.  She also had a cardio work up because there was some concern with her going under anesthesia for an upcoming dental but her results came in pretty darn good for a gal her age.  Just one year ago, Maggie was 22 lbs and came to us at 14 lbs.  She is grossly underweight but we’ve already managed to get her to gain 2 lbs!  She will need time in foster care to get her back to her beautiful self. She is a perfect girl for her baths and loves to go on short walks despite her very arthritic knees.  Considering all she’s been through, she is a very sweet dog that wants to please.

Karen Simondet, WROC

Update January 12, 2026:

Maggie has officially become a forever foster with WROC, and she is thriving in the loving care of her wonderful foster mom, Wendy.  Wendy is doing an amazing job looking after Maggie day-to-day, while WROC continues to cover all of her medical and cardiology needs.  Maggie’s beautiful coat has grown in fully, and although she’s had a few minor set backs (as is common with many of these previously neglected skin cases), we’re staying right on top of her care to ensure her issues never get out of control again.

Maggie is loving her new chapter in life!  She enjoys outings into the city, has met and absolutely adores many children along the way, and is truly living the good, happy life she so deserves with Wendy by her side.

Thank you WestieMed!  Your generosity and kindness make stories like hers possible.

Karen Simondet

Eva and ZsaZsa

by westiemed in Stories

Our two new shelter girls had their first vet appointment and we received some good news and not so good news. The good news is that they are generally healthy and with very good bloodwork results. The bad news is that both girls have mammary tumors, one with no tear production and the other with very minimal tear production, bacterial ear infections and eye infections. Because of the mammary tumors, we did chest X-rays and they are clear! The tumors were not a surprise because I could feel them while bathing the girls. Poor little Zsa Zsa came in with debris stuck to both corneas that was hardened and resembled what dry cracked desert landscape looks like. How painful!!!! She let me irrigate the heck out of her eyes, lots and lots of flushing until it broke away on its own. Her corneas are ulcerated so we are treating both girls aggressively to bring them much needed relief.   We gave the girls a week to settle in and they had their surgeries and dentals yesterday.  Eva had a few minor complications. We discovered a hernia but left it alone because it would have been too much for her with the mammary tumors and dental. We will keep an eye on it and address at a later time. She lost 8 teeth and had root tips that could be seen on X-ray but we had to leave it alone also because they didn’t want to budge and that would risk injury. We sent out mammary removal for biopsy and are hopeful they come back clear. We will retest their tear production in two weeks and if there is no improvement, we will visit the ophthalmologist.

People often ask us why we spend so much on these dogs. It’s simple. They’ve spent a lifetime of neglect. By the time they make their way to us, we are their last chance, so we will make it their best chance.

It takes a village to rescue these dogs and it takes a lot of funding.   We are so grateful to WestieMed for providing much needed funding!

Karen Simondet

Westie Rescue of Orange County (WROC)

Update March 24, 2025:

Our ladies were in foster care for many months, as it took quite some time to get Zsa Zsa’s ophthalmology in order after both girls had their mammary tumors removed.  Eva’s eyes recovered quite beautifully but we weren’t so lucky with Zsa Zsa.  However, after countless vet visits, we managed to finally get tear production by using Tacrolimus 1% several times a day, eye lubrication 20 times a day and Cyclosporine twice a day.

We had many inquiries for one or the other, but because they are a bonded pair, we would not let them go without each other.   From the desert to the mountains, the girls found a perfect home with Ana and Steve. The ladies waited anxiously for them to arrive and fly them to their new home in beautiful Colorado. Ana and Steve know the breed well and the ladies are in for a lot of adventures and so much love!

Karen S.

WROC

Update June 30, 2025:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are thrilled to share that Ava and ZsaZsa, our beloved California girls, are flourishing in their new home with Anna and Steve in Colorado!  These sweet Westies have fully embraced their new life, enjoying daily walks and adventurous hikes with their devoted parents.  When their little legs tire, Ava and ZsaZsa are treated like royalty, riding comfortably in doggy backpacks while soaking in the fresh mountain air and delightful smells of Colorado’s stunning landscapes.

Their charm hasn’t gone unnoticed – the girls have even earned a spot in a local calendar, showcasing their irresistible personalities!  Anna and Steve continue to provide exceptional care, diligently managing their eye care needs to keep them healthy and happy.  We are incredibly grateful for their dedication and love, ensuring these pups are truly living their best lives.

A heartfelt thank you to WestieMed for their invaluable support in helping meet Ava and ZsaZsa’s medical needs.  Their assistance has made this happy ending possible.  Here’s to many more adventures for Ava and ZsaZsa in their Colorado paradise!

Karen Simondet – WROC

 

Kenzie

by westiemed in Stories

Kenzie was brought to the vet because she had not eaten in 5 days and she was vomiting and had diarrhea.  By the time she reached the animal hospital, she was in critical condition.  She was severely dehydrated, lifeless, and not knowing what was wrong, the initial estimate to treat Kenzie was much more than her owner was able to handle, therefore Kenzi’s owner was faced with euthanasia.  It was either luck or divine intervention, but the vet Kenzie was taken to happened to be my vet and she had never been treated there before.

On Monday, January 15, 2024 I received a phone call from my veterinarian asking if we could take Kenzie into rescue.   Kenzie was started on IV fluids, calcium, B12, antibiotics and a host of other medications.  Bloodwork indicated she had an infection, but within 24 hours, her numbers spiked dramatically and her electrolytes were dangerously low.

X-rays did not show anything unusual so my vet brought in an outside internist to perform an ultrasound which revealed many issues.  She has an infection of the gallbladder and evidence of acute pancreatitis.  The gallbladder is very thickened and there was a small amount of free fluid.  She showed evidence of vasculitis which is a reaction pattern characterized by an immune response directed toward the blood vessels.  Her GI track was thickened with inflammation which is evidence of acute pancreatitis and her liver is moderately enlarged.  We broadened the antibiotics and continued with supportive care and by day 5, her numbers started to improve.

We brought her home on Friday and we will continue oral medications.  She will need to be on antibiotics for 6 to 8 weeks.  Now that she is home, she is showing evidence of diabetes insipidus which we will address at her follow up appointment this week.  Her prognosis was “guarded” upon discharge from the hospital, but within just a few days she is acting like a normal Westie!  She is always first in line for meals and has taken up an interest in all things Westie.

Karen Simondet

WROC

Update August 14, 2024:

Kenzie passed away a month after she was adopted. Her eye started drooping and it was discovered that she had round cell sarcoma.

Karen

 

Chase

by westiemed in Stories

The shelter’s rescue liaison sent us a plea for a ten year old white mix breed that was in need of major medical attention.  Apparently, someone found him on the side of the road so they took him to the shelter.  His intake photo resembled a schnauzer, but taking no chances, we high tailed it to South Los Angeles.  Out comes this BIG, BEAUTIFUL senior Westie boy that in reality is 14 or more years old.  The obvious issues were that he is overweight, pot-bellied, severe dental disease, missing most teeth, constantly licks the roof of his mouth and shakes his head, opacities in both eyes and a very stiff gait.   He appeared very 9uncomfortable.

So we started at the top.  We ran bloodwork, urinalysis, and x-rays.  His bloodwork indicated that he could have Addison’s so we added a resting cortisol test.  When that came back negative, we tested him for Cushing’s.  We needed to address these issues before addressing his mouth and also had an ultrasound performed as there was some concern about possible prostate cancer due to his prostate being abnormally large.  Thankfully, that was ruled out and believed to be due to late life neutering.  The ultrasound indicated sludge in his gallbladder but the good news is that no mucus seal has formed.  We have started him on Ursodiol as a preventative measure.  Chase’s test came back positive for Cushing’s, which was really no surprise given his symptoms.   Cortisol is produced and stored by the adrenals, two small glands that sit on top of the kidneys and is one of the body’s natural steroids and  that a normal amount of cortisol helps the body adapt in times of stress. Cortisol also helps regulate proper body weight, tissue structure, skin condition, and other features of good health but too much cortisol weakens the immune system leaving the body vulnerable to other diseases and infections.  There are two common types of Cushing’s disease, either pituitary-dependent or adrenal-dependent.  About 80-85 percent of Cushing’s is pituitary-dependent, meaning it’s triggered by a tumor on the pituitary, a pea-sized gland at the base of the brain.  Because we did an ultrasound, we know his Cushing’s is pituitary-dependent.    

Considered a lifelong condition, the disease usually can be managed with medications.  Chase will retest after he’s been on medication for two full weeks and continue to have regular blood tests to monitor his response to treatment and help determine the right dose which may need to be adjusted periodically.   Treating Cushing’s is a balancing act, but dogs with the disease can live a good quality life as long as they are monitored closely by a veterinarian.

He received the long awaited dental.  Chase is 100% sweetness and is a happy and content senior gentleman.  He follows us wherever we go.  He is fondly referred to as “our little big shadow”.  He is such a good save!  His diagnostics and treatment has been very costly,but thanks to WestieMed, Chase is getting all of his needs met.

Karen Simondet
Westie Rescue of Orange County (WROC)

Update August 31, 2023:

WestieMed has been informed that Chase is now at Rainbow Bridge.

Tilly

by westiemed in Stories

 

Tilly is a small Westie mix that was found at the East Valley Animal Shelter with an upper respiratory infection.  She was incredibly scared of everything around her and was always looking for an exit.   She was lethargic, wouldn’t eat and moaned quite a lot.   We thought she may possibly be in heat cycle because of the discharge and enlarged nipples. We tried everything type of food trying to entice her appetite but she refused and just wanted to sleep.  We knew something wasn’t right, aside from the URI Upper Respiratory Infection so we scheduled her spay appointment 14 days out from the start of antibiotics. 

Tilly had her surgery and it was discovered that her uterus was thickened and she had early pyometra which is an infection of the uterus.  Infection in the lining of the uterus is established as a result of hormonal changes. Following estrus (“heat”), progesterone levels remain elevated for eight to ten weeks and thicken the lining of the uterus in preparation for pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur for several estrus cycles, the lining continues to increase in thickness until cysts form within it. The thickened, cystic lining secretes fluids that create an ideal environment in which bacteria can grow. Additionally, high progesterone levels inhibit the ability of the muscles in the wall of the uterus to contract. 

Now that she has recovered, a completely new dog has emerged.  Tilly’s energy came back and she very much acts like the puppy that she is.  She loves to play with the other dogs, and her people too, and has taken a new interest in toys.   Now, she is the first one done eating and will steal food from the other dogs if given the chance.   

This once little shy and scared girl is no more. 

Thank you WestieMed for sponsoring this little girl.  Because of you, she has a bright future coming!

Karen Simondet

Westie Rescue of Orange County (WROC)

Update February 8, 2024:

Our darling Tilly recovered beautifully from pyometra and her upper respiratory infection.  This once scared little girl is a completely different dog today!  Tilly was being fostered along with Benny and the duo became fast friends in foster care.  Tilly’s adopters came for one dog, but left with two!  This dynamic duo have strong personalities and their adopters say they are a blast to have with them.  They have both become very social on their neighborhood walks and off leash puppy play group.  They were also enrolled in puppy training classes and are doing great!

Thank you WestieMed for helping Tilly get the care she needed!

Karen Simondet

Carl

by westiemed in Stories

September 2022

Carl was wandering the streets of LA and was picked up by Animal Control.  He was in pretty bad shape.  His coat was matted, he had painful foxtails imbedded in between his toes, ear infection, skin infection and a horrible upper respiratory infection.  The shelter did what they could for Carl with medication, shaved his coat and removed the foxtails.  However, there was no public interest to adopt Carl because he needed an expensive hip surgery.  

Carl’s only chance of exiting the shelter was if rescue came for him and when we found out that Carl had been lingering there for several months, we knew we were his only chance. Oddly enough, when we arrived at the shelter, there was a person in line ahead of us there for Carl, but again, Carl was turned down because of the cost of surgery.

Carl needed time to recover from his upper respiratory infection and once he did, he had his surgery.  He also had a dental at the same time and thankfully he did because foxtails were found imbedded in between his teeth!  Overall, he did well only losing a few teeth, but had he not been on antibiotics for his upper respiratory infection, his mouth could have been much worse.  

Carl has several weeks of rehabilitation ahead of him.  We are doing range of motion exercises and short walks to aid his recovery.  He is now using that leg and walking on all fours which is something he hasn’t done since coming to rescue.    

Living on the streets and shelter life took a toll on him, but thanks to WestieMed, Carl has a new lease on life!  This incredibly sweet and playful boy will now live pain free thanks to the surgery.  This is something that he probably hasn’t had in a very long time.  

Thank you WestieMed!

Karen Simondet – WROC

Update May 25, 2023:

Rehabbing Carl had to be the easiest rehab of any dog we’ve fostered, hands down. He is such a calm and well behaved dog that is happiest being with his person. Our precious little man was adopted just a few days before Christmas, making this his best a Christmas ever! Carl has fully recovered from his hip surgery and is now enjoying life at the beach in Santa Barbara with his new mom and dad, Karen and Bill.

With WestieMed’s help, another deserving dog will never be neglected again. 

Karen S.

Update February 8, 2024:

Is been a little over a year since Carl was adopted and he continues to do great!  He is a very happy dog that loves his walks at the beach and his hip no longer bothers him.  His adopters continue to successfully manage his skin allergies and overall, he is doing fantastic.  He has quite a few friends in the neighborhood and for being the smallest kid on the block, he has the biggest personality and is sure everyone knows he is the boss!

Thank you WestieMed for giving Carl a second chance!

Karen Simondet

Lainey

by westiemed in Stories

Lainey was relinquished to an animal shelter because her owner was getting a divorce. Our very good friend who is the animal control deputy of the shelter alerted us to Lainey’s situation. She was listed as a 12 year old, but her microchip was registered so we had a birthdate on her. She is a precious 14.5 year old senior lady.

Lainey was covered in fleas and her backend was urine stained.  The shelter cleaned her up, treated her for fleas and we picked her up the very next day.  During the drive, she lost control of her bladder.  Once we got her home, she drank buckets and buckets of water.  Over the next 24 hours, Lainey continually drank water and urinated.  The poor little girl would also urinate while she was asleep.  It was heartbreaking and she was getting baths several times a day.

Lainey has had several vet visits in one week!  We treated her ear infections, ran her bloodwork, and urinalysis and sent it out for culture.  Her bloodwork did not have the markers for cushings, but with her extended abdomen and water consumption, we ran a dexamethasone suppression test to check for cushings syndrome.  The test did not reveal cushings, so we set up an abdominal ultrasound with an internist.  Lainey faired pretty well and does not have any masses.  One kidney shows an old blood clot so we submitted bloodwork to evaluate for evidence of hypercoagulability.  One test evaluated her overall clotting abilities which shows that she has a tendency for clot formation.  The second test evaluated for the presence of clot breakdown part which is an indirect way of saying that she is having ongoing clots in her body.  These tests tell us that Lainey is at risk for blood clots or strokes so we have started her on a blood thinner medication.    

Since Lainey’s tests have not produced a diagnosis, we are treating her for Diabetes Insipidus.  There is no test for this except by process of elimination.  We started Lainey on Desmopressin acetate which is the treatment of choice for central diabetes insipidus.  Her symptoms have dramatically improved and we are keeping a log of the amount of water she consumes.  There is room for improvement so her dosage may be adjusted.  We will continue to monitor her electrolytes and her first retest shows her electrolytes are normal so this is great news.  We have increased her medication and will retest again in 5 days.  She will also be retested for cushings down the road. 

To get Lainey to this point has been costly. But as it turns out, her owner relinquishing her to the shelter was the best thing for Lainey because she now has received the help she so desperately needed.  She already feels better and her true Westie-ness is starting to shine through!

Karen Simondet – WROC

Update September 28, 2022

Lainey continues to do well. We started Lainey on Desmopressin acetate which is the treatment of choice for central diabetes insipidus. She just had her follow up vet appointment and her prescription was refilled at the same dosage. The biggest change in her life is her new home! Lainey was adopted by Rick and Debbie and shares her home with two other westies. Her story is truly a happy beginning!

Karen Simondet – WROC

Update May 31, 2023:

At 15.5 years old now, Lainey continues to thrive in her new home with Debbie and Rick. With a new puppy in the home, Lainey is active, plays with the puppy and is doing so well!  Debbie and Rick are staying on top of her condition and no modifications have been needed.

Lainey was such a great save!  And we are so thankful to WestieMed for helping her get there!

Karen Simondet