CARRY OVER DOGS FROM 2011 include 2 dogs in permanent foster care but also these who are either ready for adoption or are working towards that goal while in care:
Sweetie Petey passed away of Westie Lung Disease in January 2012. He originally came to rescue in 2009 at the age of 12. He was surrendered because the two-year-old he was living with was mistreating him. Mom couldn’t control the boy and she didn’t want Petey to have to live in this environment. Petey also had an extreme issue with a gassy tummy which made him very unpopular among the family’s children.
Petey turned out to be in the beginning stages of “Westie Lung Disease” also known as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. (Topic #3). When we learned of his illness we knew that he was unlikely to find an adopter but fortunately his foster mom agreed to keep him as a foster dog for the rest of his life.
Petey’s was nicknamed “Sweetie Petey” because he was absolutely sweet and happy. He got along well with children, dogs, cats and everything else he has run into. Even the little boy who was kicking him did not succeed in getting him to bite. While in foster care, he was treated like a member of the family. He made many trips up north on mini-vacations and he gave as much love and joy as he received.
Bailey, male age 12, went to live with the son of his owner when the owner had to move in with his daughter who already had 2 dogs and 2 cats. However the son had to leave Bailey alone for 13 hours a day so he decided to surrender Bailey or put him down. We took him in and will got him to the vet to investigate some issues. Initially, he was a bit ‘nervous’ but now is doing well. He had been fed “whatever is on sale” so we got him on a food to help with his joints (J/D) and he will be on Rimadyl for life. He had a dental and his ears were treated. Bailey is now a permanent foster dog.
Wesley (now called Duffy) came to us from a shelter on the west side of the state. There was a family who had expressed interest in adopting him but then they began to realize he had medical issues. He came in as a stray and we were told he was about 5 years old but we are guessing maybe 11 years. Duffy had very badly infected ears which resulted in total hearing loss. He has a fatty tumor which does not require any attention at this time. It is just something that frequently occurs in older dogs. Since being in foster care and having had his medical attended to, he has really perked up and has a “spring in his step”! He loves to be chased in the house. He has an occasional accident so his foster home has to be very vigilant about taking him outside right after meals and sometimes in between. He only barks when he is hungry. He likes to rest in his little bed. Duffy is very much loved by his foster family and will remain there for life.
Ginger, age approx. 4 years, was given up, for an unknown reason. She went to a lady who had 4 westies but she gave her up because Ginger was very timid and her Westies were going after her. Ginger then went to an independent rescue person but she had so many dogs in her care that she felt we could do more for Ginger. Ginger was very shy and submissive. She is clearly fearful in some situations but she wants attention and is happy to be cuddled and loved. Ginger may have had a litter in the past.
Her foster home worked with her on her shyness and fears which were a bit extreme; but she made a lot of progress and is pretty much a normal little girl now. As of April, Ginger has been adopted and making her new family very happy!
Molly, age 12 years, was given up, by an elderly couple. They found that they were just too old to take care of her any longer. They had health problems and they didn’t like her barking. Molly arrived and foster mom is already falling in love. Molly walked in and got along with the dogs already in the home. She has been very sweet and not showing any issues at all. We hope this little girl will find a home who will give her a great senior life. Molly was adopted in March.
Angel, reported to be age 6 years, was left at an Animal Control by her owner who felt she could not afford to treat her ear infection. Angel is in foster care now and was treated for a severe infection in one ear. Her hearing appears to be rather poor. She will have a dental and has been caught up on her vaccinations. She recently had a liver biopsy to determine the reasons for some high liver values that were not resolving. She appears to have cataracts which will be treated when we get her other problems under control. Then we will live with her so we can identify any other possible issues and get to know her so we can do a good job in matching her to her new home.
After 5 months of medical care we had to finally make a decision to let her go to the bridge. She had so many physical issues that could not be fixed. And she bit or tried to bite multiple times in two different foster homes. Angel was not well and we could not make her well. We will miss you, Angel, and hope to see you again one day.
Baxter, age 8 years, came in to Rescue because he and his brother Westie were not getting along well. His owners were older and unable to afford their routine medical care including neutering. Over time they began to spat. We took Baxter in and had him neutered right away. We also had his brother neutered although is brother is staying in the original home.
Baxter did well in his foster home and endeared himself to the family. He got along well with the two female Westies in the home. He does not like to be crated and is a great escape artist. But who can help but love that face? What a cutie. Baxter has been adopted.
Tillie, age 7, came in to Rescue with her sister, Abbie. These two sweet and very cute little girls had developed a bad habit of “ankle nipping”. The family was not able to correct this problem and finally decided to surrender the girls to Rescue. Tillie is probably the alpha of the two. We put them in separate foster homes in the hope that the problem would be easier to resolve if they were not able to reinforce each other. Tillie has done very well with the other pets in the foster home. She does show a bit of food aggression but that was not be too difficult to fix. She has now been adopted.
Abbie, age 7, came in to Rescue along with her sister. The girls are very cute and sweet but have a habit of “ankle nipping” which has gone uncorrected. It reached a point that the family insisted the dogs be surrendered. We have them in separate foster homes so that they can not continue to reinforce this behavior. In foster care, Abbie has been very good but we will keep her in foster care long enough to see if it returns and to work on correcting it if it does.
Abbie has now been placed in her new home.
Mia, approx age 5-7, was found as a stray out in the country. She appeared to have had a recent litter because she still had milk. She had been shaved down (poorly) but at least her head was saved. Mia was named when our volunteer looked at her and said, “Mama Mia!!”.
Mia’s ears were so infected that they were totally closed. She had a cyst on her back and didn’t appear to have ever had a dental. She had a bloody discharge. Because her lungs sounded like they were crackling and popping, there were treated with antibiotics but while the sounds are lessened, they have not gone away. The specialist indicated that she probably has incurred some lung damage that scarred her lungs. If so, it is not likely to get worse. Due to her age it is not likely that she has Westie Lung Disease but it can’t be ruled out. At this time she is not impacted by the lung issue and she is able to function like any other dog.
After the spay, dental and cyst removal, she went into a false pregnancy. She collected her babies (stuffed toys and balls) and nested with them. Once that was over and she was healed, she had to go right back into another surgery. She had a cancer of the mammary glands and they were removed. No further treatment is required. But it is completely gone now. Because we spayed her, it is unlikely to ever occur again. So she has come through another battle with scars but a WINNER!
Mia is a very sweet little girl with a very laid back personality. She loves to snuggle, to be held and petted. She really seems to like being a lap dog. She gets along perfectly with other dogs in the home and has won over them both.
Mia has been adopted by an experienced Westie owner.
OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED: At her recent medical check, her lungs have cleared and they are beginning to wean her off the meds!!! While she does have a chronic bronchitis, she does not have Westie Lung!!!
Casper is a 6 year old male whose owner died. The person who turned him in didn’t know anything much about him other than age. His ears were swollen shut from infections and he needed to be neutered.
Casper arrived and turned out to truly be the sweet boy, as we were told. He plays nicely with the two female Westies in the foster home. He is well behaved and a very easy boy to be around. Casper’s ears were treated; he has some hearing loss but it is not significant. Casper has been adopted.
Annie, Age 11, was surrendered to Rescue when her dad’s dementia progressed and mom just could no longer take care of him and the dog. The children have decided to move their parents to assisted living and Annie needs to find a new home. Annie spent most of her life in a kennel situation and finally got a home of her own…now she is losing it.
Annie is healthy and happy. She is doing very well with her foster brothers. She is housebroken and has shown no issues. She has some loss of vision, but is not blind and doesn’t let it get in her way. She has eye drops that she will be on for life which are helping considerably. Annie has now been adopted.
Maggie is about 8-9 years old. The family surrendering Maggie said they found her 4 years ago on puppy finder and drove to Indiana to “save” her. The woman that had her before said that she rescued Maggie from a puppy mill. Maggie was a mess and took a about a year to get her white coat back. About 3 weeks later they found out she was pregnant and maybe 5 years old After the puppies she was spayed. Maggie was very scared and timid when they got her so when they had company over or during storms, they started just putting her in her crate in their room so she wouldn’t be so anxious during these times. Then they had a child. The boy is 2 years old now and Maggie wasn’t doing well with him at all. So many Westies come in when the child reaches toddler age.
We hope that Maggie will be able to find an adult-only home where they will understand her personality and give her the love she needs. Maggie has now been adopted.
Brody, age 5, came into foster care because he was not doing well with a 2 year old toddler in the home. Brody has not bitten but he has snapped at the child. This is not an unusual situation for a Westie and one of the most common reasons for their surrender.
Brody is very submissive and easily scared. His ears were very severely infected and he has a skin infection. He will get a dental soon. He was not on any heartworm prevention so we are thankful that he tested negative for heartworm. All of his shots were out of date.
Brody was originally very clingy and howled when left alone. But normally, he is very quiet. He is a sweet boy. He is good with other dogs including the foster brother he lives with. He is barking, running around the yard, trying to initiate some play with another dog and is playing with toys. Brody has been adopted.
Benzo, (now called Benny) age 4 or 5 year old neutered male who was not doing well with the 2 year old child. The child (per the father) just won’t leave the dog alone and the dog is forced to give a lot of warnings. ”He puts up with a lot before he even growls”. They have older children the dog grew up with that he is fine with, but this child just won’t stop tormenting the dog. They can’t risk having him around any longer, especially since another baby is expected.
He has just arrived in rescue. He weighs 16 pounds but needs to lose a couple! He is said to be healthy with no allergies. So far he has been delightful. Even the vet commented on his good nature. He is playing with the other dogs and learning the doggie door. All is going well.
Benny has now been adopted and renamed MacTavish.
Dallas, age 5, was surrendered to a Canadian Westie Rescue group because the owner was allergic to him. The Canadian Rescue was full so we agreed to take him on.
He was a bit of a handful at first but he has come a long way since we have gotten him. He is very sweet. He likes to play soccer, and likes to play with a tennis ball outside. He has some allergies but they are not real bad and continue to be treated. He listens well and is a good dog.
Dallas has now been adopted.
Dash, age 4, came into rescue because his owner moved into an apartment and he was not handling it well. Apparently he needs a yard to play in or an owner who will crate him when not at home. First impressions are that he is a very sweet dog with no socialization issues. He does have some minor allergy issues which we will look at. He is a tall boy and at 25#, he is at the large end of the size range for Westies.
Dash has now been adopted.
Bridget, age 7, was released to rescue because she was chasing golf carts and being a “terrier”. She weighs about 16# and is a relatively small dog. She is a nice girl, rides perfectly in the car and behaves around people.
She has been spayed and had a dental where she lost 16 teeth due to tooth damage and some periodontal disease. Bridget is all healed up and is better than ever. She has made much progress in her foster home. She is actually defensive, not dominant and is learning how to be part of a pack. She is very smart, loves to hunt and is learning to play! Bridget has now joined a new family. We wish her well!
Princess Fiona of Lachlyn, “Fee” for short, was a stray. Her age is estimated at 6 or 7. She was hanging around the neighborhood for about a month before someone took her to the local shelter. They kept her for a few weeks and then called us to see if we would take her. They had been calling her “Rags” so we think the name has taken her from Rags to Riches!!
She has had her dental, and lost only two small teeth. Her spay went very well, and she is in excellent health. She has no skin issues nor does she have any other health issues. She is still tentative around Maggie Mae (alpha dog here) but there are no fights, just growling as she passes Maggie. She has learned to bark with the girls to save her foster parents from the marauding hordes of dog walkers and stroller walkers that pass by our corner lot. She is food motivated and able to learn, however, westie enough to fight that process at least for awhile before giving in to the command. She has learned up to stay away from a door as we are entering or exiting. She sits, stay is still only a dream in my head as is come. But they are getting better. Fee has been adopted and is doing well in her new home.
Digger is an 8 year old neutered male who was adopted out of a shelter. The new owner had no idea why he was surrendered or if he was a stray. His owner had just had surgery and could not hold the leash / control him anymore. He was up to date on his vaccinations and is not a biter or aggressive. When he had his dental he lost several teeth and is now becoming comfortable eating.
We currently feel he would fit best as an only dog with someone who knows terriers. He would rather not be crated or have a bath and is quite willing to express his feelings on such issues. But
he has been all talk and no action and his foster home is working on these issues. He is great with people and is continuing his career as an unofficial therapy dog by visiting a nursing home with his foster mom. Digger loves to play with toys and loves people. We feel he is exceptionally smart. Digger has some congestion and is doctoring at this time.
Katie, age 7, came into foster care because her mom and dad had to go and live with their son. The son has a big dog and two small children, one of whom doesn’t like dogs and had begun to kick Katie. They knew they needed to get her out of this situation.
Katie is a very nice, happy little girl. She “aaroo’s” with the best of them! She gets along with other dogs and is very friendly. She rides well in the car; not a sound out of her crate on the transport to her foster home. She is now living with two other Westie girls and is playing with them.
Katie is not ready yet to be placed. She will visit the vet and spend some time in a foster home before going to her “forever” home.
Ava, age 6 3/4, came into rescue with her brother, Wesley. Their dad is losing his home and has to move in with mom. He can’t take them along. He works long hours and they have been home alone for 13 hour days. So he feels it is best to surrender them and hope they find a home where they can get more attention.
They have been doing well with his 5 year old son. They are both very nice, friendly dogs. Ava has just discovered the toy box and thinks she has gone to Disneyland!
They had fleas and Ava has a flea allergy. She is now being treated and we think that once this is done, her brown face will clean up. She needs a dental and we need to finish updating her shots. Then we will live with her for a bit to be able to better assess the type of home she needs. Ava will not be available until at least after the holidays.
Wesley, age 8, came in with his sister Ava, above. Like Ava, he needs a new home because his dad cannot take him along to live with Grandma. Wesley is a bit upset at all the changes in his life but despite that, he has a good disposition and is likely going to settle in soon. He had fleas and the consequent itching and licking along with a not great quality food probably account for the brown beard. Hopefully, with medical care and good food it will grow out nicely.
Wesley will not be available until after the holidays.
Ellie came in at about 13 weeks old. Her owner surrendered her to Rescue because she could not afford to test for or repair a suspected ectopic ureter. This means that one of her ureters did not go into the bladder as it should but instead by-passed it. That meant that urine trickled out continually. This puppy was never going to be housebroken and was going to have continual infections from the constant dampness. It is a birth defect that just happens randomly in dogs and people too!
We did some research and found that the odds of repair cover a wide range (30-70%) and no one could narrow this down for us without doing the surgery because there is always a possibility of hidden defects beyond just the ureter. We decided to take a chance. Ellie had her surgery on Wednesday at Advanced Veterinary Care in Canton, MI and is now back in the foster home for recovery. The surgeon is optimistic that she will be okay. (And they gave us a great rescue discount!)
It can take a while for swelling to go down and healing to complete so we won’t know right away. Plus, of course, she is not housebroken, so there will be plenty of normal peeing going on! If it doesn’t work completely, there are other things to try to assist further including meds. We pray we can get a complete repair because it isn’t likely we will find a home for a dog who will always be incontinent. But we are being optimistic at this point.
Miss Ellie’s big job right now is just getting better and maybe staying out of too much mischief! Oh, and maybe letting foster parents sleep at night!
SEE THIS LINK TO KEEP UPDATED ON ELLIE DURING HER FOSTER CARE.
Ellie has been adotped.
CLICK ON THE MENU BUTTON “APPLICATION” IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADOPTING. YOU WILL FIND THE PAPERWORK AND INFORMATION THERE.