Westie Rescue Page Posted April 11, 2008 These are the dogs rescued from a puppy mill. Gracie is on the left and Millie on the right in both pictures. Friday, April 11: We went to Tillsonburg to pick up Gracie and Millie; they were rescued by Nancy from a puppy mill. From what Nancy told us, we were expecting to find two dogs in very poor physical condition. However, she had had them groomed and spent a lot of time with them, so by the time we got there we thought they looked pretty good. They are clean, perky, friendly and affectionate. They have no signs of external parasites, their ears are clean and their eyes shiny. Gracie is quite thin and may have a urinary infection as she pees a lot. Millie seems quite plump. They may need some dental work; their teeth are quite yellow. People are so kind once you tell them you are involved in this kind of work. I needed an extra crate and mentioned it to a few people and had a couple of offers to lend me crates. But when I went to pick up Pearl (our westie) from her puppy day care, the owner told me she had two brand new crates that I could have for free. So that took care of the crate problem. But then we needed some sort of enclosure to keep them contained in the garage. We have a puppy pen but we had lent it to some friends in Montreal who were expecting to have poodle puppies. No way we could get it back in time. So as I was pondering the problem and not wanting to spend any money on another puppy pen, I thought bales of straw. We have a large vegetable garden and can always use straw for mulch in the summer. So I contacted a neighbouring farmer and he brought over a dozen bales of straw the next morning. So we now had a straw enclosure for the two girls. The girls were really good on the way home; they just snoozed in the crate and did not fuss at all. We took them for a good walk and then settled them into their straw enclosure. I proceeded to cook them up some supper. Nancy had told us that they had been fed only soft food, i.e. bread mixed with cheap canned dog food and they did not like anything hard. So I cooked them up some rice and mixed it with organ meats, egg, olive oil and some kelp and alfalfa. Millie ate it all up but Gracie actually decided she would eat a bit of kibble. We let them have a bit of a rest after that and Paul went to get Pearl at her doggy day care. Pearl wasn't too pleased at the intrusion on her territory. We took them all out for a short walk and Pearl settled down. After awhile, we fed them again (only small amounts at a time) and this time Gracie did like my home cooked food. We played with them some more and took them out again and then settled them back into their straw pen. That's about all we have to report for now. Tomorrow we have an appointment with the vet so will have more to report on their state of health then. Saturday, April 12: So off we went to the vet. They were both very good at the vet. Gracie weighed 8 kg and Millie weighed 9.2 kg. He checked them over carefully. They didn’t have any fleas or lice. He vaccinated them and gave them pills for worm treatments. Gracie has a urinary infection and Millie has an ear infection. They will both need to be spayed and have dental work. Their breath is less than fresh. Gracie did not flinch when she received her needles; Millie wasn’t quite as brave but still a very good girl. The vet estimated their age at around 5 years old. Back home, we went for another walk, played with them and fed them. They were pretty tired by the end of the day, as they are not used to walking. So they were quite happy to curl up in their crate and go to sleep early. Sunday, April 13: Up early for food, play and walks. They are really starting to come out of their shell. On our walks they are starting to sniff things and explore a little bit. It is so nice to see. Arrangements have been made for the home inspection of Gracie’s foster family and they are coming to get them late this afternoon. But before Gracie and Millie could go, they had to be micro-chipped. So back to the vet we went. This time we also took Pearl with us as she had gotten quite used to them now. All three rode in the back of the car together. We made quite a stir as we all arrived in the vets waiting area. People always want to see the “Westie” but to see three together is even better. Russ and Donna arrived around 5:30. We had some getting to know each other time and then they took the girls away. They are dropping one off with Jan and taking the other one home. We were very sad to see them go. Posted April 12, 2008 Gracie on the left, Millie on the right. The groomer put bows on their foreheads. Out for a walk on the farm. Brigitte is passing out treats. Millie left, Gracie center, Pearl right. More treats being passed out. Here is the overall setup of our straw enclosure. The large crate on the right accommodates both dogs. The tires hold the mesh door in place. Posted April 13, 2008 That is Millie walking towards the camera in both the above pictures. Pearl, Millie and Gracie. The girls meet Donna who is taking them to new homes. Monday, April 14: I called Russ and Donna for an update. They chose to keep the one called Gracie and have renamed her Lacey. They are very, very happy with her. In one day she has really come out her shell even more. When she left our house, she couldn’t go up and down the stairs but she learned that skill on Monday. She spent all day playing with Logan, the resident Westie, and neither one had trouble adjusting to the other. When I called, she was standing on the couch beside Donna barking at the TV. “Hi! Everyone. Just thought I could pass on some news on Lacy. She and Logan are just the best of friends already. She is doing stairs, playing a little. Follows Logan everywhere. She is eating well. Sleeps a lot, loves outside (thank you for the weather). Don't know what else right now, But she's wonderful Russ & Donna “ Lacey is on the right with Logan, and Donna and Russ. We also had an update from Jan on Millie: “Me, Angus, Millie & Molly were out today from around 10:30am through to 4:30 pm-now that’s a good day of walking around I can tell you, and we enjoyed every minute of it. This wee Millie is a treasure-period! She is soooooooo affectionate and when we stop to chat with friends and neighbours, she sits in front of me and just looks up at my face!! Very sweet to see I can tell you. She is excellent on the leash-no pulling whatsoever. I can even drop the leash and she continues following me....with her perfect big black nose about an inch from my leg.......she is one adorable Westie, however, it will sure be nice when her hair has grown in and she has her beard and moustache and her other furnishings back in place! It’s quite different to see a Westie without all these things I can tell you! Unfortunately, a few more issues became evident with wee Millie this morning: (1) she has an eye infection-red, quite runny and lots of goopy stuff coming out. (The other eye is OK) I am treating the infected eye with meds from my Vet (2) she is digging and digging (scratching) at various parts of her body so I’ll probably have to find something for that too, if she doesn’t stop the scratching by, say, later on today. She really digs, and digs at whatever is making her itch. She has also got a balding patch on the top of one of her feet where she digs at and bites this area. Following a telephone conversation with Jan, it turns out Millie has infection on both her ears, conjunctivitis in both eyes and the usual Westie itch. These problems are being treated with antibiotics and it is expected that the infections will clear up. Thursday, April 17: Poor Lacey has not been lucky. She stopped eating and was taken to the vet for evaluation. There was no reason to suspect that she had something which was really serious. She was put on intravenous but then on Friday, the vet had to do an emergency surgery At first, he wasn't sure whether it could be a pyometra. It revealed something unbelievable under the circumstances since she had, at first, rather seemed in good health. Lacey had a tumor in her stomach which the vet removed as well as a part of her stomach as the tumor was attached to the inside of it. She is in intensive care over the weekend. The vet told me this afternoon that the tumor was encapsulated (a rather good sign, though we don't know yet whether it is malignant or not), she is responding well to treatment and has started to eat tiny bits of food; her vital signs are good. She has severe anemia: her blood cells are dangerously low, and her albumin is also low. This could be due to a hookworm infection for which she is being treated. If all goes well, she might be able to go back to her foster home tomorrow morning though we don't know yet whether that will be possible and what the recuperation will be. Sunday, April 20 : I spoke with the Emergency Clinic where Lacey spent the weekend. Clinically, she is stable, eating well and is responsive, and her color is much better. The albumin count has gone up to 17; her red blood cell count is still 12 but she shows no clinical signs of anemia so this may be the effect of the hookworm for which she has been treated. Russ and Donna are scheduled to pick her up this evening at 8:00 pm. We will not know her long-term prognosis until the results of the biopsy are known. We expect to find out the results on Wednesday. Monday, April 21: We had an update from Russ & Donna: "Hi Brigitte I thought you would like an update on Lacey.She is doing great eating and drinking really well. She is walking around a lot, sleeping a lot,up and down stairs(on deck). She is very content, likes to be close to us or Logan whoever is there. Doing Great I think for what has happened to her. She & us send our Love and thanks to everybody who has helped. Thanks again Russ & Donna" Lacey and Donna Tuesday, April 22: I just had a call from Russ. They got the results of the biopsy and it was very good news. Lacey is going to be fine. She had a huge ulcer which had been bleeding. She likely had this ulcer for years. This explains the lack of apetite and the anemia like symptoms. She has been eating much better since the surgery and is enjoying going out in the yard. She follows Logan like his shadow and they both enjoy being brushed. We are so thrilled that Lacey can expect to have many more happy years living in her new forever home. The Club Membership has been very supportive and many have come forward with monetary donations to help us out. It was wonderful to feel the outpouring of love for these little girls and to have so much suport. Without the support of our members, it would be difficult to continue with rescue work. We are very grateful to the following for their generous donations: Peggy Geall Tamara Chipperfield Helen Gardiner Michelle Swoboda Lindy Barrow Terry Stokes Susan Coombs Owen Bradley B.S Downie Chris Wheeldon Ann Camilleri Jean Northrup Phyllis Provost Anne Wilson John Cerniuk Gaby Schlachter Spencer Tucker Nicole St-Maurice Sandy Boothman We also need people to do fund raising, home inspections, transport, foster, groom etc. If you are able to help out in any of these areas, please contact us. Report from Jan, Millie's foster mother: ....but so very optimistic about this Millie Girl....she is a treat to have in “our” home, even though there have been a few (did I say a ‘few’?) issues with “P&P” on the floor. Training, though, is getting through to Millie and the mistakes are slowly, but steadily, dwindling in number. Our back door now opens & closes at least an additional 10 times a day for this particular, happy, sweet Westie Girl to go out. Hmmm, it looks as if we’ll soon need new hinges for that door! TO APRIL 24, 2008: “A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF MILLIE’S CONTINUING DAYS WITH JAN, ANGUS & MOLLY” Wee Millie is a 100% true ‘blue blooded’ WESTIE GIRL! She is strong willed, a bit stubborn perhaps- but gentle; energetic & very enthusiastic but she knows her present physical limitations and will simply flop down, wherever, when the walk becomes a bit too much for her; she’s loving, sweet and a smoocher and she’s a HUGE giver of love to me, Angus & Molly and all the kids in the neighbourhood. A good eater, she has, along the way, learned to eat slowly. She chews each and every little morsel by picking a piece of food out of her dish, putting it firstly on the floor for a look-see and then, at last, picking it up again to eat it- the exact same way as my beloved Angus eats his food. My much loved Molly, of course, being another story as far as the eating department goes-as in: gobble, gobble, done! WOOF! Millie is still on antibiotics for her eye and ear infections, however, both issues are almost cleared up-hurrah! She has her second/final “de-worming” meds this Saturday, April 26th and that should see that issue successfully treated too! Her eyes are a beautiful deep, dark brown and I swear that, sometimes, I can look in to those oh, so soft, gentle eyes and I can see all the way to her big ol’ ever so lovin’ heart-yes, I can..This Westie Girl is, truly, a treasure. Millie has some of the ever so endearing Westie habits we all love so much in our own Westies: like the little ‘skip’ most of them seem to do with one of their back legs when out for a walk; the tilting of the head as they look at, and listen to you (really?) when you are having that little chat with them about where those bulbs went that were in the south corner of the garden earlier (well, where are they?); the bum wiggling and furious tail wagging when I let Millie out of her ‘house’ (crate) first thing in the morning (like after she wakened ME up @ 5:30am this morning) the lifting of a front paw and holding it up like that for no good reason when she’s just standing there looking at me, the sudden snorting & snuffling noises of happiness and the turning around in circles when she’s excited and simply overjoyed with the way her life’s going......a treasure, indeed. I am checking for Markham and area Vet estimates for Millie’s “Spaying” and for her “Teeth cleaning”. These are the two treatments left for this little girl to have done and, when completed, Millie should be “up to snuff” on all her prescribed medical/ overall health/ dental requirements. Posted May 19. On Friday, May 16, we picked Millie up from Jan in Markham, for the begining of her trip to Cape Breton and her forever home. It was an emotional good bye. When last we saw her she couldn't climb stairs, now she can easily jump in and out of the car! We took her to Montreal and stayed over night in a motel. Here she is on the bed with Brigitte and Pearl. Here is our last picture of Millie as we pass her on to Monique Courtois, the President of the Canadian West Highland White Terrier Club, who has organized the rest of the trip to Cape Breton. It was another emotional good bye. Jan has given us permission to print the following email which she sent to Monique: My ever so sweet “Millie Girl “ left with Brigitte, Paul and Pearlie, their Westie, around 11am today on the first leg of what will be, for Millie, a fairly long journey to her “FOREVER HOME” in Cape Breton. It was a very difficult parting. During the process of me getting her things together to put in the car, Millie was right there with me, pushing her nose against my legs & always watching me with those beautiful, brown, soulful, loving and trusting eyes of hers... as if to make sure I wasn’t going anywhere without her. I kissed her sweet face many times and held her very close to me...I think I felt her heart beating against me. If it is possible for a wee Westie Girl to look worried, well, at times, my sweet Millie did. She seemed a bit concerned about just what was going on around her. Then, she had a safety harness put on her by Paul, which, after he put Millie into the back seat with Pearlie, was attached to the car’s safety belt system. Safely secured little Westies, for sure. And then, just like that, she was on her way.... a dear little white face peering out at me through a window of the car which would carry her on the first part of her journey home......a loving & kind home-at last. I miss her terribly....... Jan Here is a recent picture of Lacey and Logan Last week Brigitte spoke to Russ and he reported that Lacey is doing very well. She actually outruns Logan now and initiates playtime. Russ and Donna are very happy with Lacey and are very thankful for all that the CWHWTC Rescue has done for Lacey. For the rest of her life, Lacey will have a loving forever home after being rescued from the puppy mill. Posted May 26. Dear Friends along the way... I have finally arrived here in Nova Scotia and it is a good sign that after days of rain - the sun has come out here - we're celebrating my arrival as well as the sun's. It's a good omen. I was terribly nervous when I first met Penny and Ian but after Penny let me sit on her lap for a while during the journey I felt a little better. Then we kept stopping at interesting smelling places and then I ate - had some water and did my thing and I felt better as the miles flew past. Pretty interesting place here - the car ferry was interesting - lots of smells there! I'm still pretty jumpy with sudden sounds. Ian nearly scared me out of my wits when he ate an ice-cream cone! But big noises don't seem to bother me as much. It's pretty quiet here - as long as no one makes any sudden noises or moves too quickly. So now I am finally home. I have had a bath and I'm running around in circles with my tail going a mile a minute. It will take me a while to get myself settled in, but so far so good. The place I am at is on a lake with lots of grass and birds. I've been for a walk around the grounds and let any other animals know this is my territory. I think they'll get the message. Well the news is almost on and I have to see if I made it to the 6 o'clock news - it may not be a big deal to reporters but I think it was a pretty interesting trip. I'll tell you about it sometime. Love Millicent (nee Millie) Here are pictures of Millicent at her new home in Cape Breton. Visit Gerry's Rescue Page Visit the Canadian West Highland White Terrier Club Website. Send us an e-mail. Visit Pearl's web site.