Zo‘ ( aka RACHAEL )

Update 08-2006 .... Zo‘ , has a Forever Mom, Janice

They are doing just great. Rachael is receiving hydrotherapy twice weekly and has a new resident playmate a darling cat. Janice is just delighted with Rachael, her progress and her loving nature.

Thanks to all of you that provided me with your prayers, good wishes and financial support ....... Zo‘

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Rachaels Story Below

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My New Name Is.....RACHAEL

Rachael poses with her medical team. Our thanks to them all!

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Hello Everyone;

I had my surgery on July 31st and all went. I spent the night with the nice folks who did my surgery. The surgeon was very pleased with the repair. My 'after surgery x-rays' look excellent, they were even reviewed by my foster Mom when she came to pick me up. Boy was I glad to get to go home with her. I am a little swollen with bruising and the incision area is black/blue. But I am doing very good. I am now on the mend at a volunteer's home who is home all day, just so I can receive the care I need for the first two weeks (which are critical). I am hopping around on three legs at the moment and am placing some weight on the repaired leg when I stand. I can lay down, set and stretch out without pain. My current thing is.....if I 'roll over' I get automatic tummy rubs! Hey, I'm working this! After the first night, which was kinda unsettling so my foster Mom slept right next to my crate in case I needed something.

Each day I am able to walk and exercise just a little further than the last.

My next Veterinarian check- up is in two weeks. Until then moderate exercise, daily mobility and walking is good; but no running, jumping, rough-housing with the other Westies here....darn it. They know I 'smell' different with my pain patch and shaved 'lion cut', so they are careful when I am out of my crate and in the house. They even leave hidden biscuits for me to find, I walk around the house with the biscuit in my mouth, so proud when I find them too!

Thank you one and all for your kindness!

Licks and Wags to all, Rachael

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Our little Rachael is currently being fostered at one of our more medically experienced foster volunteer homes while she continues to recuperate from her hip operation. Her surgery date was July 31st, 2006 and she is currently beginning the long mending process necessary for a happy and healthy life. She is coming along great.

The actual surgery went very well and the surgeon took an after-repair x-ray, which our director did review with the Veterinarian staff. Since that date she has been crated when she positively could not be supervised every minute. Per doctor's orders; no running, jumping, hard playing with the other Westies in foster care. She does need exercise and movement of the hip, socket and leg which means; short leash controlled sidewalk walks. Have you ever tried to control a 1.5 yr old Westie, they want to go and see everything and everybody? Whew! She feels better, as evidenced by her desire to run around in the grass, lay like a 'froggie' with both feet/legs backward and her happy spirit. She even tried the first step of a staircase, but was caught in time before going up any more.

The little stinker has been back to the Vet twice since the operation. She was sent home with interior and dissolving stitches. Beautiful seamless incision....well that lasted until the pain-patch was taken off at 36 hours. She somehow, through her first E-collar and her every 12 hour pain medication, began licking one night the end of the incision. So back to the Vet to close the 1/2 inch gap now exposing flesh and the buried stitches. The Vet used three staples to close the opening. Then 24 hours later she had managed to pull all put one staple out that was just hanging and the gash was back. Back to the Vet, where this time they used surgery 'glue' and five staples. She was sent home with an E-collar that looks like she is a walking TV dish. But, it is working now. and she hasn't had any more trips to the Veterinarian. As of this post, the E-collar has been off for 36 hours, the incision is looking and holding up great.

She can place some weight on the foot when standing in a grass area, and now does place some weight on it in the carpeted house. She wants to jump on the bed, couch and run in the house so the other doggies. She will just beg them to begin a game of 'chase', which of course is a NO-NO. We have another Vet check up with stitches scheduled to be removed then AND the Vet will determine when hydro-therapy can start.

Rachael's Foster Mom - Susan

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Original Story Below

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I have a new name and hopefully can have a new start in life cause the first part hasn't gone so well. But I am glad for the kind efforts of
Westie Rescue of CA who are helping make my life one of a Westie Princess. Gosh how grand!

Westie Rescue of CA has found I need a very expensive operation. They do not know if my previous owner kicked, abused or just what happened to cause my condition. I obviously was neglected due to the physical condition that I showed up in on rescue's door. I have severe degenerative joint disease involving my right femoral head. This operation is very costly, but I can not get well unless I have it. I should have a full recovery and lead a happy healthy life cause I am so young. Guess that is a good thing?

Here is my personal story on just how I came into
Westie Rescue of CA's care.

See I was a second owner turn-in, probably due to my inability to run, stand and walk without noticeable 'hopping' or 'holding my back right leg up'. It hurt when I tried to put weight on it. And in fairness I was given in this condition to the second owner, after my first owner could not afford Veterinarian care for my ear infections, flea infestation and 'staph' infection on my skin "that was all he noticed"....dah dude! I have lost most of my fur from the fleas and/or having either a litter of puppies or a false pregnancy. I came to these kind rescue folks weighing only 14 pounds. I was very skinny, dehydrated, depressed and very, very scared. I was given by my original owner to an work associates brother's family. They did take me to their Veterinarian but when they realized I needed to be altered AND have a major costly operation they quickly (within 3 days) gave me to Westie Rescue. The nice volunteer transporter told me everything would be alright now....and not to worry. I sure hope so.

I am very young, my DOB is 01-10-2005, I now have all my shots (Rabies-3yr, DHLPP, Corona, Giardia, Lyme, Bordetella...whew!), was recently altered. I am AKC registered and have a microchip. My skin is responding beautifully to the great grub here at my foster Mom's house, they call it the Westie Diet. I am told it is not just for us Westies.

I am a sweet, kiss giving, little girl. I would love to romp and play with the other Westies here, but I can not at the moment. They are afraid I will injure my hip and leg further before they can get my operation. Sure hope that can happen soon. I am now crate trained, use a doggy door, walk on a leash pretty well (I really want to RUN, RUN.....but I can't). I like to ride in the car and don't mind my medicated baths every-other day, my ear infections are gone...so I don't have an excuse to use my 'selective hearing' when my foster Mom calls me....darn it!

Won't you please help me get my operation by making a donation and/or apply to adopt me after my surgery? I promise to give many years of loyal devoted love and I will be just like all the other Westies then too. I need a loving home where I can rehabilitate and know I finally have found a Rachael loving home.

I really want that.......just wait'n for ya to love me, Rachael

If would like to make a donation to Westie Rescue of California to go towards Rachael's surgery, please click below:

Donate Here!

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FLASH.......Update 07.06.2006.....

We want to keep everyone in the loop regarding the status of our little dear Rachael. Here is the latest information......

Thank you so much for your personal interest regarding our little Rachael and her need for surgery. Donations can be made via our website, or if preferred there are instructions how to submit a check as well. Rachael is currently being fostered in one of our more medically experienced foster volunteer homes while she awaits her hip operation. Our Veterinarian, who took initial x-rays and diagnosed her condition, has contacted a well known orthopedic bone specialist from San Francisco, who has agreed to work with our rescue group. He will be flying into San Diego (CA) to do the surgery. Our Veterinarian and her staff have opened their surgery unit and hospital to this specialist. We are most appreciative of this kind gesture in today's Veterinarian climate. Our Veterinarian, Dr. Elizabeth M. Kelly will be assisting (donating her time) along with her hospital staff's for Rachael's operation. The surgeon has agreed to do the surgery in our Veterinarian's hospital, which will considerably reduce the cost of this major reconstruction surgery. The surgeon has tentatively scheduled the week of July 31st for Rachael's surgery. Because the surgeon is giving Westie Rescue of CA such a consideration for his services, we must be flexible and sensitive to his personal practice surgery schedule and his availability. So we will wait.

The estimated cost, precluding any complications, will be $1,500 - $1,800. We have already spent about $450, in x-rays, daily pain medication, spay, shots, microchip, wormed, etc. All her foster in-home volunteer care, medicated baths every other day, grooming, housetraining, crate training, and daily efforts to instill basic house manners and general dog ownership training is being donated by our knowledgeable volunteer network. The estimated surgery cost does not cover the necessary rehabilitation, which could run upwards of another $500 - $750 depending. Rehab will begin at approximately 2-3 weeks post-surgery, once the stitches and hard cast come off. There will be a medical evaluation and update status, plus x-ray done at that point in the recovery process. A new game plan will be formulated based upon Rachael's personal recovery to date.

Regular and appropriate exercise will be the key to success and the fact that Rachael, as young as she is, must be kept calm and under control during this very important mending process. The recommendation of 'hydro therapy' for this type of injury and/or surgery is now a common practice. Our foster care giver 's area does have a specialty Veterinarian facility, which offers this type of 'hydro-pool' therapy with several certified animal therapists. We are told the therapists will work with the dog to regain strength, appropriate use of hip, leg, total muscle and tendon group control, their support system and movement of same. The problem, if we may be so candid, is naturally finding an appropriate adoptive home, perhaps elsewhere in the state, that is willing to complete this phase of her rehabilitation. The commitment to keep Rachael, and naturally deal with her necessary (but unknown at this point) months of rehab is a major consideration of Rachael's placement in an adoptive home. We were informed by our medical evaluation staff, with proper and detailed instructions via a Veterinarian and therapist, an adoptive home could complete 'hydro-pool' rehab, provided of course they have such a facility within their community or if they have a home with an appropriate pool and/or Jacuzzi. This necessary dedication must be present in an adoptive home. This is a major decision for Westie Rescue, because we do not want to face yet another possible surgery due to improper rehab or our selection of an inappropriate adoption home. Naturally, If we do not find such a home, we will endeavor to give her this care via our volunteer network. Most probably Westie Rescue's Director will accomplish the rehabilitation consisting of daily exercise, weekly Veterinarian evaluation and looking onward to her appropriate placement.

Rachael is a very active little Westie. She never walks, she races and almost flies off the ground to everywhere she goes. She is so happy, just one big wiggle. She wants so badly to race around with the other fostered dogs within her caregivers home. She is crated or under close supervision there now. She currently should not jump, climb steps or run for any length of area in excess. If she stresses the hip area, due to over activity, she noticeably can not place her body weight on her right hind foot. At that point, she has a tendency to just tap the ground rather than place weight onto the leg when she steps/walks. She was in such bad condition, both physically and mentally that this pre-surgery time is also beneficial to her overall healing process. She is responding to the loving and nurturing foster home where we have placed her. She once again is starting to trust human companionship and contact, plus is accepting of kind words. She just now gives her foster Dad kisses when he takes her from the crate for her individual one-on-one walks.

We appreciate your interest in our rescue program. Also, we sincerely appreciate and applaud any and all donations. "Paws up" to all of you who are enriched by any 'four paws' in your lives, hearts and homes. They thank you, our rescues thank you and WE AT WESTIE RESCUE OF CA certainly thank you too!

As more information and photos become available we will update her story.

Please do not email requesting information.

Please click on the 'Adopting a Westie' link for adoption information and forms.

We do not ship our dogs, but do adopt to out-of-state to approved homes. Thank you for considering a rescued Westie for your home and hearts.

IF YOU CAN'T ADOPT CONSIDER A DONATION, PLEASE