We have a 4 year old Westie named Angus who for the last 3 years had been dealing with progressively worse skin allergies. At the end of every summer (it seemed to start earlier every year), his paws would become completly bald with gray "elephant" skin and usually a fungal infection from excessive licking. He also had frequent bouts of vomiting up bile.
At our wits end last fall, we had him on steroids for a much longer period than previously, and he had such an awful reaction (he became so anxious that he chewed through two doggy gates in one two-hour period), we stopped them and vowed never to put him on steroids again!
After such an extended period of illness and then post-steroid recovery, our little dog was so lethargic and worn-out!
In January of this year, I committed myself to helping Angus get healthy, read a lot of holistic dog care books, and started him on a real-food diet with some supplements. He improved slowly, his coat started to grow back and he regained some of his former energy and personality, but he still seemed a little bedraggled, and was still vomiting bile pretty regularly.
In April, I finally found your website with the official Westie diet, shouted "Eureka", and immediately ordered all of the supplements. Since then, he looks TERRIFIC! His coat is amazing, he has a sparkle in his eye again, and he has regained his former energy, and is just a much happier and healthier dog. He still vomits every once in a while, but we've noticed it's because he hasn't eaten (usually on evenings when we've fed him and then gone out...he really prefers to eat when we're around), and it's much less than before. We're heading into allergy season again, and I'm feeling optimistic that his immune system is healthy enough to handle it. I'm hoping also to find a new and possibly holistic animal vet who can support our approach.
10 July 2005 - Virginia, USA
Webmaster comments
Hi Kristen;
Glad to hear the paw-sitive results for your little one.
We will suggest something else which should get rid of the AM or PM 'bile' throwing up. Here is what you can give if you only feed once a day.....
1 - Pet-Tab Vitamin 1 - Nutro Tarter Control Biscuit 3 - Milk Bone, Five Flavor Small Biscuits ....then for older 5+ yrs give 1/2 Tablet Glucosamine HCI 500mg and Chondroitin Sulfate 400mg NOTE: I usually put in a small piece of Foster Farms, precooked, turkey meatball. I form the meatball around the 1/2 tablet in the meatball, and give a piece of the turkey meatball first and then the 'special' meatball piece.....gulp....all gone! Give the other 1/2 tablet, in a meatball piece on top of their bowl of Westie Diet.
The above will line the stomach with food for the bile to digest. Might also try feeding their Westie Diet a little later at night or give a couple of Milk Bones at bedtime. This will keep something in their stomach for the bile to breakdown.
Let us know how these suggestions work for you and Angus. Love hearing from all Westie owners....that is what this organization is about....just helping Westies and their owners.
Susan
Sarah
i am looking for a westie to adopt, i was looking for preforably a female puppie so that it would see me as its mum, she would be in a great home, full of love.
27 June 2005 - United Kingdom
Webmaster comments
We see you are located in the UK....huh...we don't ship our little ones sorry. Contact the local Westie Club in England, contact can be obtained via Crufts Dog Show site. Happy puppy hunting!
Ben Johns
Your site is great! I've bookmarked it
22 June 2005 - USA
Webmaster comments
Thanks for the nice comment!
Regina Trahan
We have a 3 year old westie named Simon that we love to death. How can we find out about Westie Events in out area?
18 June 2005 - San Diego CA
Webmaster comments
Go onto our website homepage, we post up coming events and information there. Currently we have the Wags for Wishes event registration. Sign up your little Simon...he'd have fun!
Ginger Baker-Boy Cardas
My cousin, Margaret, has a big heart and plenty of room for one of these little darlings. I just need her to visit your site and she will be hooked.
15 June 2005 - Livermore, CA
Webmaster comments
Yep..Ginger....now you got it! Thanks for the referral.
Roseanne Jones
Hi! We have a wonderful Westie, Tobey. He is 12 years old and we suddenly have been having some health problems with him. He has lost much of his usual energy and suddenly slowed down. He will no longer jump up on his window stool to look outside, and is like velcroed to us, like he is scared. He pants at night, and sometimes just jumps up as if he has been bitten on his bottom. I have taken him to the vet several times for testing, and we have not been able to determine what has caused the strange change in his personality. At first, they thought he had cushings disease, but with multiple testing, that shows negative. He also does not have diabeties or fleas. Any suggestions? I have been thinking of trying to find a different vet who might have some other thoughts.
23 May 2005 - Bellevue, WA
Webmaster comments
Hello Roseanne;
Yes by all means, have your Vet refer you to a specalist. It is anyones guess as to what is causing this odd behavior. It sounds as though it would be best to obtain a second opinion....and very soon.
Vicky Skiff
I am very interested in the Westie Diet. Our almost 2 yr old male Westie, Zak, is having extreme difficulty with itching. We tried antihistimines with not much luck. A few months ago our vet recommended Atopica. I think it is a good product but we had an adverse reaction that everyone should know about. The Atopica worked after about the 5th week. No itching, a little tummy upset but if we gave an hour before feeding that went away. If dosed before bed he threw up in the night. About two months of use, Zak developed an area on his foot pad that was tender. Our vet scraped it and diagnosed yeast infection. We were given Ketaconozole pills. Within four days, the funny spot spread to all paws, he had a grayish growth on his nose and sores around his mouth. His pads on all feet were swollen and painful. The vet diagnosed him incorrectly with a genetic disease (Ichthyosis) and advised that we consider euthansia. We cried just looking at him. I looked online and found a correlation showing that Ketaconozole, in conjunction with Atopica, could increase the level of Cyclosporin in the blood and cause this type of growth. We took this info to our vet who apologized profusely and immediately took him off the Ketaconozole. However, the reason I am letting you know about this is because Zak developed the skin growths BEFORE the Ketaconozole. It just accelerated the problem. Off BOTH drugs for a while and tried to manage with frequent soaks in shampoo-Malaseb-to control the yeast, and antihistamines. Didn't work. We now have him back on Atopica - as a trial with dosage of one pill every two days AND daily doses of antihistamine. He is a "little" better but not good enough. No "growths" yet but he is just miserable. We are REALLY hoping the diet will work. I would love to hear from anyone that has had Atopica problems. Thanks!!
16 May 2005 - Washington State
Webmaster comments
Hi Vicky;
Thank you for sharing your information. We will contact our Vet and have her contact the manufactures of Atopica to see if any other dogs have experienced this condition.
It is always good to share information like this.....we all learn!
Let us hear from you how your little one, Zak, is doing. We care deeply about our breed.
Sending hugs and licks your way. Susan
Jeri Langlois
Just wanted to let you know what worked for my westie diet wise - we found that she does not tolerate lamb in any way. She does not tolerate rawhide, or pigs ears or hooves, either. Her preference is a mix of Pedigree small crunchy bites, and meat, poultry, a little rice or potatoes and some vegetables (no onions or asparagus, blech!) usually a bit of "whatever we are having." She does fine with a little pasta, or cheese, also. Her coat filled in and her chronic diarrhea and even bouts of intestinal bleeding subsided overnight. We are careful of what vitamins we give her, as some are undigestable, and she doesn't like the taste. She does best with just the good foods. Doesn't like anything reheated, or mushy except will occasionally eat a Pedigree Little Champions foil pack meal with her kibble, or a package of Cesar soft foods. She loves Iams puppy biscuits, in fact they are the only dog biscuit we've found that is safe enough for her stomach. We try to keep it to 3 or 4 small biscuits a day, to keep her calorie intake stable. She also loves and does well with small nutrident bones, greenies, and peanut butter or chicken flavor buda (cornstarch) bones. Hope this helps some of you out there. The lamb and rice just doesn't work for all dogs. It's not the rice that's the problem, it's the lamb! She has been stable on this diet for 5 years now. She has no itching problems, and never has fleas!
11 May 2005 - La Quinta, CA
Webmaster comments
Dear LUCKY Langlois Westie;
Boy, do you have a good thing going with your 'Wesie Staff'! You certainly have not made it easy for your Mom and Dad to prepare food for you. But, since your Mom sounds like a really patient and nice person, guess you have decided special combination food preparation is ok. Well count your blessings, little one!
P.S. Mom glad all your experimenting and food combinations are working for your particular Westie. In our humble opinion, the combination of listed ingredients are NOT a suggested appropriate dietary plan. But, hey if it is working for your particular Westie and she is having good results...yahoo...and double that!
Bette
I have a Westie that is three years old named "Pepper". He is a very active dog and loves kids and his family. He never wants to be alone and demands to have attention all times of the day. I have enjoyed having "Pepper" like you would never believe.
He's quite intertaining!
9 May 2005 - Southern California
Webmaster comments
Hi Bette and Mr. Pepper;
Isn't it wonderful being Westie staff? You list So. CA hope you and Pepper can participate in our Wags For Wishes event up coming July 9-10 in Del Mar, CA. Sign up has been extended, check out the form on our website. Hope to see you and the 'Pepper' there....great fun!
Nathaniel West
Just writing to share that our Wesite, Maddie, has started blogging in her spare time when she is home alone for a couple hours in the afternoons. Her blog may be found here: http://msmaddiedog.blogspot.com/ She will continue to add to it when she isn't busy chasing squirrels or defending the house from strangers.
26 April 2005 - Los Angeles
Webmaster comments
Hi Nathaniel and Maddie;
Well an internet 'star' among us!!! Hope your little 'star' is available for our upcoming professional photo shoot in Costa Mesa, May 14 & 15...see our website for information.
