Thelms

My westie with our new dog when when first got him a few months ago . http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/2303/lilyzac2.jpg Found this pic on my computer, forgot I had taken it...so cute :D

I am out often and in my time I've seen dozens of dogs that are obviously lost. Just wondering around, sometimes with a collar - sometimes without. But there has never been a single dog would let me get close to it. They're either running around like they know where they're going and just ignore me. Or they're going from house to house marking their territory without a care in the world OR they're just that scared and they whining and moving away any time I approach them, if i get to close they growl etc. I don't understand, I am not showing any excitement...fear...not nervous...anything...I am just acting casual as I am really good around dogs. Maybe I've just been unlucky I always come across lost dogs that really don't like strangers at all.There has even been times where, I'd be walking my own dogs - and a lost dog would appear out of nowhere - The lost dog would be sniffing/playing with my dogs - then I'd say "hello" or "come here mate" then the lost dog would growl at me to keep away. So the dog was obviously socialized with other dogs, but didn't want anything to do with me. How can I help them if they wont let me help to begin with.

Although this most likely doesn't have anything to do with your westie specifically. But I've been around westies all my life and from what other westie owners have said and what ive experienced, the majority of westies do not do well with young kids as they're easily annoyed, ie: they don't put up with crap from kids. Most westies I know don't do well with kids yelling/running/screaming around them. My family has been involved with westies for almost 30 years now. Westies love playing rough with dogs and HUMAN adults and teens...but when it comes to younger kids around 5-10 years old they're too rough and a 5-10 year old doesn't really know the limits there they can easily push a westie too far. Where as someone who is older and more experienced with dogs will know how far they can play rough with a westie.

I was feeding her soft food for awhile thinking it was best for her ( like raw sort of feeding). Turns out that was doing her teeth harm. We switched to using premium dry dog food now (mainly Artemis), and we give her raw bones often and I brush her teeth as well. Seems to have fixed the issue now. She still has soft left over food but not all the time like before. I am just mimicking what my parents did for our previous westies because they lived for 17 and 19 years.

First of all hello this is my first time here. Second - I've always owned pure bred west highland terriers. Ever since I was a young kid we had westies as my parents had a family friend who bred/showed westies for a hobby. My last 2 westies lived until they were 17 and 19 years old. Now that I've moved out, my girlfriend and I wanted to get a dog of our own. So we went to my family friend and told them we wanted one and about a year later one was available . That was back in 2009. Now I told my parents how much vet has cost so far my mum thinks it's expensive and that I should change vets because I am paying too much. But I am unsure I've never really been the one to deal. When we first got our westie de-sexed. I called around and the prices I was given was $150-170 for the spay (not-including any optional items) My vet gave me the option of a pre-anaesthetic blood screening, and to my surprise IV fluids and the RIMADYL injection/chews were also optional, even the Elizabethan collar was optional. So in the end it cost this much. My girlfriend was worried about sending our dog straight into an operation for the first time without ever having had a blood test, so we had one done. Date: September 2009 1. 6230A Pre-Anaesthetic Screen - $75.76 (OPTIONAL) 2. IV Fluids - Surgical - $57.00 (OPTIONAL) 3. Elizabethan Collar - $10.60 (OPTIONAL) 4. Rimadyl Injection 20ML - $22.34 (OPTIONAL) 5. Rimadyl Chews 25MG - $19.91 (OPTIONAL) 6. SPEY DOG < 15KG - $160.00 Total: $344.00 I was quoted $150-160 at other vets, but they said it was only for the spay and not for anything extra. So I just assumed my vet was okay priced. Now earlier this year - Our Westie got a grass-seed in her paw. We took her to the vet immediately. The vet tried to get it out but was unable. So they said they would have to open her up to get it as grass-seeds can cause a lot of trouble if left alone in the body. The vet ended up not being able to find the grass-seed and assumed she may have passed it. The vet said If he was unable to find it, he would do some dental work while our dog was under the anesthetic gas as she needed a cleaning. I am not 100% sure still if he charged at all for the grass-seed (because he didn't find it) or if everything charged here was just for the dental work and thats it. This is what that ended up costing us. Note that none of these were optional. Date: March 2011. 1. Hospitalisation level 1 ward care - $54.60 2. Anaesthetic GAS - For dogs - $168.50 3. Theatre fee - Dental - $22.00 4. Dental Materials - $18.00 5. Dental Treatment - Canine - Grade 1-2 - $108.00 6. IV fluids - Surgical - $74.00 7. Surgery fee - $82.00 8. Elizabethan collar 20CM - $12.76 9. Clavulox injection - $25.44 10. Clavulox tablets 250mg - $31.90 11. Rimadyl injection 20ml - $27.60 12. Rimadyl chews 25mg - $26.97 DISCOUNT - Preventative Dentistry Discount Canine - $67.50 Total : $584.25 Now here are some other costs the vaccinations C4 Vaccination - $59.09 (july 2009) C5 intranasal - $68.18 (jun 2009) C5A Vaccination - $99.50 (july 2010) Kennel Cough vacciantion - $60.50 (july 2011) I'd really like to know what you guys think? Is my vet over-priced? Am I paying too much? I am REALLY happy with my vet in terms of service/care and stuff, but I don't want to be taken for a ride.