Everywhere we went Sheigra drew people to her, because she was small for the breed and very cute. However, it was her happy, friendly disposition that made everyone love her.

We of course adored her. Sheigra was the sweetest little doggie, but the first problem with her genetics surfaced when she was 2 years old with her first Addison's crisis. Then came the IMHA and lastly diabetes.

This little girl was such a trouper! She had so many problems, but always her tail was wagging. She had so many visits to our local vet, to the Guelph Ontario Veterinary College, so many IVs, so many medications....yet she remained friendly and cheerful right to the end. The day before she died she although she couldn't stand, we are told that she still raised her head and wagged her tail when anyone came near her cage.

This photo was taken on Christmas Day 2010, just 2 weeks before she died. She was happy and playing until the final 2 days. Very suddenly she contracted a kidney infection, which spread to septicemia. She was on immunosuppressant for Addison's and IMHA, plus had diabetes from long term use of prednisone, so she couldn't fight it. The infection spread like wildfire causing multiple organ failure and it was all over.

Her life and death are a lesson to us all of the importance of maintaining good genetics in Westies. We loved her so, and tried hard to keep her going, but there was nothing we could do about her bad breeding.

Anne Wilson ( & Alan Heard)