Edinburgh woman faced with vet bills of nearly £4,000 after being told dream Westie pup only has month to live without treatment

An Edinburgh woman faced with vet bills of nearly £4,000 after her new Westie pup turned out to be riddled with illness has warned against dodgy breeders, amid fears the pooch will need to be put down.
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Aiste Klisyte 34, paid £2,500 to buy her dream West Highland Terrier puppy, Tara, from a seller just outside Glasgow who insisted that the dog was healthy and had been vet checked.

When she took the two-month-old pup home on April 14 the pooch quickly became unwell with bloody diarrhoea.

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After a check-up at the vets, Tara has since been diagnosed with multiple health issues, including several gut infections and a painful dental condition called Lingually Displaced Mandibular Canines.

The now three-month-old puppy also has a life-limiting heart malformation called Patent Ductus Arteriosus, which without surgery could kill her in a month.

The frustrated owner has been told by vets these health problems should have been picked up by the seller, but Aiste claims the woman ignored calls and texts.

Aiste then tried to show up where they had bought the dog, but the seller allegedly sped off in her car – and agreed to a refund if Tara was handed back.

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Pastry chef Aiste said: “I found an ad for Tara on a website called pets for homes, and the seller wasn't too far away from where I was in Edinburgh. So I went up to visit her, and then the next day I purchased her.

Aiste Klisyte paid £2,500 to buy her dream West Highland Terrier puppy, Tara, who became unwell with bloody diarrhoea.Aiste Klisyte paid £2,500 to buy her dream West Highland Terrier puppy, Tara, who became unwell with bloody diarrhoea.
Aiste Klisyte paid £2,500 to buy her dream West Highland Terrier puppy, Tara, who became unwell with bloody diarrhoea.

“I was concerned about health issues as I viewed other dogs before Tara, and many had medical issues.

“I asked the seller several times 'are the dogs you're selling healthy with no health concerns?', and she assured me they were fine and had full check-ups at the vets, and had vaccination cards.

“The day after I got Tara, I noticed she had diarrhoea with blood in it. I tried to contact the seller but she just ignored me. The vet just told me to put her on a bland diet.

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“The next week Tara had a full vet check, and that's when the problems started.

“They said her lower canines were hitting her palette. She needed them taken out because she has a condition called Lingually Displaced Mandibular Canines.

“Then we were told she has a level four heart murmur. They referred me to a cardiologist and I paid around £500 for that where they diagnosed the condition Patent Ductus Arteriosus.

“She needs an abnormal vessel in her heart closed. She only has around a month to live.”

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Initially the surgery was estimated to cost around £5,000 – but this has been reduced to £3,600.

Aiste said: “I tried to contact the seller, but the seller wasn't interested.

“Me and my boyfriend turned up to see her and when she saw us coming into the driveway, she started to reverse her car out of the drive.

“She almost ran into us, before backing it onto the pavement and driving away. She then got in touch via text saying she would refund me fully – if I gave her Tara back.

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Aiste added: “I set up a fundraiser on Gofundme and people have been amazing. I've almost raised £2,000 and want to thank everyone as it's saving Tara's life.”

To donate, visit the GoFundMe page.

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