A Veterinary Journal by Claire Poole
March
Chapter 3 - Page 8
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Tuesday 17th March
Tuesday 17th March
First patient this morning is a pheasant found lying at the side of the road. It is a male, a magnificent bird with vibrant red, blue and green highlights to his chestnut plumage. Although beautiful, pheasants have no road sense and seem to revel in playing ‘chicken’. The local highways are littered with pheasants who have woefully misjudged their last minute dash. Luckily, this one is only stunned and has been lucky enough to be rescued by a kindly lady who happens to keep chickens. He will be recuperating in a warm shed with plenty of grain.
Today we are putting on our dentist’s hat (or rather mask and gloves!) as we have two dogs and a cat in need of dental attention. Like human doctors, vets try to practise preventative medicine, and dentistry is an area where a little bit of effort from the owners at an early stage can prevent major problems later in life. We encourage our owners to start cleaning their pups’ and kittens’ teeth from the start so the animals accept regular brushing as part of life. Raw vegetables and tough pieces of meat also help to keep teeth clean. In addition, there is now a plethora of treats specially designed for this purpose. One biscuit is engineered so that the fibres lie in one direction and act as a squeegee on the teeth. These were first marketed with a demonstration kit consisting of a screwdriver, a bottle of Tippex ... and the biscuit. The screwdriver was coated in Tippex, allowed to dry then pushed into a normal biscuit - this biscuit would shatter almost immediately, leaving the Tippex layer intact. The test biscuit does not shatter until the screwdriver almost reaches the far side and lo, the Tippex is mostly removed. Veterinary staff and clients have had many a good laugh over this performance, but it does prove its point and in practice, the biscuits are a useful aid. Most dogs and cats over 3 years old have already started on the vicious cycle of tartar deposition, receding gums and bacterial invasion of the gap between tooth and gum, so home dental care really does make sense. It slows the progression of the cycle (known as periodontal disease), reduces bad breath and makes the pet feel better.
One patient today is an old spaniel who has obviously never been told to brush. Her foul breath pervades the entire surgery and very few of her teeth are saveable - her gums are oozing with pus and her teeth have been loosened to such an extent by periodontal disease that they are easy to remove. As we work in her mouth, the smell makes us feel sick, but at least the job is done quickly. Usually, dog and cat teeth are much more difficult to remove than human teeth. The roots need to be painstakingly separated from their socket using sharp tools known as elevators. Some teeth have 3 roots and is occasionally necessary to split the tooth in half to aid removal. In the past, this was done with a hacksaw, but nowadays most vets have dental drills for the purpose. If the teeth are coated with tartar but are otherwise healthy, only a thorough scale and polish is required. We use an ultrasonic scaler and polisher for this. Ultrasonic waves from the scaler tip dislodge tartar from the tooth surface. The device produces a mist of water droplets contaminated with bacteria - the reason why we wear masks and goggles when working.
Within an hour, our old dog is sitting up looking extremely bright. She has had painkillers and will be on soft foods for a day or so, but it is not unusual for such patients to polish off a dish of dry food within a day of surgery - obviously healthy gums are less tender than disgusting teeth. When many old animals slow up, their owners assume this is due to aging. After a thorough dental procedure, it is amazing how many have a new lease of life. It is not age but the effects of having a painful, infected mouth which slows them down. Our other canine dental patient today is Gill, a middle-aged standard poodle. Her owners, Mavis and Fred are frequent visitors to the surgery with their three ‘girls’ and we have become friends. The ‘girls’ are kept in immaculate order despite enjoying the usual doggy antics. As usual, Gill required only a quick scale and polish, and was collected shortly after lunch. During evening surgery, the following epistle appears on the reception desk –
Dear Auntie Kate,
I am writing this letter, or sorry, my Dad is typing it for me as my paws are too big for the keyboard. I wish to thank you for cleaning my teeth as I have now got minty fresh breath and this improves my chances of getting a boyfriend (some chance my Dad says).
HOWEVER, my Dad is not happy because you have made a hole in my trousers. I have told him not to bother about it, but he keeps going on about the price of Wranglers, and having said that, my knee is now poking out of the hole and is itchy. My Mum and Dad have put Vaseline on it, but I keep licking it off ...WILL THIS AFFECT MY TEETH?
I dont want to end up with ANOTHER hole in my breeks.
Anyway, the purpose of this letter is to tell you that my Dad is not happy about the hole in my breeks. He is going on about court cases, damages, compensation etc ... whatever that means.
MAYBE could I suggest that I would settle for a couple of TITBITS. This would also help from licking the Vaseline as they taste better. Dont worry about what my Dad says, I can take care of him. Have an excellent holiday, take care and let me know about your travels when you return.
Your ever loving patient, and puppy,
Gill.
P.S. Could you make sure Mum and Dad have enough dog food for us before you go.
P.P.S. If you see any really unusual doggy treats on your travels, please feel free to bring samples home.
This makes an amusing end to the day and my few days holiday is feeling pleasantly close. I will do my best to find a suitable gastronomic gift for Gill et al.
Copyright Claire Poole 2005
