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<DIV>Last weekend Dr. Marta Norbrega and Sandy Gaston helped out Droopy an
older rescue Basset Hound in Basset Rescue of Puget Sound with 11
extractions.His teeth were so bad. He had bone loss. He stank and he was
miserable.His teeth were better than when he came into us in the Summertime but
the mouth was in bad shape.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>One of the big 3 root molars came out WHOLE!!! Two of the roots were
completely black... there was PUS...it smelled baD.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When Joni Thomas and I picked Droopy up last summer Droopy was BARKING.
standing on a solid 8 inches of poop in his pen. He barked the whole time
outside but in the car h curled up and went to sleep on the two or three hour
ride home. He has barked most all the time his entire life I
suppose...Nowadays he barks when he is not WITH someone.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I've had to muzzle him (catch him first too) ..to clean his ears. His ears
are a terrible mess too. I suppose that he ran from me at ear cleaning times
because his muzzle would maybe get touched. He ducked and snapped if someone
reached for his collar. That behavior stopped (luckily for us) as he
learned to trust us and we got lucky with his behavior for some dogs that is a
"TRIGGER" for the remainder fo their lives....it was a rough first few months.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Recently here on the DD there has been some discussion about teeth
cleaning and older dogs weighing the pros and cons. There is a balance that we
all walk with care of the dogs in our care and I know DD'ers are a good group
and the talk was caring and well thought out. I thought that I would share this
about Droopy and the 11 teeth Dr. Marta Norbrega and Sandy Gaston helped
extract on this one particular rescue boy. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Even though his mouth is now swollen and when I put his muzzle on so that
he will stand it for the ear drops and the hugest cage type of muzzle now barely
fits over his swollen face. He is on drugs. He has to endure the pain.Is
it worth it to us? IT WILL BE WORTH IT TO US because in his case there is
no way anyone would consider him and in his case his life must have been so
painfull. He will now maybe not hurt when he bites down on food. Now he has a
glimmer of a chance of adoption at his older age with his behavior
stuff... his love of barking and chaseing cats and chickens. </DIV>
<DIV>We happen to be blessed with the great good help of Marta and Sandy and
Jackie the owner of the clinic who let us come in and use of her clinic for the
day. THe operation started at 9 and we left last Saturdy at 1:30 in the
afternoon on a beautiful sunny day. Droopy had to wait his turn to get his
teeth cleaned and the bad ones taken out. I know the COST of this work on a
patient would be astronomical and we are so blessed to have these Bassets have
such wonderful supporters and friends to them of giving up a weekend day of
their lives to help the animals because they need it..they need the help. I know
this is a rare thing of people who help and give so much of themselves. I know
too about the dilemma of not having the MONEY to pay for what needs to be
done ideally. In past times I have chipped off tartar myself...but that is
stressful too for the dogs and I don't know how much good that really
does either as the teeth were not polished after the chipping off of
tartar. They don't LIKE it and so jerk and sometimes get poked with the
tools..so I quit doing that. Here is what I wanted to ell you about. Sorry to be
so long winded.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Reading what you have been writing about dental care has been enlightening.
I want to tell you about a product you can get from your Vet that comes in a
spray or a pink gel that you put on the dogs teeth. It does work to keep the
teeth plaque free. Really it does. We can not afford to clean every dogs teeth
and so use this product...it DID HELP with Droopy...though he needed REAL dental
work done. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If anybody wants the name please e mail me and I will tell you. It would
sound too much like an AD to write it here. I can not afford to clean my
Hudson's teeth twice a year like he NEEDS...and so I have been using this
product and it is WORKING!!! I only clean his teeth twice a week actually and it
could be done daily and he would be in even better shape....but it is a hard
thing to do to fit in all the needs of all the Bassets. It does not taste bad
(I've used it on myself just to see...just as I taste most all the foods that go
into my dogs mouths) (ugh right?) Well anyway this stuff WORKS and might
be an alternative plan when you've got a Senior Senior Basset or one that can
not go under.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Love and Woofs, Lexa Owned and Loved by Hudson a Henry</DIV>
<DIV>Basset Rescue of Puget Sound Coordinator</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>