Canine Dentistry (Read at own Risk)

You may think I am referring to the pointy teeth we all have, three teeth over from the middle, but I'm not. My tech, that's Air Force for assistant, comes up to me this afternoon and asks, "Do you want to do a Dog Root Canal." Puzzled, I looked at him funny and repeated "Dog Root Canal?" It turns out a couple of the dentist were going up to the base vet to help her give a dog a root canal. So how could I pass up such an opportunity to widden my dental horizon and put my expensive camera to good use!

I called Em and told her and she replied rather mater-of-factly, and I quote, "Don't even bother coming home." I guess I found something that overcomes her love for me. Hmmmm, kinda shallow.

So at the end of work I headed up there and we walked into a surgery room with large black dog laying on a surgery table already breathing on a respirator and under general anesthesia. I even was able to witness the surgery tech put in the rectal thermometer probe. A site that may never leave me. The vet, to pass time while we set up cleaned the ears out with some Q-tips and got the nastiest gunk out. It ended up being a vastly interesting event. The anatomy of the "canine" tooth was fascinating my buddy was able to treat it with a beautiful root canal. Unfortuanly, my camera battery died so the final photos are on my supervisor's camera. But do enjoy the few photos that follow!

I'm just glad I wasn't there when the dog woke up completely, because if they are anything like the kids I treat coming out of general anesthesia, it cannot be pretty or safe.

*Yes Dad, we even put a rubber dam on!