My What Big Teeth You Have...
The running of the hounds continued under what I prefer to call controlled chaos. While I noticed the exercise was reducing the quivering energy levels of Austin and Daisy, they still seemed to have an unhappy edge to them. They weren't biting or anything like that, it just seemed like it was "that time of the month" for them always. Knowing that the health of the hounds also needed a professional opinion, I had booked an appointment for them with our Vet. The day arrived and off we went with Daisy consuming some non-edible product in the backseat of the truck and Austin having another anxiety attack.
There I am sitting in the office intently looking at my Vet and wondering why he feels the need to speak so slowly and ennunciate his words carefully. He keeps telling me that at 9 years of age the dogs are entering their second most expensive phase (if I understood his first careful explanation apparently puppyhood with vaccinations, spaying etc is the first most expensive). I keep nodding. I get this. Then it hits me that my Vet thinks I might be a little slow in the head. After all, who would select a pair of 9 year old beagles off Kijiji when I could have had a newly minted model. Doesn't seem like a smart move. So I begin to tell him more about Austin and Daisy and their first experiences in life...and then he gets it. He wants to know how the kids get along with them. My youngest tells him that she has noticed that Daisy's favourite author is Robert Munsch when she reads Daisy her bedtime story. My other daughter informs the vet that she is concerned about a small bump she found during the daily massage therapy routine she has put together to reduce Austin's anxiety. The Vet looks at me. I look back at him as though this is all quite normal. He asks if we have any concerns and we all emphatically state 'their BREATH!'
We had noticed this from the beginning - their absolutely awful, horrific breath. We would perform the most incredible contortions to ensure we were not downwind of that pair. And if, heaven forbid, you caught a blast, the gag reflex was immediate. The hounds would not let me look in their mouth and I was also sure there was not enough anti-bacterial product in my house to deal with my clean up afterwards. I left that fine task to the Vet. It was horrible what he found. I had never seen green teeth before. He managed to get a piece of plaque off the back tooth. It was so thick, I thought it was the actual tooth. An appointment was booked. These guys needed immediate remedial dental care!
After their surgery, the vet office staff heartily concurred they had never seen such rotted teeth. The Vet managed to save some teeth but many had to go. They were just too far along. He assured me that dogs can gum up their hard food just fine and Austin and Daisy were better off without those teeth. I was barely listening as I marvelled over their lovely minty fresh breath.
It took a couple of days for the dust to settle and Austin and Daisy to figure out how to manage their new eating skills. It was about a week after they got home, I noticed the edge was gone. There was a happiness there that had been missing before. I contemplated the prospect of having green rotted teeth in my mouth, incredibly bad breath and constant pain from the infection that was apparently raging in their mouths. It gave me a whole new appreciation for Austin and Daisy. I am 100% sure I would have taken a chunk out of someone if those had been my circumstances -time of the month or not!
There I am sitting in the office intently looking at my Vet and wondering why he feels the need to speak so slowly and ennunciate his words carefully. He keeps telling me that at 9 years of age the dogs are entering their second most expensive phase (if I understood his first careful explanation apparently puppyhood with vaccinations, spaying etc is the first most expensive). I keep nodding. I get this. Then it hits me that my Vet thinks I might be a little slow in the head. After all, who would select a pair of 9 year old beagles off Kijiji when I could have had a newly minted model. Doesn't seem like a smart move. So I begin to tell him more about Austin and Daisy and their first experiences in life...and then he gets it. He wants to know how the kids get along with them. My youngest tells him that she has noticed that Daisy's favourite author is Robert Munsch when she reads Daisy her bedtime story. My other daughter informs the vet that she is concerned about a small bump she found during the daily massage therapy routine she has put together to reduce Austin's anxiety. The Vet looks at me. I look back at him as though this is all quite normal. He asks if we have any concerns and we all emphatically state 'their BREATH!'
We had noticed this from the beginning - their absolutely awful, horrific breath. We would perform the most incredible contortions to ensure we were not downwind of that pair. And if, heaven forbid, you caught a blast, the gag reflex was immediate. The hounds would not let me look in their mouth and I was also sure there was not enough anti-bacterial product in my house to deal with my clean up afterwards. I left that fine task to the Vet. It was horrible what he found. I had never seen green teeth before. He managed to get a piece of plaque off the back tooth. It was so thick, I thought it was the actual tooth. An appointment was booked. These guys needed immediate remedial dental care!
After their surgery, the vet office staff heartily concurred they had never seen such rotted teeth. The Vet managed to save some teeth but many had to go. They were just too far along. He assured me that dogs can gum up their hard food just fine and Austin and Daisy were better off without those teeth. I was barely listening as I marvelled over their lovely minty fresh breath.
It took a couple of days for the dust to settle and Austin and Daisy to figure out how to manage their new eating skills. It was about a week after they got home, I noticed the edge was gone. There was a happiness there that had been missing before. I contemplated the prospect of having green rotted teeth in my mouth, incredibly bad breath and constant pain from the infection that was apparently raging in their mouths. It gave me a whole new appreciation for Austin and Daisy. I am 100% sure I would have taken a chunk out of someone if those had been my circumstances -time of the month or not!
As I read this, my cat ate 3/4 of an elastic and started playing pinball with an errant cherry tomato. Animals are wonderful. Hurray for Daisy and Austin and you for rescuing them!
ReplyDeleteI am worried about the flight path of that 3/4's of an elastic. Remember when Gord ate the brightly coloured yarn and it waved like a flag out his "you know what". I am hoping your cat digests a little better than Gord!
ReplyDelete