In the meantime, little Miss Bicalina had a run-in with the tooth fairy and that made me decide, that it's high time to have some work done on her teeth. Foul breath aside, it must have hurt:
Here's another sad testimony what bad upbringing and neglect can do to a dog. At some point she must have suffered a broken jaw, because when she first came to live with us we noticed, that she was barely able to bite down on a milk bone and gnawing on a bone was next to impossible. Her jaws strengthened over time and she got quite good at eating bones, but never like her two pack mates.
As I said: She managed.Back to the tooth story: Bica was due for a check up anyways and the vet agreed with me upon seeing that "quarry" which Bica was harboring in her mouth that something needed to be done about it. We also got an estimate for those restoration services, which was somewhere between $ 540 and $800some dollars. *urghs*
Since Madame is not too fond of strangers and even less fond of vet hospitals, I gave her a "I-don't-care-pill" before delivery to the vet and it did just that: She did not care ! It's great stuff and makes me remember the favorite part of the deal when I had to go in for surgery. You really don't care ! It's a wonder drug. *lol*
Bica's teeth were worse than anticipated and this is what it looked like during surgery:
At the end she left with yet another 7 teeth lost. That's the end of her bone gnawing days, because she misses most molars on the top right and bottom left. The cost of this action: $ 998 !
The result: A happy and pain free little Miss Pickle Budelheimer. It's funny how she "probes" with her tongue all the holes that replaced the formerly rotten teeth. Now she's more or less used to it and it doesn't bother her that much anymore. I noticed how much happier she is, since all the pain is gone. Picture yourself with a bunch of rotten teeth in your mouth and swollen gums. I'd be miserable too. I just feel bad about not noticing sooner, but Bica is not always easy to handle and the moment you want to check on something, open her mouth, or touch her rear, she eliminates under herself in fear of getting beat. Makes me want to bang the heads of those people who did that to her into the wall every time it happens ! *grrrrrr*
One thing I didn't find too amusing either: Why is it, that American vet clinics won't let you be with your dog until she has fallen asleep ? I am the person she trusts and I am the one who can handle her without inflicting force. Instead, your dog gets subjected to this assembly line attitude, where you "drop her off in the morning and pick her up at night" policy. Don't vets know that dogs have emotions too ? People don't seem to give their dogs' emotions a second thought either or they simply don't care. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. As for me: I am glad I gave Bica her "I-don't-care-pill". Without it she probably would have been seriously traumatized again. My plea to all vets out there: If owners want to be with their pets during treatments and before and after surgery: LET THEM ! !Other than that: Heartfelt thanks to Bica's vet, Dr. Garrood for doing wonderful job in making my girl feel better !
Here's the little patient the day after surgery
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