Dear RDH:
Thank you for the wonderfully uplifting article and pictures in this month`s RDH (February 2000) that featured pets. What a change of heart, and a pleasant one at that!
It`s such a shame that more pet owners aren`t schooled on dental care of their pets. A few years ago I worked through barter with my Rottweiler`s vet, cleaning teeth on dogs (cats were really difficult, and I chose to work only on dogs). I didn`t hesitate once to inform the owners about how regular brushing of their dogs` teeth and dental care for their dogs was just as important as bringing them in for their shots. I was really surprised at how many people didn`t know that they had to brush their dogs` teeth! At the same time, I would throw in a plug for the dental floss industry, telling them that they needed to floss their own teeth as well as brush them.
When Xica died in 1994, I stopped working for the vet since I hadn`t bothered to get another dog. I was so devastated by her death, and the vet has since retired. I would hope that the American Veterinary Association is really pushing dental health for pets as much as they are pushing immunizations and regular checkups.
Perhaps one day before I retire I will get the opportunity to root plane a rhino! I`ve always enjoyed hearing about a local dentist that does work on the Philadelphia Zoo animals in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School.
As far as rats go, I`m with you - they`re not as cute as mice but both sure scare the bejeebes out of me. And where I was born and raised in Philadelphia, there were enough sewer rats around to control the entire stray cat population, sadly enough. Please publish more pet pictures in future issues.
Yvonne Taylor, RDH
Warwick, Pennsylvania
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