emergency trip to vet for Slade

[Cheryl]

Will not be online a few days as after working until 3am for my second job, I woke up, fed and watered the geese who are setting on a clutch of eggs and then fed raw muskox meal to the dogs and Slade somehow dislocated his lower jaw or cracked it, but the local vet here says Slade must go to another town for xrays and treatment if needed. He close his bite down all the way as his lower jaw is "toward the left" (the dog's left) now, and when trying to close his bite, it grinds and takes a few tries and choking a bit... My daughter will care for the other dogs while we're gone and the neighbor will care for the hens, I'm waiting on a friend to see if she can come and let the dogs outside to do their business once a day while my daughter is at work. Poor 80# Slade, he's hypothyroid, seasonal allergies, and we've got him as healthy and happy as possible, the most normal he's ever been, and now this...

We take a small plane tomorrow at noon and I'm wanting to be back next day, hoping I don't have to leave him there for awhile as this entire thing is very expensive but cannot be helped!

How he managed this I do not know...only his bite is incorrect to begin with, lower jaw too far toward his neck normally and now his teeth align top to bottom so his bottom jaw has moved forward and cannot close entirely now...we desperately need up to date veterinary facility and physician with proper equipment here! And I thought my next trip would be a happy experience with Boris and Bully to train for Navhda/hunting

[marjolein]

Healing thoughts on the way!

[greyghost]

Oh Cheryl what a bummer. Hope all goes well at the vets, some treck that is and a real worry leaving the others at home. Take care.....

[Cheryl]

Its midnight now, just woke up- was exhausted and Slade is sleeping a lot, thankfully. We are weather bound at home. White out conditions where you can't tell the ground from the sky, snow and blowing snow so all planes not arriving nor leaving. Now, its raining! We are scheduled to try again tomorrow but after all the frustration of trying to get an appointment anywhere and only finding one clinic miles from the airport and then having to cancel...

my instructor called and said to try her friend's clinic as she's a specialist in teeth/jaw so I called and they were so excited to hear me mention Dr. Love's name they said come right over whenever we get there, no appointment needed:) (really, its her name and it fits her, all my animals loved her when she stayed for Iditarod, like she'd lived w/us all her life) She'll be expecting to meet her bf who is also here weather bound so we'll all be a big happy family reunion again and Slade will have the help he needs:) (And all that crying and worry this morning!) Your well wishes are working!!!

[greyflyte]

More well wishes for Boris from me Cheryl. I will be waiting to hear how it all goes.
Cyd

[tasha]

hope it all goes ok will cross fingers that the weather clears for you.

I'd love a doctor called Dr love my dentist is called 'fang' honest i kid you not its her first name she's chinese fabulous dentist.

[Cheryl]

We're home and thank you for your well wishes:) Boris only gave my daughter trouble yesterday, he made his comment loud and clear that he was tired of his mommy missing by walking into the kitchen where Dane was and peeing on -not only the floor but stopping midstream and urinating on our old rescue who is a 14 year old golden! He was crated for his "comment."

Slade & I left Tuesday morning, we just got back this morning (Friday). It seems with the adrenalin and emotions our eyes were not connected to our brains, the local vet and I.

A very narrow and short bone like a needle pierced Slade's (I call him Bub, too) roof of his mouth and was burrowed nearby the root of a molar. When we landed and arrived at the vet's she saw the bone immediately and took it out so easily but it seems we may not have ended the problem so easily if we had stayed home and done that.

The bone severed the roof of the mouth artery but while the bone was impacted, it sealed the ends so he didn't bleed out! We went Wednesday morning for surgery to discover if there was bone loss from the foreign object becoming inflamed or infected, if so, she'd have to extract the tooth and clean out the area but again, we lucked out! Only had to (and this was not really "only" as its very painful for humans) separate the roof of the palate from the connected tissue beneath, slit the middle of the palate so the "skin" of the roof of his mouth could be pulled over toward the tooth and sewn with less chance of tearing apart while healing and now to keep clean and allow all to heal, with pics sent by email to the vet as it progresses, first pics to be sent 2 weeks from now and again 2 months from now unless there is a problem. Poor Slade! I got the meat/fat scraps from another hunter but it is my fault for not checking everything carefully before giving to the dogs, especially since I was not the one handling the meat/fat scraps from the beginning. A costly mistake and so far we've been so lucky and have a long way for recovery.

Slade is in very good spirits, impressing everyone with his manners and willingness to sit/stay and hold his mouth open when we need, has appearances of "being normal" like it never happened but tires and sleeps- I couldn't do what he's doing if we traded places!

(I have two pics of immediately after surgery if its not too graphic to post.)

[greyflyte]

Glad you are both back home sfaely, what an ordeal. Thats the kind of thing you just dont expect isnt it.
Cyd

[greyghost]

Wow what a rotten experience. Healing vibes for Slade - and Boris, stop attention seeking, mummy is home now

[marjolein]

Blimey.... Glad you're back home safe and sound. Healing thoughts on the way!!!

[wimmyweimaraner]

That's a lot of unfortunate diseases. Anyways, I think those are all challenges that will make all of you stronger.