Q: Our 13-year-old dog, Wilson, has had a swollen cheek for
about a week now. He seems fine otherwise, though he isn’t eating
very well. Today, his eyes are real red and sore.
Q: Our 13-year-old dog, Wilson, has had a swollen cheek for about a week now. He seems fine otherwise, though he isn’t eating very well. Today, his eyes are real red and sore. He’s old, so I’m afraid he has cancer. But my friend says his dog had a bad tooth and looked the same. Do you think Wilson has cancer? What should I do?
A: It’s possible that Wilson has something as serious as cancer, but my bet is that his problem is more simple and treatable. And just like your friend’s dog, all of Wilson’s symptoms could be related to a bad tooth.
Schedule a visit to his vet. I think that appointment will give you a lot of peace of mind.
Several teeth in the upper jaw are located right below the eye. Their roots extend up to the space around the eye, and if one of those tooth roots becomes infected or abscessed, the eye will become red and inflamed.
Infections such as these are more common in older dogs and usually result from a crack or fissure in one of the teeth. Bacteria from the mouth can penetrate and make its way to the root through this opening.
Besides inflammation of the eye (called conjunctivitis), many patients also show discomfort while eating. Their tooth hurts whenever they chew food, so that even when they’re hungry, they eat a little more slowly.
Treatment for this condition is pretty straightforward. Usually, the affected tooth is extracted, but there’s also another alternative. A veterinary dental specialist can do a root canal, the same procedure used to treat people with similar problems. It’s more expensive, so you’ll want to talk to the vet about relative costs. But if Wilson has an abscessed tooth root, either of these treatments will make him comfortable and healthy all over again.
Q: I’m in the 7th grade and think I want to be a vet when I grow up. I know it takes a lot of college and lots of work. My parents say I need to get experience with animals other than our pets, and I want to work with animals. Are there jobs that would be good for me if I want experience handling lots of animals?
A: What a fantastic question! I think it’s great that you are considering this profession for your career.
I was 12 years old when I first met a veterinarian at a school career day event. From the moment I heard him talk about his work, I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian.
It is a lot of hard work, all right, and most veterinarians work many more than 40 hours per week.
But when you do something for which you carry a passion, the work is enjoyable and the time passes quickly.
I always recommend that young people think about some of the youth activities that are available in the local area. The 4-H club and the FFA (Future Farmers of America) are two fantastic organizations that allow young people to learn how to raise and care for animals.
Each of these organizations teaches proper husbandry and training for many different species, including house pets and farm animals.
Membership in one of these groups can help you in future years when you apply to college and veterinary school.
In addition, there are several local animal welfare organizations that encourage volunteers to help them.
All of these groups are very special because of the hard work they do for animals. Any of them would give you some very good experience learning more about animals.
The Friends of the San Martin Animal Shelter (FOSMAS) work at the county shelter with animals that are placed for adoption.
Because of your age, it’s possible that your mother or father might have to attend your work sessions with you for a while, but FOSMAS is a terrific group that provides a lot of crucial help for the animal shelter on Murphy Avenue in San Martin. They have a Web site, www.fosmas.org, that has lots of information on their activities.
Town Cats of Morgan Hill is another group that encourages volunteers to help them. They’re a nonprofit, no-kill feline adoption center that helps place orphaned cats in new homes. You can find out more about them on their Web page www.towncats.org.
And finally, we have to mention Furry Friends Pet Assisted Therapy Services. This group’s goal is “to enhance lives and reopen the closed emotional doors of people with special needs.”
This is one of my favorite groups because of the wonderful service they provide. Members take their pets to visit people in hospitals and nursing centers, sharing time with people who have no pets.
The smiles on the faces of these folks is very, very rewarding. Furry Friends is always looking for volunteers. More information about this wonderful group can be found on their Web site www.furryfriends.org.
When you are a little older, you might want to apply for a job at a veterinary hospital. And if your interest is in wildlife, you can contact the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center (WERC).
They require their volunteers to be at least 16 years of age. Good luck, and follow your dream. Veterinary medicine requires a lot of dedication and work, but it’s a very rewarding career.
National spay/neuter month
February is designated as national Spay /Neuter month. There are already so many homeless dogs and cats (which is why the shelter and adoption groups are so busy). So if your pet has not been “fixed,” please, take him or her in for this simple procedure this month. There are low-cost clinics being run by various organizations including the Humane Society. Really, there’s no reason not to have this done right away!
