Nellie's Story: From the Streets to a Warm Bed

Nellie had grown up on the streets of a rough neighborhood. She had lived the hard life of getting occasional scraps of food, digging in the garbage, and finding shelter in abandoned buildings. Because she was not given care, she was thin and malnourished. She became the neighborhood’s wandering dog, too scared to let strangers near her to help.

Eventually Nellie had a litter of puppies. These puppies did not survive the tough environment and were taken and killed by a cruel person. Even after losing her puppies, Nellie continued her life on the streets looking for handouts.

One day, a Good Samaritan, heard about Nellie’s story. With the help of animal lovers in this same neighborhood, they trapped Nellie in a yard and Dr. Takata brought her to Hatton Veterinary Hospital. Over the next few weeks, she was nursed back to health with lots of love and care by our staff. She still visits weekly for baths and loves all the staff members who cared for her.

Now Nellie has a fantastic life with a great family! She lives with a couple of other canine companions, and loves being a family dog with little kids who play fetch with her! Nellie is a good watchdog that cares for her new family. It has been over two years since her days on the street, and she has gotten over many of her fears and gained a lot of confidence. Her family is patient with her and is really happy that Nellie became part of their lives!

Here are "before" and "after" pictures of Nellie:

Danielle said... (in a recent comment)
I've been noticing my dog has bad breath. I can see plaque on my dog's back teeth...what can I do to keep my dog's teeth healthy? How often should I brush my dog's teeth, and will it help with the problem now?

Danielle's question is a common one. We are all interested in keeping our dog's teeth healthy, and yes, their breath fresher! Brushing your dog's teeth is the best way to contribute to improving their breath and minimizing plaque accumulation And daily is best. veterinary dentists say that a minimum of 3x/week is needed to make a significant difference. There are many different lines of edible dental paste for dogs available. I happen to like the CET paste as there are also enzymes that help with minimize plaque in addition to the action of brushing. A dog dental paste is recommended over human products as dog products are edible (human products are not meant for consumption), and dog products do not contain flouride which may be harmful for consumption in larger amounts. Dental chews such as rawhide strips, greenies, and firm chew bones (e.g. Nylabones or Gummabones) can also help with plaque and tartar on the rear teeth, but the front teeth really require brushing to minimize tartar, plaque and periodontitis. Professional cleaning under general anesthesia is usually required periodically as well. A common misconception is to think that because we did not do as much for dog dental care in the past, that it is not necassary. On the contrary, it has always been a good idea, but we now know more about how to better take care of our pets' teeth, and provide them with better care than ever before. If you can work daily brushing into your routine, you and your pet will definitely see a difference!

Puppies Behind Bars

I learned about a remarkable program recently called Puppies Behind Bars. Matching inmates with puppies in a program where inmates raise and train service dogs for returning veterans, these dogs bring unconditional love and a newfound respect to a group of individuals who have often never had an opportunity to experience these emotions. The end result for veterans is equally remarkable. These service dogs help to bring two people (the inmate they bond with as their trainer, and the veteran who needs assistance) closer to integrating with society in as positive a manner as you can imagine. You can learn more about this unique program, and find out how to help support it at http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/.

Hatton Veterinary Hospital

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Have fun! We anxiously await your comments!

- HVH Staff