[Dori]

L M. Marie, Myself, Labs, and quite a few others have been counseling, advising, and pleading her to get Ginger’s dental done since the first week she got her. That is well over a year ago. I’d also like to remind you and others on this thread that she has repeatedly asked for advice. We have repeatedly given her the advice she asked for. No, no one has to take anyone’s advice even if you’ve asked for said advice. Then stop asking for the same advice on the same issue over and over and over again if you know you’re not going to do anything anyway. Have you read all 15 pages of this forum thread? If not and when you have a moment, you might want to read it from the beginning. I think that you and others may think that we are being too hard on Akari and need to take it easy on her. It is inhumane to allow anyone, anything to suffer as long as the poor dog has suffered due to the condition of Ginger’s teeth.

We all have had old dogs at some time or another and we all dread the exams. I for one have had my Maltese, Hannah, all her life. She was 15 years old last September. She has two types of cancer (bladder and lung), she’s been hypothyroid almost half her life. She has two degenerated discs mid spine. All these issues I’ve been treating medically, holistically, with SP supplements, homeopathically, with the aid of not only her own vet but with counsel from holistic/homeopathic vets and specialists for her conditions. Also I have often asked for advice here on DFA. It’s a wonderful place filled with loving, caring, compassionate people and when we see and hear these stories we have to speak up and point out what we know is wrong and is abusive behavior. Hannah is not suffering in the least. She’s eating, drinking, peeing, and pooping. Playing with her two “sisters” all the time. Barks at everyone passing the property. She long ago decided that she was our watch dog and door bell all rolled into one. Each and every time I have to take her to any of her vets, my heart is in my throat. I all but break into a sweat. But that does not stop me from getting her to her doctors appointment. And when the day comes that my husband and I feel that she is suffering we will do what is best for Hannah, not for ourselves. We will let her go because to do otherwise would be selfish to the maximum on our part. We have had to make that decision in the past and you never ever get over it. It stays with you forever. All my dogs have been like my children. My own “human” child died 8 years ago last August. Let me tell you that the pain and longing is not much different than losing a furry member of your family. You miss them, you think you hear them, you think they’re just sleeping in their bed, or laying on the sofa with the t.v. on. You think you hear their dog tags jingling. I still have each and every dog collar and all dog tags and all ashes from each and every dog I’ve ever had including a yellow naped Amazon parrot I had about 30 years ago. In the end the decision should be about what is best for them, not for ourselves. Of course we don’t want them to be sick and/or die, but what needs to be done for “furry family members” that we brought into our homes to care for and protect means from beginning to end it is about them! Not us! Again, if I sound harsh on the subject of the decisions that Akari has chosen in her care of Ginger it is because it pains me that Ginger is still (a year or so later) in the condition that she is in and has been allowed to be this way since she was brought into her home.

I’m proud of all of us who have spoken up. So many people in this life will turn a blind eye because they don’t want to get involved. That’s not me and neither is it the posters that have seen something wrong happening and we do get involved. When I see abusive behavior in any form in my day to day life I am one of those that do speak up. I’m not so afraid that I’m going to pretend that I don’t see or hear what’s going on. It’s one of the problems that society has right now. People don’t want to get involved, they don’t want to upset the apple cart. I don’t care if the apple cart topples over so long as I have been instrumental in getting someone to open their eyes and see what they’ve done.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by Dori.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by Dori.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by Dori.

[LabsRawesome]

LM, I was not hard on Akari. She needs to hear the truth. And Ginger needs care ASAP. Everything that Marie, Dori, and I said to her is the truth. None of us were “hard” on her. Ginger is suffering. She has been for a year. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT. Period. No one said anything about Akari’s intelligence or education. Why would you even bring that up? This is about getting help for Ginger, and ending her suffering. Nothing else. Please stay on topic. And don’t put words in other people mouths.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know the OP, I was just thinking of co-workers and posters on other forums that balk at the thought of spending money on dentals for their pets.
One woman was a lawyer who got into a major argument with me over it, she thought the vets were scamming her by recommending a cleaning and extractions, she instead was going to try all kinds of dental sprays and additives, said her cat was too old to go through surgery. She thought her cat’s teeth looked fine.

Veterinarians have to deal with this every day.

PS: Another example, a very nice retired lady that feeds stray cats and wildlife, took her old cat to the vet because the cat was limping, again the vet recommended a dental, as he had 5 years earlier, again she declined, she said the cat was too old. The limp issue was resolved with treatment.
She also complained about the cost of a dental, but, she recently bought a new car.

[InkedMarie]

I don’t think I was too hard…..I was nicer than I usually would be. I was trying for some tact. I said in my post, I don’t care if someone has no money. If you don’t, then rheum the dog or put the dog down.

Regarding a GoFundMe account, sorry but no. Its not up to us to pay for other people’s ROUTINE care for dogs. IMO, healthy teeth & dentals are routine care.

[jakes mom]

LM, the above posters have it right. This has gone on too long and we’ve just all had enough. I would be saying the same but they’ve beaten me to it. No need to repeat it. As far as educating Akari? She knows the dog needs a dental, she’s in vet tech school. What she needs to be educated on is priorities. Doesn’t have the funds to pay for a dental but just bought a cat condo and raised food bowls for the other dogs? Boasts about the stockpiles of food and litter she’s amassed. How about backing off on that stuff and paying the vet?
I’m a “single mom” to 5 cats and a dog, all seniors. Pet care is the biggest part of my budget.

[C4D]

I haven’t read all the posts, and I haven’t been on very often before recently, but I’ve tried to help Akari too, though not on the forum side. I have a Min Pin foster that needs and is going to get a dental since I’ve brought her liver numbers down to normal using the Sam-e and Milk thistle I was advising her on. I was trying to save her some money since it’s less expensive than using Denamarin and it seemed that cost was a serious issue. My vet did say that part of the reason for the high liver enzymes was very possibly due to the teeth (they are not rotted and no gingivitis but have had some serious tartar). I am the one paying for this dental.

I did find her posts strange as they all seemed to contradictory. At any rate, I do agree with the recent posts. When my dog blew his ACL years ago, I worked out a plan with my vet to pay for it monthly since we couldn’t afford it. When my Lab needed rehab, it was out of our budget, but I came up with the money. When she broke a tooth on a chew, I spent the money we saved for a patio (we really needed it since the deck decayed and we tore it out) we used the patio money and again, some monthly payments to pay for the root canal dental bill. We could have pulled the tooth for a bit less, but she loved to play ball so it was my suggestion and decision to save the tooth (my vet is a dental specialist). My point is you are their caretakers. If you take on the responsibility of a dog, you need to take care of it properly.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by C4D.

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