K-9 gets root canal from local dentist
ROSEBURG, Ore. -- One of Douglas County's newest crime fighters needed a little work done in order to stay on the job.
Ido, who is one of the Roseburg Police Department's new K-9 dogs, had a fractured tooth that was bothering him.
The nerve had died and filled with debris, so a local dentist volunteered his time to perform a root canal.
Doctor Ron Tribble had to be extra careful because the dog's teeth are vital to his work. "In a different procedure we would have made a different entrance point and gone at it from a different approach," Dr. Tribble said. "We wanted to try and maintain every bit of the length I could on that tooth, so it was successful."
Unlike a human's tooth, dog teeth are longer and curve, which makes it more difficult to do.
The procedure only took about 90 minutes and Ido was back out that night patrolling with his handler.
Dr. Tribble says he wanted to do his part to help the K-9 program. "It's trying to be a good citizen to the community, and I guess it took quite a bit of effort to get a police dog here. So, to be able to keep that dog up to optimal operating conditions so he can do his job, I think is an important thing."
He also performs several procedures on exotic animals at the Wildlife Safari in Winston free of charge.
