Hello there! I’m Sunny, your friendly yellow tang and full-time lobby lookout here at Veterinary Dental Services, LLC. While I spend most of my day swimming in stylish circles and charming the clients, I also keep an eye on everything happening around here. And let me tell you, the things I’ve seen would really make your scales stand on end.
Take Ankor, for example. He’s an 8-year-old mixed-breed dog who visited a few months ago. The first time I spotted him, he looked adorable but also a little uncomfortable. His nose was running, and he kept giving these little sneezes that echoed across the waiting room. Poor guy.
Turns out, Ankor had something called an oronasal fistula, which is a small opening between the mouth and nose. It can happen after tooth loss or infection, and it causes food, water, and even bacteria to sneak from the mouth into the nose. That kind of discomfort would make anyone feel out of sorts.
Ankor’s family already knew about the issue, but they brought him in for a consultation to plan the repair. A few weeks later, he came back for surgery. The team here worked carefully to close up the opening, and when he returned for a check-up at the end of February, his surgical site had healed perfectly.
Although Ankor still has some nasal discharge due to changes in his nasal anatomy, he is feeling much better than before. His tail wags more, his eyes are brighter, and I can tell he’s more comfortable, even from my view in the tank.
Oronasal fistulas are a serious issue, but with the right treatment, pets like Ankor can feel better and get back to enjoying life. I’m just glad I got to be here for the start of his journey. Something tells me I’ll be seeing more of him, and I’ll be ready with a fin wave when he returns.
P.S. If you want to see Ankor’s adorable face and catch a glimpse of his visit, swim on over to our Instagram or Facebook pages. Trust me, it’s worth a peek!