Q: What should I do if I find a dog that has been hit on the side of the road?
A: The first thing one should do, if possible, is to call animal control for assistance. Second thing that you should do is park your car in a safe place and have two people go back and approach the animal. One person needs to be very aware of the traffic. I've seen a number of people who have gone to aid an animal and been struck by an automobile themselves. The second person should just go down and sit by the animal and try to comfort them and, if possible, cover them up with a jacket or something like that. If you can, move the animal out of the road. If animal control isn't available, then it's important that the animal be muzzled and transported to an emergency hospital.
Q: My 16-year-old Shih Tzu is loosing her teeth. Should we be concerned or is this just a sign of old age?
A: Yes, you should be concerned. Unfortunately we don't make dentures for dogs, and as they age, if they don't receive proper dental care, they begin to lose their teeth from poor dental hygiene and gum disease. In the case of a 16-year-old dog that is losing her teeth, they may be so far diseased and the gums so diseased that saving the teeth aren't possible. But early preventative maintenance by cleaning the teeth and mouth on a daily basis can prevent that.