An Animal Services Officer brought Barbie to Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) in late June when the senior pup was found wandering alone. She was wearing a collar, but it had no tags, she had no microchip, and after days of cross-checking databases, DCHS’s Lost & Found team couldn’t find Barbie’s family.

Barbie was very nervous and stressed in the shelter, and while DCHS’s veterinary staff struggled to examine her thoroughly, it was clear she had tartar and staining on her teeth. During a sedated exam, DCHS’s dental expert took a closer look and found that Barbie had severe periodontal disease that caused issues with bone loss, root exposure, and mobility in all her remaining teeth. Barbie was already missing quite a few teeth, but she needed to have all the remaining ones extracted to make her healthier and more comfortable.

Thanks to the support of our incredible community, DCHS has an onsite dental suite, Jenna’s Suite Tooth, where our skilled veterinarians can perform various dental procedures for the animals in our care. This onsite dental suite reduces staff time and resources required for coordinating the transport of animals to offsite locations for dental procedures (not to mention, reduces stress on the animals), but operating the dental suite is still costly. Extensive dental procedures can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

Fortunately for the senior dogs in our care, DCHS was among the 90 animal welfare organizations to receive grant funding from The Grey Muzzle Organization. With this generous award, we can provide any necessary dental and veterinary care to senior dogs like Barbie, so they can be comfortable during their stay with us, and we can lower financial barriers to adopting them. When adopters don’t have to worry about the immediate costs of bringing home a senior dog, that senior dog can find their new home that much faster.

The morning after her dental procedure, Barbie was bright and alert, her mouth was healing well, and she was ready for adoption. She didn’t have to wait long. Her new family found her that very afternoon and took her home to begin a new golden chapter of her life.