Pfc. Roderick Aldrich (top) assists Capt. Elizabeth Williams with intubation of Kitti, an Air Force working dog who received a root canal at a base in Southwest Asia. Aldrich and Williams, members of the 218th Medical Detachment (Veterinary Services), worked with dentists of the Air Force 386th Expeditionary Medical Group to put two silver fillings in the dog's broken tooth.
Sending the dog for treatment in Texas would have taken her out of service for a week, and pulling the tooth would weaken the jaw, Williams explained, adding the root canal has a 95 percent success rate.
"I have a good staff with a good anesthesia technician, a good, healthy dog and a strong source of experience. We can do it here, invest a little time here and send her on her way," Williams said.
"It's always good to get the dogs back on their feet, chasing bad guys and sniffing out bombs, and that's what we do here," she added.
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