Be very afraid when Spike bares his "silver" fangs. He is on point, ready to do what he loves best: bite.
Several months ago, the three-year-old military police dog's dual-mission career was threatened when his fractured canines--the result of a nasty cage-biting habit--became a liability. Without those fangs, Spike would lose the "grab and puncture" offensive skills required of police working dogs.
As a result, the San Angelo-based Airman was issued a "no bite" profile that took him off the police beat, although he continued with his "sniffing" duties.
Today, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center (CRDAMC) and Department of Army medical specialists who recently repaired and strengthened Spikes' weaponry with root canals and crowns, Spike has a "ferocious" new bite.
Because the military's working dog training program is extremely difficult and intense, the graduation rate is low. Spike is one of the elite few, which is why saving Spike's teeth became a priority for Capt. Dawn Hull, who as chief, North Texas Branch, Public Health Command District-Hood, manages the medical care of all North Texas military working dogs, including those at Fort Hood.
"Spike is very special. He is a well-trained servicemember, and we did not want to lose him," said Captain Hull.
When the veterinarian first examined Spike, she was alarmed by the multiple fractures and missing teeth, especially considering his age.
"It was hard to determine the cause, but there was an indication something was going on," said Hull, whose other clients have included a short stint with the Navy's mine-detection dolphins in Southern California, U.S. Capitol police dogs in Washington D.C. and the 36 equines at Fort Hood's 1st Calvary Horse Detachment. "If there was any pulp exposure, it would lead to further dental disease and possibly end Spike's career."
To further evaluate Spike, Dr. Hull enlisted the help of her battle buddies: the Dental Command's forensic portable radiology unit and the endodontic and cosmetic dentistry skills of Lt. Col. Edward Lumpkins. The team also included several members from CRDAMC's anesthesiology department.
"Lieutenant Colonel Lumpkins brought out some tricks that we did not know could even be done," she said, adding how grateful she is to Dr. Lumpkins for his "doggie dental wizardry."
"I never thought I would be performing dentist procedures on non-humans," said Lumpkins, following the 5-hour surgery. "I was honored to help Spike because these dogs are out there on the battlefield risking their lives just like our Soldiers. You just cannot ask them to go downrange to do their job if they are having some type of dental issue. They deserve our help."
Dr. Lumpkins, who prepared for the May 5 procedure by studying dog anatomy books, also was surprised at the condition of Spike's teeth.
"For a dog that young, his teeth have been pretty abused," said the former artilleryman turned dentist.
According to Hull, military working dogs have a lot of drive and anxiety and will often resort to chewing when they are kenneled because they would rather be working, a sentiment echoed by Air Force Staff Sergeant Zachary Cornwell, Spike's trainer and handler.
"The problem with Spike is that his drive is so strong that when he is not working, he is biting his cage," said Cornwell, who is assigned to Goodfellow Air Force Base's 17th Security Squadron. "It is part of a German Shepard's primary drive."
Although the dual-mission dog continued with his explosive-detection duties, the threat of Spike losing his teeth and becoming a single-mission dog worried Cornwell.
"Spike's aggression issues might be a problem because of his drive, and that would become more of an issue in detection work," he said, adding that all Spike wants to do is work. "He would rather be hunting instead of detecting."
Spike came to Goodfellow February 2015 directly from the military working dog training program at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Ten months later, Spike became Cornwell's sidekick.
"Since then, we have developed a very strong bond. He would do anything to protect me," Cornwell said, adding that the joy of being a dog handler is molding that four-legged "new recruit" into a model Airman. "Military working dogs are a direct reflection of the handler. They come to us with the basic knowledge, and then it is our job to train our dog, which really requires a lot of thinking outside the box."
That is why Spike is special to not only Cornwell, but to the Army and to the CRDAMC team.
"This was all about mission readiness," said Hull. "We had a lot of experts come together for Spike to ensure he gets the best possible treatment. He is very young and doing well. Hopefully, he has a long career ahead of him."
Cornwell said he is extremely grateful to Dr. Hull and her medical team of volunteers for their dedication to saving Spike's career.
"It is so awesome that so many people came together to help Spike," said Cornwell. "It really means a lot that he was well taken care of because, as a dog handler, Spike is my priority. He really is a good dog with a good heart. He was bred into this line of work, so he deserves only the very best care."
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