Animal dentist sets up shop

By Dan Daly, Journal Staff Writer | Monday, February 17, 2003

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RAPID CITY - Muzo was a 3-year-old female Siberian husky with a broken fang. She had knocked the tip off while roughhousing with another dog.

Her owner, Mark Valdez of Lead, called several area veterinarians in search of someone who could fix the tooth. Some of the vets offered to pull the tooth.

"I was saying, ‘No, you won't ... she's a very, very expensive sled dog,'" Valdez said. "I probably sound like a nut, but I care more about my dogs than most people care about their kids."

Badger was a 3-year-old mixed-breed male dog obsessed with balls of every kind. His favorite was a hard plastic ball that he loved to push around his Piedmont Valley yard with his nose, said his owner, Glenda Hall.

"At least we thought he was pushing it with his nose," she said. It turned out that Badger had been pushing the ball with his bottom teeth. The ball literally ground the ends of his lower canine teeth off.

Hall confiscated the plastic ball. But she knew Badger's teeth would need attention, so she started begging her own dentist to give doggie dentistry a try. "He said he would sure give it a shot, but I knew he wasn't really looking forward to it," she said. "Badger was such a young dog, and I was horrified that we would have to pull his teeth."

Muzo and Badger, however, were spared toothlessness. They both ended up at the Rapid City clinic of David B. Nielsen, a veterinarian who specializes in dentistry for cats and dogs.

Nielsen, an affable Californian, has been practicing animal dentistry at the Animal Medical and Dental Group in Manhattan Beach, Calif., for the past 20 years. "There's three of us (dentists) there," Nielsen said. "We laughingly call it the world's largest veterinary dental group."

But he is a South Dakota native who grew up in Winner. Last year, he returned to his home state, moving into a cabin near Rochford. In October, he opened his Animal Dental Clinic at 3618 Canyon Lake Drive.

The clinic is outfitted with an elaborate variety of X-ray, anesthetic and dental equipment — some of it designed for veterinary offices but much of it for human dentists. Some of the bits, files and other tools of the dental trade had to be specially modified for animal teeth.

Nielsen still spends about eight days a month treating animals at the California clinic. Then, he returns to his Rochford cabin. "That's my home now — they'll have to bury me there," he said with a smile.

It was in California that Nielsen cut his teeth, so to speak, on animal dentistry. A 1976 graduate of the Kansas State University School Veterinary School, Nielsen said he received virtually no dental training in school. "Maybe the schools teach more than that now, but not a lot more," he said.

Not long after he began working as a vet, Nielsen encountered a dog with serious dental problems. He contacted a friend's girlfriend, a dental hygienist, for advice on how to treat the dog. Thus began his self-education in animal dentistry. He attended clinics, workshops and classes for human dentists and applied what he learned to his veterinary practice.

Over the past two decades, Nielsen built his reputation as a veterinary dentist. He has published a number of scientific papers and made presentations at conferences in Spain and Italy. He has appeared on CNN, CBS, NBC and Animal Planet, and he has been featured in publications such as L.A. Magazine, TV Guide and the Los Angeles Times.

Nielsen has also worked as veterinary dentist to the stars. Eddie, the dog on "Frasier" is a patient. Nielsen also performed root canals on two wolves that appeared in "Dances With Wolves." He has also done dental work for the pets of actors such as Liz Taylor, Al Pacino and Matt LeBlanc.

Tooth problems can be serious, but they often go undiagnosed. "Pets don't communicate pain, but a toothache is a toothache," Nielsen said.

That's especially true of dogs, Nielsen said. He believes that because of their pack animal instinct, dogs try to hide any weakness that could lead them to be ostracized.

Veterinarian James Mortimer of Canyon Lake Veterinary Hospital said he sees animals with heart-valve disease, liver disease and kidney problems that started out as chronic dental infection. The bacteria spread, and the chronic low-grade infection leaves the animal vulnerable to other diseases.

Mortimer is one of the Rapid City vets referring patients to Nielsen. Before Nielsen set up shop in Rapid City, Mortimer used to send the animals to veterinary dentists in Colorado and other states.

"Most veterinarians such as myself do basic dentistry, that is keeping the animal's teeth clean, keeping them healthy and (tending their) general wellness," Mortimer said, "but specialized procedures are better handled by Dr. Nielsen, because he has the expertise and the equipment to do that kind of thing."

Mortimer, who used to practice in California, has known Nielsen for years. "David is a very competent veterinary dentist," he said.

Mark Valdez is among those singing Nielsen's praises. A week ago, he brought Muzo, his chip-toothed husky, to Nielsen, hoping the tooth could be saved. While Valdez watched, Nielsen anesthetized Muzo, took X-rays and performed a root canal. He then carefully hollowed out the tooth, sterilized the inside, and filled the hole with a special compound.

Valdez said it was fascinating to watch. "Of course, she was like a drunk sailor on the way home," he said. "She's fine now. This morning, she grabbed my pant leg with her teeth and started pulling."

Glenda Hall is also a Nielsen fan. In December, her dog Badger underwent root canal surgery as well as cleaning resurfacing. "It was fantastic," she said. "Thanks to Dr. Nielsen, Badger still has his beautiful smile."

Contact Dan Daly at 394-8421 or dan.daly@rapidcityjournal.com