[Blindtlk] Guide dogs and the Dentist

[Christopher-Mark Gilland]

Guys,

This may seem like a somewhat off-the-wall question, but I got to thinking 
this morning...  Tomorrow, I have a dental appointment.  Now, I myself am a 
cane user, and don't have a dog.  Never have.  I'd love to get one one of 
these days, but that's another topic entirely.  LOL!  Anyway, as most of you 
probably know, a dentist office in general would be fine for a service 
animal, like a guide dog, but once they call you back for your appointment, 
most of you probably know that for one thing, those rooms are pretty small 
as is.  Now, of corse, if you're at a place like I was as a kid where there 
is no privacy, and you're out in the bare butt openning with all other 
children, then that's another story, but again, that's a topic for another 
day.  But generally speaking, most of the time, 95 percent the time, those 
rooms are going to be not only quite little, but quite narrow as well. 
Then, you put the dental chair in there, plus the cart with the tray of tool 
instruments, plus usually a desk with a computer, then you take the dentist 
and his/her assistant dental
hygienist, it's going to get super super crouded!  This said, you can't 
exactly put the dog under the chair, as for one, the chair moves, which if 
not careful could hurt the dog, 2, if you're getting novicayne, and are 
anything like me, you're gonna yelp pretty loud when they stick ya, which of 
corse would alarm the dog... Good? Fido, nice? Fido... LOL!  Just kidding. 
But seriously, my point being, where the heck do you all  stash the dog when 
in the back room?  OK, if it was a regular family physician appointment, 
then yeah, ok, that wouldn't be an issue.  Just lie the dog down out of your 
way and the doctor's way, as most examining rooms are big enough to do that, 
but not so much a dentistry room.  Do you all just leave the dog out in the 
waiting room?  Surely, if you're going by yourself, you don't do that.  Uh, 
skeuze me, sir?  uh, like, I'm blind and am going back in the back, will you 
watch ma dog?  Um... Yeah... me thinks not.



So, what do you all normally do?  I know there are certain times you just 
can't! take the dog, much as you'd probably like to.  Is this one of those 
times?



Chris.