Our very own Jennifer Middleton has earned her CAWA certification! We are so grateful for her fearless and selfless leadership of the Sanctuary as she works to implement best practices to change the future of the animals in our care!
How would you feel if you never brushed your teeth? Constantly having lots of plaque and an unpleasant taste in your mouth would probably be more than you could tolerate. Your wallet probably wouldn’t feel so good either after having to pay a hefty dentist bill to get your oral health back in good shape. Now imagine what could happen to your dog’s mouth without proper dog dental care. The simple answer is dog dental disease.
Dental diseases in dogs are quite common. By age 3, over 80 percent of dogs have some form of dental disease, also known as periodontal disease. Dog dental disease has serious consequences, so maintaining good dog dental care is very important.
What Is Dental Disease?
Dental disease affects the teeth, gums, and structures that support and surround a dog’s teeth. It begins with plaque buildup on the teeth. This plaque contains bacteria and food particles.
Plaque that stays on the teeth hardens into tartar. When tartar is above the gum line, it’s easily visible, and your veterinarian can remove it relatively easily during a professional dental cleaning.
However, looks can be deceiving. A set of pearly whites doesn’t necessarily mean that your dog’s mouth is healthy. Tartar that makes its way below the gumline is the real problem.
Read the rest of this important article on dog dental health HERE.
Amanda grew up in Summerville and has lived most of her life in the Charleston area. She has had several jobs in the logistics field and is now retired. Amanda’s love of animals comes from her father, who, in his later years, lived on a farm in North Georgia and raised goats as a hobby; each of which he named. Amanda is passionate about helping animals and derives great joy from working to gain the trust of the shy dogs at Hallie Hill so that they can find a permanent home in the future. Amanda lives in West Ashley with her husband and their thirteen-year-old dog Murphy, “the old man.” Her past pets have included cats and talking birds.
Thank you, Amanda, for your hard work and dedication!!!
Hallie Hill loves you!
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Greg Zerkel spent his formative years in MD, his college years in VA and his professional career in NY, PA and WV prior to retiring to the Lowcountry.
Zerkel owned and operated a large land services company which specialized in the acquisition of land and legal rights in the oil and gas exploration space. Zerkel served for many years on the board of the American Association of Professional Landmen.
Having always owned long haired dachshunds in his youth and golden retrievers in his adult life, Zerkel brings a true passion and love of animals to the Hallie Hill board.
Zerkel also volunteers his time and energy on feeding the needy, swim lessons for underprivileged youth, and various church related responsibilities. He is an active member of St John’s Parrish.
Brandon Bunch is the head of maintenance at Hallie Hill. A native of Charleston, he grew up on James Island playing sports and building forts. Brandon comes from a background of manufacturing and logistics. He is dedicated to keeping the sanctuary beautiful and safe for both the animals and staff. At home, Brandon enjoys working on the farm with his partner Emily, and their two dogs, cat, horse, and python.