Travis endodontist performs surgery on working dog Published Dec. 14, 2009 By Nick DeCicco 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A recent surgery at Travis Air Force Base bridged the gap between service branches, career fields and even species. Colonel-select Gerald Kaban, an endodontist with the 60th Dental Squadron at David Grant USAF Medical Center, recently teamed with the base's veterinary clinic to perform a root canal on Ego, a military working dog assigned to the 60th Security Forces Squadron. An endodontist saves teeth through root canal treatment, which is why Colonel Kaban, who performs work on human teeth on a regular basis at the hospital, was called. Colonel Kaban said there are many similarities between human teeth and dog teeth, which made working on Ego's canine easy. "The tissues are the same, but the shapes are different," he said. "The nerves and canals are longer on a dog." The procedure performed Dec. 3 at the veterinary clinic was the first of two surgeries for Ego, who was scheduled for a gold crown on the same canine this week. Ego is a 3-year-old explosive detector dog who has already deployed once during his 14 months at Travis. His handler, Staff Sgt. Shaun Dube, 60 SFS, described Ego as a hyper, but "tough, resilent dog." Sergeant Dube said Ego needed dental work after chewing through a harness in his kennel. "Sometimes he has too much drive for his own good," Sergeant Dube said. Army Capt. Matthew Reed, Northern California District Veterinary Command, who works at the Travis clinic, initiated the procedure. Captain Reed diagnosed Ego's need for help and decided that, rather than the routine practice of sending him to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for assistance, to reach out to the dental squadron on base and see if anyone was available. Captain Reed said Lackland is the epicenter of the working dog program and was where Ego would have been treated had the 60 DS not stepped forward. "There's a huge advantage to having DGMC right here," Captain Reed said. "They provide support, supplies, equipment, maintenance and more" on a regular basis, he explained. Sergeant Dube said the veterinary clinic does regular preventative care on the dogs annually, but that such a procedure is unusual. Captain Reed said the military dogs are just one part of the veterinary mission. Another aspect is taking care of the base's pet population. "We're here to support the human-animal bond for the military," he said. For more information about the veterinary clinic, call 424-3010. For more information about the 60 DS, contact 423-7000.