Beau, an 11-year-old Poodle, got to experience normal daily activities – eating, drinking, barking, and grooming – more fully in his final months, thanks to the collaboration of a multi-disciplinary team of specialists at UW Veterinary Care.
For almost 11 years, Beau lived with a challenge most dogs never face: he could barely open his mouth. An injury as a puppy left his jaw nearly immobile, forcing him to adapt in ways his owners, Renee and Art Cybul, never expected.
Beau’s journey began in 2013, when, at five months old, another dog bit him at a grooming facility. The injury initially seemed minor, but a week later, Beau couldn’t pick up his favorite ball. A veterinarian confirmed blunt force trauma, but the only suggested solution felt too extreme. Instead, the Cybuls were assured that Beau would adapt. And he did, learning to eat from the side of his mouth and flicking water into his mouth due to the inability to stick out his tongue.
For years, Beau lived happily despite his condition – until he began bleeding from his nose last year. The Cybul’s veterinarian suspected a dental issue but antibiotics only temporarily stopped the bleeding, so they consulted a specialist who recommended surgery. That facility did not have overnight care or an anesthesiologist, so they turned to UW Veterinary Care (UWVC).
At UWVC, a team of clinicians, residents, and students – including Kyle Bartholomew (DVM’17), Adrianna Sage and Elias Wolfs (all from the Department of Surgical Sciences), Taylor Weary (DVMx’25), Kate Kudrna (’19 DVM’23; Resident in Dentistry and Oral Surgery), and Olivia Harris (DVM’21; Resident in Anesthesiology) – collaborated closely on Beau’s case, requiring coordination between specialties.
“Not having easy access to Beau’s mouth complicated not only oral procedures but even anesthesia,” says Weary. “The whole team was ready for any situation that might arise.”
Kudrna said having all hands-on deck ensured that every aspect of Beau’s care – from his pre-operative CT scan to surgery and recovery – was tailored to his needs.
“We had multiple conversations between dentistry and anesthesia to coordinate this case, including backup plans for intubation, recovery, and more,” says Sage.
The resulting procedure was a success: for the first time in his adult life, Beau could fully open his mouth. He rediscovered the joy of eating from a bowl.
“When he barked for the first time, he scared himself – and then he barked the whole day,” Cybul says with a laugh. Beau’s family cherished every moment of his recovery. But soon after, they received heartbreaking news: a cancer diagnosis. The Cybuls made the difficult decision not to pursue further treatment, and Beau was euthanized shortly after.
Despite his sad outcome, his family and his care team were grateful Beau experienced life more fully in his final months.
“Beau’s owners said it was like watching a toddler learning to walk,” says Weary. “The great thing about animals is they live in the present. Having that period of comfort and play was not dulled by resentment about the past. To him, it was just joy.”
Beau’s case highlights the power of specialized veterinary care. Through the collaboration of UWVC’s dentistry, surgery, anesthesia, and emergency teams, Beau was given the chance to live life more fully, even if only for a short time.
“Our procedure helped Beau experience things most dogs take for granted,” says Kudrna. “I’m so grateful we could give him that chance.”
By Simran Khanuja