Mexico dentistry

We needed some dental work done and the Lakeside area has lots of Dentists.  So Debbi picked one that she was impressed with and, I chose one that I was comfortable with.  We are about halfway through our appointments.  We are both happy with the work so far.  I am listing prices from Dental Express, the Dentist office I went to.  They are less expensive than the Dentist Debbi went to.  Prices are U. S. dollars.

1.  Whiten in office and clean teeth.  $140
2.  Implants.  $750 each
3.  Extraction.  $30
4.  Tooth filling with resin.  $30
5.  Root canal.  $120
6. Porcelain crown.  $160
7.  Dentures.  $240
8.  X ray.  $30       They have a new machine that takes only one xray which covers all your teeth.

The inside is a little austere, but the outside makes up for it. 

This is the machine that takes only one picture that covers all of your mouth  You set your chin on the black bar above the electrical plug.  Very, very simple. 

This machine calibrates measurements of crowns.

This machine makes the crowns using the measurements sent from the machine in the photo above.  So all of the crowns can be made in the office.

Dr. Salvador and Dra. Errica.  They have 5 of these rooms and two other Dentists.

An update on Maya.  We have had Maya for a month now and the Vet thinks she is over the hump. 

She is a sweet dog and always takes her pills and shots without complaining.

Saving a Mexican dog

Most of the Mexicans in our village take good care of their animals.  When they don't, usually it is because they just don't have the money to feed them properly.  So, it's rare to see a malnourished dog roaming the streets.  We were taking a walk two weeks ago in the village when we came upon a dog laying in the gutter.  She was breathing irregularly and had sores all over.  The dog had a tic also.  Her front left leg constantly moved.  She was days away from starving to death.

Debbi  went to get the car while I stayed with the dog.  When she returned we started to load  her into the car.  The owners came out of the house.  I thought there might be a problem, but they agreed that they couldn't take care of her any more. She was damaged goods and they didn't want her.  So we lifted Maya into our car and headed home.  We really thought this dog was not going to see the next day.  But, we were determined to make her last day or days as comfortable as possible.

I'm on the phone with the Vet.  Poor Maya, you can see the fear in her eyes.

Maya had not had any food in weeks.  She was on her last legs.

She is constantly grubbing for any kind of food--even in our back yard! 

You can see the sores that were mostly on the rear part of her body.

Maya had open sores on her chest and abdomen.

She really likes laying on our wall and soaking up the sun.  You can see her ribs, and all the dark areas are skin sores.

The vet told us the muscle contraction she has is due to her having had Distemper and this created neurological problems.  The good thing is when she sleeps, the tic disappears.

Fast forward 2 weeks and look at Maya.  You can still see some ribs and some sores.  But, she is much better and we think she is going to survive.  She is really a sweet tempered little dog and is now a part of the family!

That's Maya in the center.  The Vet told us she is only 6 months old. She is starting to play with our other dogs.  Her constant muscle contraction doesn't slow her down at all.

Featured home

Betty is a volunteer at Pasos. She lives in Chapala and six years ago bought a  beautiful Mexican style home.  She recently completed an extensive remodel.  I can't imagine a nicer home in all of Chapala.

The entry to the house.  Notice all the potted plants.  The exterior color is spectacular.

An outstanding wall feature is this mosaic that represents Lake Chapala.  

What a great patio.  The fireplace/barbeque is in the background.  To the right is the bar with a refrigerator.  

The Koi  pond is a calming feature of the back yard.

The rear of the house.  Again notice the potted plants.  Betty has a gardener that takes good care of the landscape.

I'm not much of a cook.  But, if I were, this is the kind of kitchen I would want!

The dining room. 

The living room would be a great place to relax and enjoy a fire.

The master bathroom has Mexico written all over it.  The two water bowls are a nice touch also. 

The master bedroom.  Betty used to show horses.  She claims these Havanese dogs are much easier to show!

The guest bathroom has the flavor of Mexico with the different tiles. 

Betty has an upstairs Casita for guests.  It has a kitchenette, living room and one bedroom.

Betty has a 1/2 acre lot, which is huge by Mexicos' standards.  Everything you see in this picture is her house and her lot.  This house is a really good representation of a true Mexican style home.