A veterinarian, dentist, and a workforce futurist sat down at a wedding reception. This is not the start of a joke, but rather a situation I found myself in recently. As we discussed the portending implications of generative AI on jobs, the vet asked what possible applications there might be in veterinary work.
Veterinarians always have fascinating stories about their patients, and if you aren’t too queasy, have photos with which to illustrate their tales. So I asked for a recent picture that might challenge chatGPT’s vision capability.
It’s important to the story to see the photo, and I want to preface this by pointing out it is a dog’s mouth during surgery, with a little red blood near a damaged tooth. That’s as ‘gross’ as the photos get in this article, but want to give the reader a moment to prepare before scrolling further.
The patient in this case is a dog. The dog had damaged a tooth which needed treatment. We decided to not give any context to chatGPT so we could best evaluate its abilities. The topic was a good one for the audience, with both a veterinarian and a dentist sitting together.
So after airdropping the photo to me, I loaded the following picture in chatGPT (4o in this case) and asked the most unhelpfully discrete prompt:
“What species is this?”
ChatGPT: "The image appears to show dental work being performed on an animal. The dental structure suggests that it is likely a dog. The shape and arrangement of the teeth, as well as the presence of dental equipment typically used in veterinary care, support this identification."That’s an incredible amount of information for such a meager prompt. And it’s exactly right. Impressed, we continued, pushing chatGPT further with another prompt: “Which tooth is damaged?”
ChatGPT: "The damaged tooth appears to be one of the upper premolars, specifically the fourth premolar, also known as the carnassial tooth in dogs. This tooth is larger than the others around it and is crucial for shearing meat, which aligns with the damage visible in the image."Exactly correct. Not only was it correct, but it commented on the likely reason this particular tooth had been damaged, based on how dogs use those particular teeth. The next question is how to go about fixing this poor dog, which is the next prompt: “What are the steps to extract the damaged tooth?”
ChatGPT: "Extracting a damaged tooth, such as the upper fourth premolar in a dog, involves several careful steps to ensure the procedure is done safely and effectively:
1. Preoperative Assessment:
- Examine: Perform a thorough oral examination and radiographs to assess the extent of damage.
- Anesthesia: Administer general anesthesia to the dog for pain management and immobilization.
- Prepare: Sterilize the mouth area and prepare the necessary dental instruments.
2. Incision and Flap Creation:
- Incision: Make an incision in the gingiva (gum) around the tooth to create a gingival flap. This flap allows better access to the tooth and surrounding bone.
- Flap Reflection: Gently reflect the flap to expose the bone and the roots of the tooth.
3. Bone Removal:
- Remove Bone: Use a high-speed handpiece and bur to remove the bone covering the roots of the tooth. This is often necessary for multi-rooted teeth like the carnassial tooth.
4. Sectioning the Tooth:
- Section: If the tooth has multiple roots, section the tooth into individual roots to facilitate easier removal. Each root is typically extracted separately.
5. Tooth Extraction:
- Luxate: Use dental elevators to luxate (loosen) each root by applying gentle pressure to the periodontal ligament.
- Extract: Once sufficiently loosened, use extraction forceps to carefully remove each root.
6. Post-Extraction Care:
- Debride: Remove any remaining debris or infected tissue from the extraction site.
- Suture: Replace the gingival flap and suture it back in place to cover the extraction site and promote healing.
- Rinse: Rinse the mouth with an antiseptic solution.
7. Postoperative Care:
- Pain Management: Administer appropriate pain medications and possibly antibiotics.
- Monitor: Keep the dog under observation until it recovers from anesthesia.
- Home Care Instructions: Provide the owner with instructions for home care, including diet modifications, activity restrictions, and follow-up appointments.
8. Follow-Up:
- Recheck: Schedule a follow-up appointment to monitor the healing process and address any complications.
These steps ensure the tooth is extracted safely, minimizing pain and the risk of complications."This response from chatGPT got nods of approval – if not astonishment – from both the veterinarian and the dentist. Next we focused on one of the post-op recommendations. We asked chatGPT to help draft the home care instructions, using the following prompt:
“In the treatment you prescribed above, you mentioned providing the dog’s owner with home care instructions. Will you draft the home care instructions for me to review? It should be written at a 6th grade reading level, assuming that the pet owner does not understand veterinary terms, but loves her dog very much.”
ChatGPT: "Home Care Instructions for Your Dog After Tooth Extraction
Dear Pet Owner,
Thank you for trusting us with your dog's dental care. Here are some simple instructions to help your dog heal comfortably after having a tooth removed. Please follow these steps closely:
1. Food and Water
- Soft Food Only: Feed your dog soft food for the next 10 days. You can use canned dog food or soften dry food with water.
- Avoid Hard Foods: Do not give your dog any hard food, bones, or chew toys during this time.
- Water: Make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water to drink.
2. Medication
- Pain Medicine: Give your dog the pain medicine as prescribed by the vet. Follow the instructions on the label carefully.
- Antibiotics: If antibiotics were prescribed, give these to your dog as directed. It's important to finish all the medicine, even if your dog seems better.
3. Mouth Care
- Check the Mouth: Look inside your dog’s mouth once a day to check for swelling, redness, or bad smells. If you see any of these, call the vet.
- No Brushing: Do not brush your dog’s teeth for the next 10 days.
4. Activity
- Rest: Keep your dog calm and quiet for a few days. Avoid running, jumping, or rough play.
- Leash Walks: Take your dog for walks on a leash to prevent them from getting too excited.
5. Signs to Watch For
- Eating or Drinking Less: If your dog stops eating or drinking, call the vet.
- Swelling or Bleeding: Some swelling and a little bleeding are normal, but if it gets worse, contact the vet.
- Pain: If your dog seems to be in a lot of pain, even with the medicine, let us know right away.
6. Follow-Up Appointment
- Visit the Vet: Bring your dog back to the clinic in 10 days for a follow-up check to make sure everything is healing well.
7. Love and Comfort
- Comfort Your Dog: Give your dog lots of love and gentle attention. A calm and comfortable environment will help them heal faster.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call our clinic. We're here to help you and your dog!
Thank you,
[Your Veterinary Clinic Name]"That’s an excellent draft for the veterinarian to add finishing edits and share with the patient’s owner. Of course, these don’t address all of the questions a worried pet owner might encounter during the coming week. To provide great customer service (for the pet and pet owner), it would be helpful to have a list of frequently asked questions. This will decrease the stress of a caring pet owner and also likelihood of after hours calls to the clinic. Our intent was to generate a list of likely questions, and then follow up with a request to draft those into an FAQ along with suggested answers. ChatGPT understood where we were going, and took care of it all at once, at the request of this prompt: “Other than items covered in the home care instructions, what additional questions might the pet owner have ?”
ChatGPT: "Pet owners might have several additional questions beyond what is covered in the home care instructions. Here are some common ones:
Additional Questions a Pet Owner Might Have
1. What should I do if my dog refuses to eat the soft food?
Sometimes dogs are picky or may not feel like eating after surgery. You can try different soft foods, warming the food slightly, or offering it by hand to encourage eating. If your dog still refuses to eat, contact the vet.
2. How do I know if the pain medication is working?
Your dog should seem more comfortable and less restless after taking the medication. If your dog still appears to be in pain, please contact the vet for advice.
3. Is it normal for my dog to drool more than usual?
Yes, some increased drooling can be normal after tooth extraction. However, if the drooling is excessive or continues for more than a few days, call the vet.
4. Can I give my dog treats during the recovery period?
Avoid giving any hard or chewy treats. If you want to give treats, make sure they are soft and easy to chew.
5. What should I do if my dog starts pawing at their mouth?
This can be a sign of discomfort or irritation. Try to gently distract your dog with a toy or activity. If the behavior continues, contact the vet.
6. How can I prevent dental problems in the future?
Regular dental check-ups, brushing your dog's teeth, and providing dental chews can help prevent future issues. Your vet can give you specific advice based on your dog’s needs.
7. Can my dog go outside and play with other dogs?
It's best to keep your dog calm and limit interactions with other dogs until they are fully healed. Monitor any play to ensure it doesn’t get too rough.
8. When can I resume brushing my dog's teeth?
Wait at least 10 days before resuming brushing. Start gently and gradually build up to your normal routine.
9. What should I do if I see something unusual in my dog’s mouth?
If you notice anything that concerns you, such as a lump, severe redness, or unusual discharge, contact the vet for advice.
10. Is it safe to give my dog over-the-counter pain relief?
No, you should only give medications prescribed by the vet. Human medications can be harmful to dogs.
These questions can help ensure that the pet owner feels well-informed and confident in taking care of their dog after the tooth extraction."That’s a great draft, probably near-final. So will AI Robots be replacing veterinarians soon? No, but that’s the wrong question to be asking of generative AI this early. A better question is “as a veterinarian running a clinic, how might I use generative AI to assist me, my staff, and customers?” Creating lists of post-procedure support materials for pet owners would save a lot of time. Drafting FAQs would increase customer satisfaction and likely decrease the amount of follow-up calls needed from worried pet owners. Creating customer-focused, well-written communication for patients may not be the strength of every vet or staff member, and this is an area where generative ai shines. Although the unlicensed diagnosis and treatment instructions aren’t ready for unsupervised use, they could occasionally be a handy consult aid in the right situation, when reviewed by a licensed professional.
Veterinary schools or associations may also look at creating a specifically trained language model specific to veterinary work, adding validated expertise to generative ai’s emerging vision capabilities.