LOTS of dental work done

[MiniHoofBeats]

I had my vet out for just a regular check on one of my mares teeth today, she had just a slight overbite started and part of her top teeth were growing a lip/ledge over the bottom teeth, maybe 1/8" or less nothing big. I told them that I was told she was floated back in February before I got her and my vet laughed and said she has YEARS and YEARS of growth, caps, hooks, and really bad ramps on her lower back molars that extend all the way to her top gums! My vet just sat there and said "oh...my...god..." over and over as she looked around in there...ohhh was I embarrassed, but so thankful that I had her come out! She proceeded to get in there and scrape around, eventually she had to get the power drill out because the scraper just wasn't enough. GOSH I felt, and still feel, so horrible for my mare!!! She was heavily sedated since she is a really high strung type but she still got enough strength to slowly try pulling herself back and away from the loud drill. I can't imagine what she was thinking. We finally had to stop after about 20 minutes, the vet said she will need to come out a second time, her teeth are SO bad they need to come a second time around to finish grinding them down. Ohhh I feel so bad for her! She would have had a nice, perfectly flat bite if her teeth would have been kept up but they were just very sharp, pointy, some worn up some worn down...I mean, she still has a perfect bite but see, I knew she was chewing funny for the last month or so but I didn't think twice about it because I was told she had been floated before I picked her up and just looking at her front teeth, her bite is perfect! I had no thoughts of looking at what else was in there...(p.s. no hard feelings to this mares previous owner, I know you'll be reading this! This is not an anger rant or anything, I just had to share my experience!) I tell you...this made me want to stay away from MY dentist even more!!

So, things are looking good for her, the poor thing was still pretty sedated when I had to get back to work. I walked her into some shade in a pasture by herself and she just stood there, lips drooling just above the ground. She was just able to lift her head and look at me as I was walking away but wowzer...I wonder how her mouth is going to feel for supper time?

Anyone else go through this kind of extreme dental work?

 

[HGFarm]

You know, I have had some in the past that had quite a bit of dental work done, and it didnt phase them one bit when it came to dinner time, LOL

Poor thing- I can tell you from the sounds of it, that horse was NOT done by a dentist this year, nor last year, or...... You will be very surprized how quickly though they come around and things straighten right back out if they are supposed to be.

The ridges on the bite in the front that you were describing on the front wears down and then keeps the bite from being straight. That goes hand in hand with hooks in the back, etc... You may be quite pleased with what you see in a couple of months once the teeth are biting straight and flat again!! :bgrin

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

Thanks, I sure hope so! This mare is something very special to me, she has a permenant residence here and it was upsetting to learn about her teeth but again, I am just so glad the vet was out and able to start some work today =)

I am just waiting for the mare to hate my guts when I get home though...lol...wrestling her to get her halter on, sedating her, grinding on her bone structure for a while and then ditching her...I really feel bad about that part but I had to get back to work and I know she'll do just fine but wooowww if she doesn't hate me tonight well...i'll be happy lol!

 

[Loess Hills]

We have a 24-year old mare we bought three years ago. Last year we had the vet float her teeth, both in the spring and the fall. She had some sharp hooks, some broken teeth which had to be pulled, and misalignment. She'd never had her teeth done, and as you describe, her front bite was perfect!

I was really worried because of her age, but she recovered quickly, and we'll have her teeth floated every year just to keep up the "maintenance".

I'm sure your mare will forgive you........because it will be much easier for her to eat and digest her food.

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

Well I already feel better, got home and sat out there with some treats and amazingly, it seems as if she has a whole new appreciation for me of some sort? She stuck right by me and let me pet her all over, even hold her muzzle in my palms which I was afraid she wouldn't let me do since the vet had to twitch her with her hand to hold her still for her sedation shot. The whole thing I think was more traumatizing for me than her LOL! She is already back to her sweet self =)

My vet called their professional equine dentist, he'll be in the area next week or the first week of July and he's going to come work down her ramps on her lower back teeth. I still can't shake the vet saying they could soon easily be scraping/cutting into her upper gums if they aren't already. Well, i'm just glad someone knows how to fix teeth lol! I sure don't!

 

[CyndiD]

I have had some extensive work done before, an older mare that NEVER saw a dentist before....but Carl Mitz...(Bless him)...got her done with a lot of work...and without sedation.

Right after he was done she was out in the back paddock looking for her supper....

Wish MY OWN dentist were so good....

: ....

 

[HGFarm]

Hahaha, no kidding Cyndi! Carl is the best, isnt he?! It looks and sounds horrible when they are working on them, but they really do quite well.

 

[Matt73]

I just had my new boy and two girls done. The old owner of one of my girls said, ..."every ten years" when I posed the question of how often they have their horses teeth floated. So I was really scared of what they would find even though I only felt a few sharp hooks. I was lucky; all just required a normal float. My two year old filly didn't eat much the next day (she and my stallion had to be sedated). I was worried. All were back to normal after a day or two.

That sucks that what is wrong with your mare could have been corrected more easily earlier on. Good for you for getting it taken care of now, though.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Just a word of caution.

Rabbit had never had his teeth floated in his life- the Dentist who came to do my horses was the very first one who would do Minis (trained in America) I had ever found.

Obviously Rabbit needed a lot of work done as he has always ground hos teeth.

I did attempt to impress on Giles just how old the horse was but it obviously did not sink in as he ground his teeth down flat.

Rabbit was 25 at the time and his teeth have never grown- consequently he can no longer eat hay or grass.

He would have been better off with a minimum of dental care just to even them out a bit- after all he was fat and happy- the teeth were not preventing him eating or grazing and I was just having a routine check of all the horses done.

NEVER again will I allow anyone, qualified or otherwise, free rein in an old horses mouth!!!

 

[HGFarm]

Oh Jane, what a shame about Rabbit. Doesnt sound like the guy knew his business totally after all- maybe just lack of experience at that time? My old mare just got a floating to keep the points and all knocked off as her teeth were already at a minimum for use.

We use Carl, and he's the best IMO. He's had so many years of experience, but he also has common sense with it and KNOWS horses and Minis and how things function.

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

I wish Carl had a schedule up of what states he was in and when...lol...I sure wouldn't mind him stopping by here to finish off my girls ramps, they are horribly tall and i'm worried for her gums getting ground or something. The equine dentist scheduled to see her for her second time around is a more experienced one but I think on large horses in particular...

 

[Mnmini]

Don't know who you use for a dentist, but suspect the same guy I use would be available to you. Dr. Bowman is the race track vet during the race season at the track in Minneapolis. Think he also does tracks in IL, and IA too. He has a mobile dental lab and goes from barn to barn whenever he can get away from the track.

He's been very good with my horses, both full size and mini. Think he started off giving my minis like 1/2 cc of tranq, which put him very loopy. This last time, he drew up the tranq, then shot out everything but what was in the needle alone. That worked out about right. He equated it to waving the tranq at him, lol!