Worrisome wolf teeth
Q I have startedlightly backing my youngster and I’m concerned that her wolf teeth may be getting in the way. Do I need to book her in for surgery?
Mike says: Removing wolf teeth is a quick and relatively straightforward surgery that can be done on the yard as part of a routine dental check. The horse does have to be sedated for this and local anaesthetic is used — general anaesthetic isn’t required. The gums are highly vascularised, which means that they have lots of blood vessels, and so bleeding is normal. If you are worried about that then let your vet know and consider asking your yard manager or a friend to hold your horse for you — nobody wants two patients!
Usually, if they have been uncomfortable, the horse will wake up and you will immediately notice an improvement. Recovery usually takes about a week, so refrain from bitting her until after this period, but always consult your vet on individual cases.
Rest and recovery may be needed after treatment
Q Myhorse received a visit from an equine dental technician the other day and the appointment lasted quite a long time. My gelding was wearing the gag the whole time. Would this have hurt him?
Mike says: If your horse has had a lot of work done and his mouth has been open with the gag on for a long time as you have said then you might want to give him the rest of the day and even the following day off work as he might be feeling sore. Some horses are fine, especially if they have regular examinations and just require a light rasp, but others are more sensitive. For longer appointments the expert will often stop and close the gag to give the horse’s mouth a rest.
The benefits of using sedation during a dental examination
Q Isit worthwhile having my horse sedated for his dental appointment? He stands nicely for most of it, but can get a bit fidgety after some time has elapsed.
Mike says: While sedation isn’t necessarily required for a routine dental check, sedating a horse has lots of benefits.
It is safer for the owner or handler, the horse and the dentist or vet who is performing the check. It also provides pain relief so that the horse will be more comfortable during the check. As for the dental process itself, the vet can undertake a more thorough mirror examination and accurate rasp when the horse is sedated as he will stand still and not fidget. This means that routine checks where no complications are encountered are more swift. Without sedation it is easy for things to be missed, especially if the horse is fidgeting, moving his head around, or getting his tongue in
