Last week Monti got his teeth done for the first time and if was good but the vet had to use a twitch just to calm him down and to prevent sedating him. Then when she checked our Mini Shetland Annies teeth little Annie nearly jumped o over her and reared up, the vet then said that any work carried out on Annie would require sedation.
I would like to avoid using the twitch and sedation but how do I prepare my horses for getting the huge gag put in their mouths and somebody messing about in their mouths?
My gelding is a very nervous, headshy, boy and I ended up having him sedated for his teeth to be done. In the end I just felt that it was kinder for him, the vet managed to do a very thorough job and was able to use an electric rasp, it was over very quickly, he was fine afterwards and suffered no ill effects. The vet advised that when a horse is under sedation it makes their job much easier and is much less stressful for the horse as well. My other gelding and the mare I had previously were fine with the metal gag and never minded having their teeth done at all, it just depends on the horse. I suppose it's just like people being afraid of the dentist, if you can make it easier on your horse then there is no shame in using a sedative.
Hi Nic&Monti,
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I am not sure about this topic, but I am wondering if there are any acupuncture points that are like a sedation?
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Best wishes from Hamburg, Germany
Jasmin
Hi!
Sort of going off track..... but i just want to ask:
How often do horses need their teeth to be checked?
Thanks :)
Charlotte
Gauteng, South Africa
Depending on their mouth conformation and age every 6-12 months - a horse in the prime of life, with a good set of teeth will only need doing every 12 months whereas horse with problems or an older horse may need doing more often. Your vet or equine dentist will be able to advise on the requirements of each particular horse.
Without the use of sedation it makes the job harder if not impossible to do a proper job. With sedation there is less stress because the horse doesn't fight as much. It also depends on the amount of handling and respect the horse has towards humans. The more the horse has been handled the better they behave. I have used an Equine Dentist and without sedation it would be impossible to do proper work. Try removing a retained cap without sedation and it would be about impossible to do. Using sedation is the safest way as long as the person knows what they are doing.
I get my horse's done once a year if over 5 and twice a year under 5. At least once a year for sure usually in the spring. Like emlaw said more often if the horse has problems with their teeth.
Horses can dramatically change after dentistry is done. With all the sharpness and other abnormalities gone they can be much more relaxed without the pain. When the horses are comfortable they give you a 100% back.
A neat book on this whole subject of Equine dentistry is Oral Health In Equidae by Dale Jeffery. You can get it at www.horsedentistry.com
I am all for sedation too in this case. (Not a twitch, which seems cumbersome considering that the vet need free access to the mouth.)
If the horse gets uncomfortable during examination or treatment, it could become very dangerous to both the vet and itself. It's easy enough as it is for the vet to slip with the file and hurt the gums without the horse tossing its head as well. Sedation will give the horse a more relaxed experience and hopefully keep it calmer next time around and create a positive spiral.
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But, to answer the original question - all I can think of is to really teach the horse to stand still under any circumstance with the help of the Dually halter.
But even so, I think that in some cases, a sedation is a good thing.
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That said, my boy has a neurological disorder (Wobbler's disease) which makes him unsteady on his feet when he isn't paying attention, and sedation isn't the smartest thing in his case. Luckily he is able to handle a lot, so when I need to do his teeth, I go to the clinic where they have a narrow stall where he can't move back or forth. That has worked very well, and if we need to sedate him (which we definitely needed to get the canine teeth out!) he can't fall over.
Hi,
I think that this would be a very good question to ask Monty, I would like to see how he prepaires Willing Partners for getting his teeth done :)
Best regards
Mirna
We need to get our horses' teeth done, so I was wondering if anyone knew of a good dentist for horses here in California (we live in Hayward, California).
I would be grateful for any advice.
Camilla-Faye
after having to have BamBam sedated for his first dentist visit and a very large vet bill, I introduced a dog tooth brush and doggy toothpaste into their grooming routine. Putting a small amount of doggy toothpaste not the brush start to brush gently on the lips and let them taste the paste, nice and minty. There is no floride in the doggy toothpaste so it is safe to use. When they open their mouths start to brush their front teeth, then work to the tongue and then further back. the dog toothbrushes are longer than ours is can reach quite a way back, they are quite tough also so it doesn't matter if they bite on the brush. When the dentist comes, let them put their mouth bit in, then do first the dog toothbrush with paste then let the dentist take over. the taste should make it a less stressful time for them
Mel x
Typo Sorry "on the brush"
Never tried that before...
Hi Mel,
What a great "incremental" idea! This way the whole handling becomes part of their routine,
congratulations!
Miriam
very good advice Mel as usual!
I used to play with their tongues & slip my finger into their mouths when they were young, but they needed their teeth doing very soon after i got them & my vet always sedates them for the reasons stated above; i didn't like the idea of sedation as routine, so went back to the dentist i used for my old 2. He's not a vet, so can't sedate, bothy of them were fine, & they get better the more often they've been done; he used to use a hand rasp on them, but now they use electric tools & they were a bit worried the first time, but are ok with it.
I think being sedated the first couple of times meant that they didn't get frightened, so they had no negative memories which has made them relaxed about it being done without.
I do handle their front teeth to get the bits of smelly old grass out from between them & never need a headcollar on them to do so, if they want to move away for a lick & a chew, i let them, then we do the next bit, it's never forced.
Are there any students from California on this uni?
If so, I would be so grateful for any information.
thanks Miriam and Beryl! always looking for ways to make it easier for our horses :D As I know you do too
X
Some vets here in he UK will after a visit give you a sedative either Sedalin or Domecdan (excuse the spelling if incorrect), they come in a tube like a wormer so you can give the prescribed dose, the latter being stronger. We have 3 mares here that need sedation & it makes life soo much easier, the dentist can do a good job the horses are less stressed, 2 will need it every time the other is new to us so just to be on the safe side as she'd never been done before. Why did your vet twitch instead of giving a light sedation that to me would seem wrong, with access needed into the teeth unless he twitched the ear which are mega sensitive. My dentist is wonderful he trained in the States, does a bit of work then releases the gag so the horse has a rest then opens the mouth & does a bit more, some dentists/vets leave them with their mouths open. Mel's idea is good I'd never thought of that, will try it with the awkward 2, they have a habit of standing on end if they don't like something.
Yes, I like the toothbrush idea too, will try it. I spoke to a local vet about using a twitch (she used it as well as sedation for a standing castration). I asked her why (I hate the damn things) She said "It's an extra safety precaution and it releases enodorphins". "But", I replied, "Are the endorphins not released as a response to induced pain?" She conceded this was true. It is often an excuse given when using a twitch that it releases endorphins but we have to remember that it is only half the story. Pain first, then endorphins. If we cannot desensitise or it is an emergency then sedation is a reasonable option in my opinion - I have yet to see a valid and reasonable use for a twitch.
Quite agree Vicci, twitches are horrible things, sedation is a much better option, although sometimes horses can react violently under sedation, so care & safety needs attention at all times when we're doing things to them they don't like.
Mel it is Funny you mention Teeth Brushing to get them used to mouth work. My Joey started rubbing his teeth on the hard bristle brush when he was learning to except brush his body. Joey bushed his front teeth every time we held up a clean hard bristle brush for about a year.