# Anyone ever had a horse have a tooth out?



## pollymania (11 July 2010)

My driving pony has had a cracked tooth for some time which caused no problems, but he started quidding and the vet has looked and the tooth has a huge hole in it, so thinks it has to come out. I am waiting for him to ring around and refer us to somewhere it can be done. 
Anyone had any experiences, any recommendations where to have it done, cost (he isn't insured ) We are in the Midlands  He is 19yrs old and otherwise in good health, it doesnt appear infected and he is eating fine apart from a little quidding with hay.


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## asmp (11 July 2010)

Where is the tooth?  There was a thread on this not long ago.  If the tooth is high up in the jaw it is a lot more of a problem.  My horse had to have a high up one out due to it being cracked.  As my insurance would only pay half (as they said it could have been like it when I bought him), my vet took it out under local anesthetic.  It took him over 5 hours and the bill came to £1500 (but it was an expensive vet!).  The big plus about doing it via a local is that the recovery is a lot quicker.


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## pollymania (11 July 2010)

Its in the top jaw, towards the back, I think its the second one from the back. 
Thanks, I have heard all sorts of horror stories about problems with sinuses, them having to go in externally etc so its nice to hear of one that went well!


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## Capriole (11 July 2010)

yes mine had several molars out.
through the mouth, not externally, but it was still pretty gruesome.
it cost an arm and a leg


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## WelshMisfit (11 July 2010)

Neither of mine have had to have a tooth out, but during our dentist's last visit, one of the other girl's eldery pony had a rotten tooth, and he took it out there and then. No extra cost, just part of his routine work. £35.....job done!


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## Opie (11 July 2010)

My mare fractured her molar, second one back upper left jaw. The vet extracted it there and then but was unable to remove the totality of the root so she was referred to the university hopsital. The rest of the root was removed bar a small slither which they felt would involve too much gouging and as the nerves were all removed they did not feel would cause her further concern. As part of the univeristy training of students she was examined and used as a case study, so we had to take her every six months for rasping as once a tooth is extracted its partner below is no longer able to grind and be worn down so rasping every six months is essential. 

That was 10 years ago and it cost £800 if I remember rightly. Ten years on the molar next to it now has a cavity and she has a root abscess which is being treated supressed with antibiotics until we get a heartbeat scan on her pregnancy and then it too will be removed. The decay in this tooth has been caused by accumulation of forrage from the space in her mouth where the other molar once was.

It's very important to have your horses tooth extracted as it is likely to lead to eventual root abscesses as decay sets in and if that happens and infection spreads into the jaw or sinuses you could be looking at serious complications, major surgery and bill that sores into the thousands as they may have to bore a hole into the horses face to flush the infection. I have a friend that is going through this at the moment with her horse and its not looking good, after months of treatment and thousands of pounds he may yet need to be euthenised as he is very poorly.


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## VictoriaEDT (11 July 2010)

Depends on that age of the horse and the location of the tooth. Young horses have v long reserve crown (up to 5" ish) where as a 35 year olds teeth are usually at the end of their life and will come out using your fingers.

Either way it sounds like a molar with a midline sagittal fracture which has split the tooth allowing feed to become impacted in the cavity and this will cause a lot of discomfort and lead to a possible root infection and abcess. So basically the tooth needs to come out asap!


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## Zirach (12 July 2010)

Hi, my boy had to have his upper molar (third from back I think) removed. He had to have it removed by replusion, where they bascially drill through the nose to punch it out from underneath under GA. Cost a fortune and he does need a second op as the seal they put in the hole where the tooth was failed.
It sounds horrific but it wasnt really all that bad and it was unbelievable how the scar was barely noticable after a couple of months and my boy was bright as a button after the op. 

However my friend's horse had the same tooth removed but they were able to go in through the mouth the remove and pull out under sedation. My boy had to have the replusion option as the tooth had worn down to the gum line (he is 15) you will probably be able to have it done through the mouth so fret not.

As you dont have any infection (mine had a tooth abcess) you will probably be able to get away with a qualified dentist/vet being able to do for you under sedation. I hope all goes well


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## pollymania (12 July 2010)

Thanks for sharing your experiences, its all arranged now, he is going into horspital tomorrow to have the tooth removed under local and sedation on wednesday.


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## hellybelly6 (13 July 2010)

My horse has had 3 teeth out, 2 were splintered when he was kicked in the mouth and the fragments removed under sedation.

Somehow, last year, he cracked a molar and did not have any symptoms.  it was the EDT who discovered this.  My horse went to horsepital and had x-rays and the tooth was so badly fractured, that it had to be knocked out through a hole in his sinus so the tooth fell out into his mouth.  I was warned that he might have facial nerve damage and thank goodness he didnt.  I was warned he may have sinus infection.  Antibitoics cleared this up, but he is now having his 4th infection and is going to the horsepital next week for scoping and possible sinus wash.

it really is important that these fractured teeth are dealt with as they can cause infection and pain to your horse.

Oh and my horse sustained a slab fracture to another tooth and has half the tooth left which is monitored on a regular basis.  My advice is, look after your horse's teeth.  i think that horses teeth are like peoples, some have great strong teeth and others dont.

I hope all goes well for your and your horse.


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## Cherico87 (13 July 2010)

My old horse had to have a tooth removed... turns out this was the reason why he was so inconsistent jumping too!! 

Started off when my horse smashed his head on the top of his stable door when i went to put his headcollar on - was like a headshy reaction even though he was never headshy. Vet came out in an emergency etc etc painkillers - one hell of a headache blah blah blah. - Vet told me to keep an eye on him and call if anything changes.

Few days later horrible puss started running out of his nose - smelt like something had died up there. Vet came out again, said there was an infection and due to him hitting his head, wanted him at the surgery asap incase of skull fractures etc.

Turns out the reason he hit his head, was he had an abcess form at the root of a broken tooth at the back of his top law, this had burst at that unfortunate moment and meant he reacted by nearly fracturing his skull.

My vet enlisted the help of the dentist and have several meetings on how exactly to remove the tooth - big 17.1 ISH and the tooth was the 2nd from back - not easy to get to! They practised by knocking a hole into a demonstration skull (which my dentist still uses!) to make sure they went through his head in the right place. 

Long story short, they knocked a hole through his cheek to remove the tooth. Took a few hours and he had a sever infection and sinusitus. Was in the vets for 3 1/2 weeks and the total bill was just under £7k - luckily the insurance paid for £5k!! 

His scar healed so you could barely notice it - he was Dun too - in the summer if you looked closely you could see a horseshoe shaped scar on his face. Once healed and back in work he was a different horse - the vet warned me he may become a handful - rising 5 y/o and been in pain for a while (the infection in the tooth was so bad they couldnt tell when it may have cracked) so he may liven up a bit! Turns out he was the same old dopey sod - just proved that he was the jumper i had bought as i went on to continuous clears and wins ODE. 

Hope your horse is ok - trust your vet, they know what they are doing


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## miskettie (13 July 2010)

My old girl has had two teeth out and both very differently.

The first one was with a vet.  She had to go in and be sedated.  I was lucky enough to be allowed to watch - though if you are squeemish about blood then a recommend that you don't watch.  As if you think how much a human bleeds when tooth removed and then think about a horse!

Anyway back to the story.  She was absolutley fine and recovered very quickly.  I think it was under £1000 but can't remember price.  I think it was closer to £500, but really not sure.  

Then a few months ago had out dentist out and he said that she had a wobbly tooth and suggested vet again.  Then he said "hang on maybe I might be able to..." and then he pulled it out...no blood or anything but I think that was a special case.

Hope your horse is ok.

And just for those that are interested, this was the first tooth from my little 14.2


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## Gucci_b (13 July 2010)

My mare also fractured her molar in 2008, second one back upper left jaw. She was sent to Liphook Equine Hospital for 3 days, She was heavily sedated and took the Vet 3/4 hours to extract the whole tooth (clever vet). There was no problems, thankfully and the extracted tooth hole had to be stitched & stapled and packed and checked regular by the vet after she left Liphook, while i had to flush her mouth out with water 2/3 times a day. She was on pain killers for 5 days with box rest and in hand grazing for 7 days. My Insurance paid the bill of £1,400 bar the livery and excess


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## Louby (13 July 2010)

My horse had his 3rd upper cheek tooth (molar) out when he was 4. He had a nasal discharge for months and at first xrays were inconclusive,  My vet sent the xrays to Edinburgh Uni for a second opinion and they agreed it was fractured and should come out. My the vet tried to do it under heavy sedation but it cracked and he had to have a GA and a flap of his face removed and it was knocked from the outside in.  He looked like frankenstein afterwards with about 100 staples.  Vet said if he was older chances were it would have come out under sedation.  My total bill exceeded £5000 as he had further problems.  Thankfully he was insured.  I hope all goes well with your horse.


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## pollymania (16 July 2010)

Just an update on this,  tooth was extracted at the Equine hospital 2 days ago, it took an hour and a half. X ray revealed nothing left behind, the hole was packed and has to be repacked regularly for the next 10 days, he was feeling very sorry for himself the day after but today he is much more his normal self and is eating quite well. He is supposed to be eating mushy food but he hates wet food! I have been to see him each day and take him out for a pick of grass and he was very keen today.  He is coming home tomorrow all being well. He will be on antibiotics and Danilon for a further fortnight but nothings been said about box rest. So far so good. 
Thanks to Poole House Equine clinic, they are brilliant.


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