Teeth

[My Crazy Clan]

Hi,

Just a few questions for you all, if you could possibly answer for me, I am having the boys done in January, would like a few pointers and what to expect.

How often do you have the dentist out?

How often do they have to rasp etc

How much is it roughly?

Is it painful for them or are they sedated?

Do you go to your vets or a dentist?

Anything else you can add feel free too.

[vels mum]

Turk is done every 6 months due to the fact he gets really sharp corners which need rasping down, most horses need the dentist once a year. If I remember correctly its around £40. It can be quite exausting for them, Turk often sweats up due to the fact they have to wear a gag to keep mouth open and kind of push against the rasp, I find horses adapt very well getting their teeth done, considering they have a gag and someone rasping their teeth, a horse can quite often enjoy getting their teeth rasped if teeth are sharp, its such a releif for them to get them sorted.

[black crow]

Spud only needs his teeth doing once a year, same for Rowan. Scottie gets done every 6 months

Spud and Rowans are rasped, Scotties are rasped and cleaned

Always used to be £30 for us but we always had many horses done a day, then the same at the last yard, so not sure what the price will be at our new place, but they are due for doing now, so will probably be around £40

If there is no work done, it isnt usually painful, just probably a bit uncomfortable for them at most [i always have mine done with the gag, i dislike them having the coil]
Ive never had mine sedated unless they have needed serious work doing. Most of my horses have never had a problem and it has been over fairly quickly. Sometimes if a lot of work is being done they can get a bit fed up, so its vital to do as your told if your holding the horse. The last thing you want is getting knocked in the face by the gag [ do know someone it happened to!] They can also sweat up, but ive never really had a problem with my own horses having their teeth done. I actually clean my horses teeth every month anyway so they're probably used to it :lol:

I always go to a proper qualified dentist. The cheaper dentists out there are often technicians not fully qualified dentists. You wont get the same standard service. Vets i sometimes find arent that clever with teeth, so i much prefer using a qualified dentist for them

[eeek]

I have to admit last week was the first time I had ever got the dentist out to Vinny in at least 3 years! Possibly his first time ever... Or my old boss may have had somebody out to him years ago, not sure.

Fortunately his teeth were fine, he just needed a few sharp edges dealt with.

The dentist said he will need doing about once a year, but it depends on the horse, its age and its diet. According to the dentist, horses like yours Rhea (ie Native, at grass all year round and not fed many/any concentrates) need doing far less often than a racehorse for example. Also they need doing more often as they get older.

It cost me £40 including travelling costs. That was for a check-up and 'service' (ie routine work, obviously nothing immensely complicated).

It's not painful but more uncomfortable/scary, like clipping or shoeing I suppose. They clamp the horse's mouth open so they don't bite, which must be an odd sensation. Vinny was incredibly well-behaved without sedation or twitch and he just stood there until it was done but it depends on what your horse is like.

Any other questions?

[Tiaki]

Mine get done once per year if they need it (they don't always). Horses will "self trim" their teeth using branches and bark. I make sure all my horses have access to trees and cut branches, which they will grind on.

I use a Equine Dentist and she charges £35 per horse. She's very good, especially with "problem" horses (hence why I use her with my rescues).

I'm not a fan of sedation for anything so unless absolutely necessary i.e. horse, handler or dentist in danger, then I don't sedate.

xxx

[chescar]

Troys get done every 6 months by and equine dentist.

£25 and usually gets rasped and cleaned.

Troy doesn't like it but our dentist is very expereinced and incredibly patient.

Never needed sedating nor have the other 18 horses on our yard.

[CDR]

Bailey is getting his done on Friday! His previous owner didn't bother at all so I'm expecting them to be rather overgrown!!

[CityLights]

How often do you have the dentist out?
teeth should be checked at least annually, things that have problems with the teeth or coformational faults with teeth should be every six months, older horses also may need seeing more often and if your having a problem whilst riding its a good idea to have it checked out

The Denstisit we have is £35, he is the only and highest qualified in the area, the vet is £15 but there there maybe doping and call out on top of that, our dentist we use is amazing though the vet did one horse and had to dope twice he did it without help calmly and easily with no drugs involved


Dentists ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DOPE OR ADMINISTER OR PESCRIBE DRUGS! some may tell you otherwise but they are not allowed to the only people that are allowed to especailly IV are vets there are also some precdures that vets have to do and some that require sedation in that case for moneys sake getting a vet out is cheaper

I have always in the past used to vet but our vets do have some that are trained highly in dentistry as well, if your looking into desntist you want a i thhink it is BEVA dentist otherwise they arent very qualified or dont have the correct quals,

[vels mum]

A sure sign of a horse needing a dentist is when they drop food when eating.
When I was 'being a teenager tearaway' and left mum solely responsible for Turk he went 10 years without seeing the dentist! Didnt do him any harm but if he had shown signs of having teeth problems im sure mum would have got the dentist out. However this is not good practise and id advise anyine not to leave it this long, but what im saying is if your horses have not seen a dentist in a long time dont beat yourself up about it! x

[Storm]

How often do you have the dentist out?

Approx every year

How often do they have to rasp etc

Most times they'll tidy up at least

How much is it roughly?

£25 most recently - last week

Is it painful for them or are they sedated?

Nope, never sedated

Do you go to your vets or a dentist?

Dentist

[Mobell]

My three are checked every six months.
Two need work each time
One requires sedating (only mild)
Did have a vet but had problems with them not doing it properly so now have an Equine Dentist she says she can probably do my big girl without sedation.
Due again in December and is £25 per horse

[My Crazy Clan]

Thanks for answering, its help a lot.

I am worried about Monty to be honest, he's not nasty, he wouldn't attack anyone but he is clumsy, he legs it from the farrier every time hes a bit of a pansy, so I'm not sure how they will get the gag in his mouth, hes not little and I struggle getting a head collar on him.

Not forgetting Wizz, although he should be easier because he's a lot smaller but having a bad past I don't think its going to be that easy.
I don't like seating but if its better for them I will have to, Can you buy the paste stuff still? Its like a wormer.

BlackCrow - What is a coil? so I know what to look out for.


I'm going to go with Equine Dentist, is there a website like findafarrier?

[Mobell]

Yes there is a registered site just google. You can get Sedalin paste but never used it. My big mare was always injected as her heart rate goes up quite dramatically and she's 27 but she lets down afterwards and so have to be careful how much they give her. Vet gave her too much and she went down hitting her mouth which split her lips. My new lady who is an ED says that with patience she can do most horses.

[black crow]

The coil is simply aas it sounds, a large coil put into the horses mouth without the use of a gag to keep their mouth open. Theyre very rarely used but i know a few people who still want this used on their horse. Im really not a fan of it!

[vels mum]

I have used Sedazine from the vets, for when Vel had to do the overnight journey on the ferry, made him a sleepy boy without any adverse reactions.
Id definately try your boys as they are first but might be useful to have a tube of sedative ready for if they need it. Sedazine looks like a wormer paste and is given the same way.

[coloredred]

I have magic done once a year, always by a dentist rather than vet. I think it cost me £35 this time but i shared call out with others. They don't get sedated unless they are naughty, Magic is always very good to have his teeth done but the dentist takes time to get to know him first.

Forgot to add that you need to get sedaline from a vet, you can't just buy it. I used some for when i clipped Magic although he was still rather alert but it helped a lot.

[chance encounter]

Ive got a photo of Chance having the dentist to show you Rhea will find it and put it up.

We have a proper qualified dentist to do ours and we can either go to our vets or have him at home. If he comes to our home it is £50 each pony and if we go to the vets to have him its £45. I have used him for eight years and would never go to anyone else.

He is very well respected and is totally rushed off his feet.

[chance encounter]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y238/chanceencounter/Chance/SP_A0208.jpg

There you go.

[loubylou]

I had the equine dentist out for the first time last saturday for Uva and Lola

He costs £40 a horse (but we paid £35 as we split with yard)

I would never use anyone else bar him now- he was fantastic! He kept letting the horse rest, and was contstantly reassuring them and really taking his time. He talked me through everything he was doing, and showed me on a real horse skull the teeth and what he was doing (he does lectures and demos) Apparently the horse doesnt feel pain as such in his teeth- well not in the way a human would, and tbh neither of mine seemed bothered once they got used to the sensation!

He is parelli and monty roberts trained on the ground with his own horses, and still attends regular training to keep up to date. Problem is many 'registered' dentists have still only done a few weeks course, and never updated it. I would go by word of mouth- sooooo many people recommended the guy I used, and I can see why- he was fantastic!!

[My Crazy Clan]

How do they go about putting the gag in their mounts? Is it just like a bit? I'm just really petrified that its going to go wrong because I know how much of a wimp Monty is.


Thanks chance, thats rather scary! You not that far from me are you?


Loubylou - I guess he won't come out this far?

[chance encounter]

Im a fair distance from you Rhea although at one point I wasnt as I used to live in Southbourne.

Chance is very nervous of strangers but she knows Ivan well now as he has treated her for eight years. She gets herself into a certain position and stays there. As you can see by the photo BCE isnt even holding onto her so she isnt upset.

I cant praise Ivan enough and we are very very lucky to have him as the ponies dentist. He explains everything to us and has even had us with our hands in our ponies mouth letting us feel things and showing us things in their mouths, lol!!

[Bay Chaos]

How often do you have the dentist out? Annually or more often if horses appear to be having problems. (Use vet though)

How often do they have to rasp etc Every time. Mine uses an electric rasp, much quicker and achieves a better result.

How much is it roughly? £59 per horse including visit, sedation and all treatment if 6 or more are done together.

Is it painful for them or are they sedated? Not painful at all, but always sedated. I really don't think a perfect result can be achieved without sedation, even on a very placid pony like Bridie I wouldn't try without sedation.

Do you go to your vets or a dentist? Vets every time. But my vets are the leading practice in the country when it comes to dentistry. One is an examiner for BEVA and several have completed the Equine Dental technicians course. They also take referral work, so Definately vets!

Just to add Rhea, with your boys, if they are not used to having them done, and haven't had them done for a while, then I really wouldn't even attempt to do it without sedation.

[My Crazy Clan]

Thats Sov/BC, you've really helped.

Bay Chaos - Thank you, What vets do you use? I know your not that far from me are you? I am really worried about not sedation them to be honest but then I've never had a horse sedated apart from Jester being knocked out from gelding that was scary enough.

[lilholley]

Rhea for gelding they use anaesthetic not sedation. sedation just makes them go all droopy and sleepy. I've found that if they get worked up and then the vet decides to sedate then its not as effective, I guess the adrenaline reduces the effect.
My old bird Blossie had terrible teeth (probably not done for years before I had her) so had to be done every 6 months. She also lost two in January. She was always sedated for teeth.
Also to warn you, my vets sometimes used the 'power tools' on Blossie - basically a drill with a rasp attachment. If they have a lot of work to be done this makes it a lot quicker which is better for the horse. It looks a bit scary!

[My Crazy Clan]

See I told you I haven't a clue about sedating:( thanks for the pre warn, Good its not even booked yet and I already feel sick.:sick:

[MyBoyFinn]

Had my first experience with dentist yesterday I too was petrified. None of the horses had to be sedated, none of them were naughty or did anything scary. I hated the noise the rasp made but the horses really wernt that bothered!! We have a four yr old at the yard it was his very first time, he didnt need anything doing but the dentist put the gag thing on him and lightly rasped and he didn't bat an eyelid!!!