Teeth - has anyones dentist cut the horses mouth?

Mary Poppins

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Oct 10, 2004
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Today Ben had his annual health check and vacs which included his teeth.

I have had his teeth done 3 times since I have had him and he was fine every time, he didn't need any sedation and even seemed to enjoy it. Today, a different vet came out and he didn't like her from the start (or maybe I didn't like her and Ben picked up on it). She had trouble getting the gag in and he retreated to the end of his stable. He then started throwing his head around a little (and it only was a little), so the vet sedated him. She tried to rasp again, and said that his teeth were sharp which is why he didn't like it. As Ben could still move his head (although very slightly), she sedated him again.

At the end I had one very dopy horse who took 3 hours to come round properly. He also had blood coming from his mouth were she had accidentally cut him.

I realise that horses teeth must be difficult to tend to, but I am dissapointed that she needed to sedate him at all, and I am horrified that she cut his mouth.

Does this sound like a normal occurrence? Are horses normally sedated for their teeth, and how seriously do they need to be misbehaving for it to happen? I know that I see nothing but good in Ben and I don't think that it was necessary. It was horrible waiting for 3 hours for him to come round. He looked like he was going to collapse while sedated as he could hardly stand up. How often do horses get their mouths cut while having their teeth done?
 
The rasps are so flippin' sharp that it's not that rre to get a bit of blood, and mouths are very, very vascular and do bleed a lot.

I wouldn't be overly worried.
 
Personally I've never seen a horse bleed badly after the dentist except after an extraction. I know a couple of horses who need sedated for the dentist but most I know don't, even Rubic who isn't very trusting of strangers doesn't need sedated.

I have heard stories similar to this when people have had vets do their horses teeth. I'm not saying all vets are like that and will cause problems but if you have used a good vet previously I would only request them next time. I use an EDT and have only heard good things about him and I'm really happy with how he treats my horse. What I'm saying is - listen to Ben, clearly he didn't like that vet, I wouldn't be getting her out again :wink:

I hope he is back to his normal self soon MP :frown: it is horrible to see them like that especially when things have been stressful and not gone quite to plan.
 
The rasps are so flippin' sharp that it's not that rre to get a bit of blood, and mouths are very, very vascular and do bleed a lot.

I wouldn't be overly worried.

Thanks for that. It was just so horrible seeing blood dripping down from his mouth. I am now wondering how sore his mouth is where he was cut. I don't even know exactly where it happened.
 
The good things about mouths is because they are so vascular they heal quickly too.
 
I have to say I have never had a horse actually drip blood from the mouth after rasping. But as Wally says, those rasps are lethal so no wonder it sometimes happens.

After very bad experience with an EDT barely doing damn all to Dolly on several occasions, leaving her with extremely sharp and painful teeth, I now just use my vet to do Dolly. The difference in her mouth and acceptance of the bit since changing is remarkable.

My vet never used to sedate any of mine, but now he does. Main reason being, according to him, there are now some 'elf and safety issues and Ireland being second only to America in grabbing any opportunity to sue the pants of anybody and everybody, the risk of that metal gag flying about over peoples heads as the horse threw a wobbly, was too much of an accident waiting to happen.
 
Buffy sometimes bleds a little after having her teeth done, she also thrashes her head around being the bolshy madam she is! :redface:

Those gags are realllly sharp, last time I was trying to hold her still the gag caught my hand and it sliced my fingers open a:) Blood was literally dripping all over the floor....blurrrgggh! My fault really I shoudnt of had my hand so close...

Anyway don't worry too much, he will be back to normal tomorrow! :smile:
 
Maybe she has been boshed over the head by a gagged horse before?

Hope you get your usual person next time, I didn't enjoy watching someone my horse took a disliking to try to do my boys teeth! But now I have a new lovely vet who does it and he gets sedated just to keep it less stressful for him
 
My vet never used to sedate any of mine, but now he does. Main reason being, according to him, there are now some 'elf and safety issues and Ireland being second only to America in grabbing any opportunity to sue the pants of anybody and everybody, the risk of that metal gag flying about over peoples heads as the horse threw a wobbly, was too much of an accident waiting to happen.

Actually, you have a good point there. The vet kept asking me to hold the gag because she didn't want Ben to hit me in the face with it. She also kept asking me to put my hand around his nose and hold it down, but he hates having his head touched like this and I think that was probably what he was objecting to more than the rasp.
 
Kev wouldn't let the EDT anywhere near him, so had to be sedated. However having watched the rest of the yard being done after him I am quite glad he did, it meant the EDT was able to get in there properly. For those who weren't sedated it wasn't particularly easy for the EDT while they were fidgetting and chucking their heads around, and more often than not the EDT finished with a 'right, I think he has had enough now, let's give up'....rather than having a good feel around Kev's mouth and making sure he had done a thorough job.
 
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