Floating horse's teeth question.?

i started half leasing a horse and his owner wants me to be with him when he gets it done.





what is it like and how does your horse react?

Floating horse's teeth question.?
Most vets use power tools to float the teeth. Because of the noise, plus the action in the horse's mouth, the horse normally needs to be sedated.


Typically you lead the horse into a narrow squeeze or chute, which has four sides so the horse is in a small contained area. The vet gives the horse a shot into their jugular vein which quickly sedates them. They do not collapse but remain standing, they can move but they are very lethartic and much less reactive than normal. Then the vet opens their mouth and puts in a spectum which basically is a big metal tool which holds their mouth open so he can see inside and work. He will use a special loop to keep the horse's head slightly elevated and not so wiggly, you don't want the horse raising and lowering their head during the proceedure. Then the vet feels in the mouth plus looks carefully. He decides where any sharp areas are. He uses a power float, which looks an awful lot like an electric grinder, and files down any sharp areas. Most vets grind for 20-30 seconds, stop and feel, then grind again. They may have to extract a broken tooth, remove wolf teeth or other stuff, they should be willing to show you exactly what your horse needs and why. They may use a syring full of water (no needle) and rinse debris out of the horse's mouth at points in time. The entire proceedure can take 10-15 minutes on average if its just filing that is required, more if the horse hasn't been done for a while.


When the vet is finished he will take the spectrum out, losen the horse's head and you can slowly back the horse out of the stocks. You will need to wait for half an hour or so before loading your horse back into the trailer as they are too uncoordinated and dopey to walk or stand well in a moving vehicle.


Most horses are not sore, or have minimal soreness the next day if you have a good vet, and didn't have teeth extracted. OBviously, any tooth that is pulled is going to be sore, some vets will suggest Bute or Banamine for a day.


Most horses are cooperative and fine to have their teeth done. The hardest part for the horse is getting the IV push sedation, and if it is done by an experienced vet, and while the horse is in the stocks, it only takes a few seconds and its over. Plus the medication has an effect which seems to take away the horse's memory of the episode (we know that normally happens with people who have similiar medications, they may seem awake and even move during proceedures but they don't remember things) so most horse are not freaked out and worried the next time they come back to the vet's place.


Good luck.
Reply:The horse is typically doped up while it is going on. The worst part is the sound of the teeth being filed down. Otherwise it is pretty uneventful.
Reply:Kicking Bear is right. All the ones I've seen just pretty much stand there all droopy and drugged up and don't do much of anything excpet blink. The sound is awful, but not horrible if that makes much sense. It's pretty much just like someone taking a huge file to a tile block.
Reply:Yes, your horse will have to be sedated somewhat. He will have to have a clamp like device that holds his mouth open so your vet can file down the teeth.


Horses are grinders. The top jaw grinds down on the bottom to grind up their food. This can make sharp ridges on the outsides of the teeth. This is what they are filing down. They also can cut down or remove the wolf teeth. If you horse still has them.. or has every got them. Some don't.


Every horse is different, but with some happy drugs.. your horse will do just fine.


It's kind of fun to watch, and if you don't know what your vet is doing..


Ask questions, they will be happy to tell you what they are doing. It's fun to learn.


Have a great day!
Reply:alot of horses just stand still but some may need to be sedated while having their teeth floated. basically what they do is saw down the teeth and make them smooth, because in any equine species their teeth over time will get a sharp edge to them and that bothers them by poking into their gums right where the bit sets, which can sometimes cause bad behavior because the bit area is sore (thats why most people have their "wolf" teeth removed also). not having their teeth floated can make eating hard for them because their teeth are poking thier gum. so they dont get all of their feed, which turns into less nutrients and weight loss





I really hope i helped, here is a diagram of what the horses teeth will look like when it is time for it to floated. it may be a good experience for you to go through with the horse, if you have never seen it done.





http://www.whmentors.org/hpic/teeth2.jpg
Reply:My filly was never sedated, neither was my first horse. The one dentist I had just stuck the file (I've never had any power tools near my horses mouth and haven't heard of this) in the horses' mouths and went to work. Other dentist put on the brace that keeps the mouth open and prevents the person from being bitten accidentally.





Sedation is sometimes used for all horses, by a dentist, as a precaution. Some dentists do a case by case basis.





My old man would hit a point where he didn't want his teeth messed with anymore and would raise his head and back up around the stall or round pen for a while, then calm down.





My filly would always get this confused look on her face like she didn't know what was going on.





My mare - is pretty good, but she's a bit crazy and people tend to get scared of her, so lately she's been sedated.





EDIT: I have NEVER heard of power floating - but I know horse dentists are not common everywhere. Is this something that only vets do or what?
Reply:its not bad.


if you have a choice in the matter, which being leaseee, I bet you don't, I really suggest manual floating over the power float.


Manual is done with a hand file. It looks a little more garring for the horse, but its safer than the powerfloat. The power float is the same instrument, hooked up to a motor, like a hand saw or a drill. It takes less time and LOOKS better, but its not exactly as safe because its too easy to take off too much! Its like the difference between filing your nails with a hand file and a battery-powered one.





anyway, all in all, the horse doesn't feel much. And with floated teeth he'll be able to eat better and more comfortably. Just give your pony some pats while they're at it and let him know its ok.
Reply:Most horses are somwhat sedated, I never have mine sedated though... They don't mind it at all, and my dentist doesn't do it unless he has to. It's not really anything to get worried about, if your leased horse has had it done previously I'm sure he'll be fine.
Reply:Not really much happens. They drug them up, prop them against a wall and go at it. By the time I got to the stable the vet was already pretty much done.
Reply:they sedate the horse and never no what's goin on. floated my arabs teeth once...it was so funny! she was droolin all over the place. my dad has a gelding that's really needed his teeth done a while ago but my dad doesn't understand the importance of it.





yeah if yer horse needs it's teeth done...do it as soon as possible. yer horse will be able to eat better and the sharp teeth won't be cutting the cheeks any more.
Reply:My horses just got their teeth floated this past Saturday. The dentist I use is on the board of certified equine dentists and only uses power tools if he absolutely has to and then the horse is mildly sedated. Neither of my horses were sedated. Dentists who use power tools instead of hand floating are only interested in getting as many horses done in one day as they can so that they can make more money.
Reply:They do not necessarily have to be drugged. Neither of my mares has ever been drugged when they have had their teeth floated.





What happens is the vet (or whoever) grabs their tongue yanks it to one side of their mouth, so they can't close their mouth, holds onto the tonge and proceeds to place a small, square file on the teeth. Sometimes they have to knock out teeth so there is some blood and they are usually drugged....usually involving wolf teeth. Mostly though it is just filing and if the horse tolerates it rather well drugged or not. It is a fairly quick procedure.
Reply:very quite affair if you have the correct vet or equine dentist. my equine dentist sedates the uses a prop for them to lean on and uses air tools to grind the teeth down. Horse gets a good nap!
Reply:.


Many people who deal with equines in their lives have experienced floating teeth at some point or another. The term “floating teeth” sounds a bit strange to people who are not familiar with equine dentistry, and although it conjures up a bizarre image of teeth floating around in mid air, it is actually an important part of dental care for horses. When a horse's teeth are floated, a veterinarian or equine dentist uses a specialized dental rasp, also called a float, to file down the teeth so that they are even. Floating teeth is necessary for most domestic horses at least every couple of years, and horse owners should give their animals regular checkups to ensure that their teeth are healthy, even, and not painful.





Unlike human teeth, horse teeth grow throughout their lives. This is because in the wild, horses eat a wide variety of fodder, some of which contains abrasive substances like silicates which wear down the teeth. When a horse eats normally, grinding food between the back teeth, the abrasives wear the teeth down, keeping them even and smooth. However, when a horse eats a softer diet, like one containing a lot of alfalfa and grains, the teeth do not wear evenly, and they can form sharp, painful points. Floating teeth is necessary at this point to eliminate the sharp edges.





A horse with teeth in need of floating tends to be very mouth shy, because the sharp teeth are cutting into the horse's cheeks and causing pain. The horse may also have difficulty eating, start dropping food from its mouth, not be able to chew properly, begin losing weight, salivate a lot, and pass unchewed food through its digestive system. In extreme cases, the horse's mouth may start bleeding, indicating the need for an immediate dental appointment. Floating teeth will restore the horse's normal attitude, as well as improving its health and mental well being.





A specialized halter is used for floating teeth to pull the horse's head up and secure it. Many horses are also lightly sedated for the procedure. If the veterinarian is using a traditional rasp for floating teeth, he or she will file gently away at the teeth to smooth them down and remove rough patches. Some veterinarians prefer to use power tools for floating teeth, which must be used cautiously so that too much is not filed away. It is also important that the teeth do not become excessively smooth, as this will also cause problems with eating and digestion.
Reply:If you have an equine dentist or verinarian floating, it's easy.


They have a halter to put on the horse. It ratchets the mouth open so they can reach the teeth, and then they file down the sharp spots on the teeth with a dental float, alot like filing your nails. If your horse is unruly, they may want to give it a mild sedative to calm them. If your vet or dentist ask for that, allow it! Safety is always very important for the people and the horse. You will probably have to hold your horse with a lead rope attached to the halter.
Reply:Your horse will likely be sedated. Then a device is used to hold the mouth open while the teeth are filed down. Don't be alarmed if you see some blood--this is normal.


I would recomment using someone who specializes in equine dentistry....sometimes vets don't do the best job.