Horse dentistry?

My horse needs his teeth doing, I'm booking a visit but I'm wondering what to expect.


He has hooks on this front top molars ( hence the call ) so I was thinking what do they do with these - do they file them off or would they have to cut them and is it likely that he would have to be sedated ?


He's 13 and I have had him for a couple of years but don't know when he last had his teeth seen to.

Horse dentistry?
Horses ideally need their teeth checking every year. My equine dentist is very good and works nice and calmly around my horses. I think your dentist will file off the hooks. If there are very large two visits will be necessary. My dentist has never had to sedate a horse so it is more than likely your horse won't need sedating. My dentist tells me that most horses she deals with are very good and accept quite calmly what is happening to them.
Reply:His teeth will be rasped down...where I live my vet always sedates them; ask your vet to provide a bit seat for your horse. Will allow the bit to rest more comfortably in your horse's mouth and the bit won't "bang" against the most forward molars.....
Reply:get te dentist out AT LEAST every year!!!
Reply:When you get your horses teeth done(great to hear you doing that), make sure you are getting an experienced individual - this will make the whole experience a smooth, easy one. A horses teeth are very important! Just think, if the horse you're riding has a sore tooth, how well is he going to be able to listen to your guidance as a rider through the bit? Horses can't talk in human language, but they do have their own language and we as horse owners must learn to listen in that language. But I digress!





Depending on the equine professional doing your horses dentistry and the extent that the horses teeth are out of shape, not to mention the horses actual temperament - your horse may be sedated. This isn't a big deal if done correctly.





Next, the equine dentist(there ARE people who do just that) will determine the areas of your horses teeth that she/he needs to concentrate on when they work. Quite often a contraption to hold the mouth open will be used, and then a set of files will used to bring the horses teeth back to the proper length.





If their are any extra problems that are found when doing the work, further steps will be determined for you to take (i.e. teeth pulling, medications, etc) Most cases are just routine maintenance though and more than likely you will not deal with that end.
Reply:Most likely the dentist will just rasp it down..ours will not use a sedative unless absolutely necessary..and it's very interesting that most horses actually won't need it...I used to work at a 20-horse barn and when she would come out less than 25% of the horses ever needed to be sedated. I was amazed!


Also, you should really have the dentist out at least once a year, if nothing else to check them. Sometimes their molars can cut the insides of their mouths and it can be very painful, so at least having them checked you will know if they need done or not. Especially now that your horse is 13, he could start having issues with his teeth, so he will require regular checkups.
Reply:Just a tip he might not need to be sedated but it's certainly an idea to take the 'edge' off him with some ACP (you can get it from your vet and administer it orally).





The dentists hate turning up to discover they cant do the work as the horse is freaking out.





Also let him have a good sniff and look at the equipment and ideally do the work in a quiet stable. It's not adviseable to tie the horse up as if he reared and toppled over whilst tethered (if the rope didnt snap) he could do himself an injury.





Normally takes about 30 mins, my horse quite enjoys it!
Reply:all horses (depending on age and how quick the teeth grow) need to be seen by a dentist every 6 month to a year. i normally get mine done every 6 moths just to be safe, but it's perfectly normal and ok to get them done every year, i know plenty of people who get their horses seen to either iether way, and their horses always look perfectly healthy.


i recently brought an Irish sports horse who is 8 years old, and i also have a thoroughbred and when her appointment was due i had my new mare seen to at the same time and was shocked to be told that holly (the new horse) had NEVER had her teeth done, and that her back molars had actually started to hook over, but the dentist was great he had to use an electric rasp on her rather than the usual tool but got a good job done and he was quick. ten mins and it was all over.


both my horses are now booked in to see the dentist again in 6 month time,


trust your equine dentist, he/she will know exactly what to do, and don't forget they are qualified and have had the training to deal with frightened or difficult horses, they'll have a look and they'll tell you if or not your horse needs to be sedated, if this is the case and you have an enthusiastic dentist, he/she will advise this and even come back at another time so the sedation has time to kick in.


hope it all goes well for you and your horse.


xxx