I am having my horses teeth floated for the first time this coming week and I got the impression some of you?

don't think having her sedated is a good idea. Why? Is it dangerous? The vet's assistant described the procedure to me and if I was my horse I would sure want to be sedated. Also loud machine noises just freak her out totally and I was told the grinder is quite noisy. Thankyou so much for your invaluable input.

I am having my horses teeth floated for the first time this coming week and I got the impression some of you?
the device they are talking about is a drill mounted float (power float)so yes it is a machine(make sure the vet has been properly trained on its use)if your horse doesnt like clipping or is skittish around any machine the you may want the vet to sedate so you horse will have even rasping of the teeth for better wear later.i still float my own horses teeth but i use a set of stocks here on my ranch to hold my horses still.i only sedate some of my horses when they are skittish or it is their first time.
Reply:HAVE Her sedated. It would be nuts for her not to be and its kinda cruel. The horse will be way to panicky. My wife has had it done with all of her horses and have never had problems with it... EVER. Don't worry about sedation she will be fine.
Reply:Well i had my mare's teeth floated and the equine dentist use only a file and a rasp your horses teeth must really need to be done bad i would say if it makes it easier on the horse and the vet doing it than yes you should
Reply:We do not have the machines that float teeth in my neck of the woods at least not that I have seen.





Some dentists or vets sedate horses as a matter of course while others only sedate if necessary. I prefer sedation only if necessary - though if power tools were going to be used near my horse, sedation may be a better deal.





My horse dentist comes out and has a device that locks the horse's mouth open. He then floats the horse's teeth and has never sedated any of my horses.





Even with a file, some horses are very against the teeth floating thing and sedation prevents rearing, running and otherwise generally freaking out and possibly injuring himself, the dentist or vet, the person holding him...the barn, etc.





Sedation is not dangerous - if you know what you are doing. I sedate my horse with dormosadan for the farrier - otherwise she totally freaks out - she has a LOT of farrier anxiety issues. I pull the dorm myself and inject her in the vein myself. I know how much I can give and how to do it, though. If you are having a vet come out then do not worry about the sedation.





It is not the same as being put out for surgery - it is closer to just making the horse very drowsy and out of it - so they can still stand, but not really sure what is going on.
Reply:I never had any of my horses sedated. but what ever works for you.
Reply:Have her sedated. It's dangerous for the horse and the dentist if you don't. The dentist will be able to explain the procedure to you.
Reply:Everyone above is correct, no machines are used that I know of, just a dental rasp. It's like filing down your nails. The sedative is for the safety of the vet and it's easier for him/her to work if the horse stays in one place and is cooperative. That's more likely if the horse as been mildly sedated. Personally, I don't know why anyone would NOT want the sedation? How would you like dental work done without novacaine? Let the vet do their job and sedate the horse.
Reply:If it will be a problem for your horse, sedate her. It won't hurt her. In fact, I just had one of my geldings done this week and he was sedated.
Reply:As long as your horse is healthy and your vet is experienced your horse should be ok.





Like the others have said, sedation is necessory for most horses, as the procedure can be very stressful for them. If you have a horse that doesnt need sedation, youve got a very sound horse. I dont think I would like to be wide awake when a vet grinds my teeth with a rasp.....





I had to have my 30 year old mare sedated to have her teeth done, she was groggy for a while but she came out it and lived just fine.
Reply:There is nothing wrong with having her sedated for this procedure. She will have to be kept still while this is done. They will probably just give her a shot to relax her and make her drowsy not out completely. Ours were always still on their feet when their teeth were done but it has been so many years ago that all I recall was the vet filing down wolf teeth in the back and the horses were awake when that was done. We are going back 35yrs ago so methods have changed i am sure.
Reply:I always have to have my standardbred sedated. He's never had a complication from it. It's scary because he will hang his head and look as if he is going to fall down, but I assure you it is safe 99.9% of the time.
Reply:From what you have said it will be less dangerous for her to sedate her than not. Sedating her will help prevent her from hurting herself or someone else. (Actually someone above may have already mentioned this. Just wanted to lend my support)





As a whole trust your vet as long as they have not given reason not to.
Reply:Whether or not the horse should be sedated depends on the horse and how he responds to things. I've worked with horses that are so calm that they nearly fall asleep while being floated and others that flip out at the mere sight of the vet driving up. Most vets I know would rather not sedate a horse if they don't need to. Not that sedating an animal is automatically dangerous, but it will be one more thing for the vet to have to monitor.





Normally with a floating, the horse is gagged which holds his mouth open and allows the vet access to his back teet. Floating really doesn't hurt the horse as the have very limited nerves in the teeth themselves, but a lot of horses really just don't like the noise and feel of the rasp. A grinder might only be used in really extreme cases where the teeth have been seriously neglected and have a lot of jagged edges.





I would try to have it done without sedation, at least to see if your horse will tolerate it on his own, but you know your horse best. If he starts and loud noises and doesn't react well when being shoed or with the vet normally, then you might want him sedated. If he's normally pretty calm and tolerant, then do without the medication.
Reply:Yea, you should probably sedate her. It would be safer for everybody.
Reply:Yah, there are no machines to worry about. Ouch - could you imagine being at a dentist with no pain medication? eeeek!


The vet will definitely sedate your horse. It would be dangerous not to. Don't worry, you and your horse will be fine! :)
Reply:It depends on the horse, if it needs to be sedated do it...We had a few that had to be and our funniest one a mini stallion who would rear and stay there till the doc was done...Heck at least he didn't have to bend to do him....
Reply:I always sedate. Its safer for the vet AND your horse, and it makes it much more pleasant for your horse. Please defer to your vets guidance on this. They know best.





Many vets use an electric float. That is what machine they are talking about.
Reply:YOU ARE HAVING A LICENCED VET SEDATING YOUR HORSE, HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING AND THERES NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION ON SOMETHING BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS YOU ARE AVOIDING STRESS ON YOUR ANIMAL FOR ITS OWN GOOD SO YOU SHOULD DO IT!!
Reply:I have my 2 older geldings' teeth floated every year. Because they don't like having it done we sedate both of them. They are not put completely under; they're given a medication that's more like Valium - just an anti-anxiety medication. The vet I have uses a rasp, not an electric grinder and it only takes about 10 - 15 minutes. If you're worried about turning your horse out afterward, the vet can give a shot to reverse the effects, but I've put both my old boys back into the pasture right afterward and they have had no ill effects. They do walk very slowly and deliberately though. If you have other horses in the pasture that might get them excited and make them try to run, then I would wait for an hour or so to be sure that the effects of the sedatative have worn off.
Reply:Most vets/dentists cannot work on a horse without sedation! For starters, most of them would fight the mouth gag, and if the vet/dentist uses electric power floats (which most do), the horse needs to stay still and keep his head on the chin rest.





Sedation will most likely be mandatory, and it is best for everyone - including and especially, the horse. (Plus, if your horse is a gelding, yo ucan clean his sheath while he's sedate, too!)
Reply:thereis bomacine involvedinfloating of thr theethwheni had my horsesteeth floatedwetook asmallchainand putitontop lipof horseasif nedtoyoucantightedchainby twistingitsoundscrule but i didnot wantmyhorsesedatedatalllfloatingofthethe... vetsudinga fileandthengoes back and fourth top ottombut iv never hesrdofa machinebeingusedto floatthr theeth all floatingdoesismakethethrrthflat so horsecanchomp foodgood


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