The primary focus of my work is performing dentals under sedation, something I want to make accessible for every horse owner to provide their horse.
When do horses, ponies and donkeys need dentals?
Every
horse, pony and donkey needs regular dental exams and floating. Youngsters should be checked every 4-6months for developmental abnormalities, retained baby teeth
and sharp points. Prior to breaking its particularly important to ensure there
are no dental issues before the bit and bridle are used - loose wolf teeth,
retained caps and sharp points are very common and can give a painful experience if not treated. After 6 years old, when the
adult teeth are established, dentals can be performed every 12 months - though horses with irregularities may need more regular appointments.
Donkeys often need to be seen 6 monthly throughout life. Once horses reach
their late teens, dentals become increasingly more involved and more frequent,
with most horses in their late twenties needing regular treatments and dietary
adjustments.
Symptoms of dental disease include reduced eating, dropping food, weight loss, recurrent colic and evasion of the bit. As an owner it is important to understand that
the majority of horses and donkeys however don't show any symptoms - it is very common to see horses and donkeys with overgrowths causing ulceration, fractured teeth, impacted and infected diastemas that have shown no external signs. Why sedation?
Before I was
a vet I used to think it was just unnecessary to sedate all horses, many
seemed compliant without sedation, and most equine dentists worked without sedating the horses. It was only when I became a vet I realised it
wasn’t enough for the horse just to tolerate the process. The horses I did with
sedation got a far superior and detailed examination, I was able to pick up on discrete dental disease which I would miss in an unsedated horse. I was
also able to perform a more precise and effective reduction to any sharp enamel
points and overgrowths, particularly those on the furthest back tooth which is poorly tolerated. I now won’t perform dentals without sedation because no horse deserves compromise when it comes to their health
and welfare. I appreciate the added cost of sedation can be prohibitive to many owners. which is why I have set up with a routine dental fee close to the average cost of a dental
without sedation. This is a fixed fee so regardless of how much
sedation I may need to use the cost to the owner won’t change. If your horse requires treatment, for example for diastema or tooth removal, this isn't included in a routine dental, although it can often be performed at the time.
Routine Dental Including sedation £70
