[StarfireArizona]

I am in the market for a dentist, and I have heard all kinds of stories. Some say that sedation & power tools are not necessary & a virtual no-no....and others swear by this method. I am not very familiar with how this all plays out.....

I am very new to this phase of equine ownership, so please share your experiences & opinions. I appreciate the education......Thanks

[2manypetz]

Here is something that I put on another post about our experience with an "equine dentist" I had our local vet do our horses teeth with a regualr hand float for years. We had one that just was not right so i had an "equine dentist" have a go at him, and he is a new horse! She was a little bitty gal, it was fun to watch, she sedated them, and had a special halter that we put them in and put a rope over a beam in the barn so we could pull their heads up just right. She had waht is called a power float, whick is nothing more than a drill with a long drill bit that has the grit on it. The halter had a special thing that cranked the horses mouth open so she oculd really see in there, she wore a light on her hat like a minor. She got in there and really worked. We had 4 horses done she found two wolf teeth on one and he was 16 and we had had him for several years and the regular vets never found them, the other had one had one wolf tooth and was allready having teeth problems. She showed us exactly what was going on in the hroses mouth, let us feel the sharp points, then we looked after and felt after she was done it was amazing. Our vets will tell everyone straight out that they are not "horse vets" they do large animals and are trained, but this one we had out was specalized in her field and only works with horses. The power float is supposed to last for 3 years as opposed to a hand float that will last 1 year. One did not want to settle down so it took extra sedative, and with the teeth extraction, it ended up to about 100 bucks a horse. I will never go back to a regular hand float again. Our horses have behaved wonderful, no head flipping, ear shyness, dropping grain, and have put on weight. This was our experience...I think it was better because she got their heads right and looked and felt in their mouths opposed to just feeling and guessing. She even put a "bit set" on the theeth next to where the bit lays to make things fit better. I was impressed!

[nikkki1990]

our dentist does not beleive in sedation... we have no problem with it when its only to do a float...other then that when teeth are pulled we get them sedated ....we had one bad incident where an older dentist gave our gelding no anesthetic when he took out his gelding teeth he spazzed like crazy and is still a little face shy.. but other then that we get ours done every 6 months and there good to go

[sorrell]

Most dentists sedate so the horse won't thow his head and cause damage to his mouth. It is more of a precaution. Floating without the power tools usually is done without sedation and no problems with steady horses that are used to it, but when powerful machinery is running in their mouth, you want the sedation part. I had to help my dentist run the drill and it scared me silly.

[StarfireArizona]

Ok....so sedation is perhaps a good thing when you have a hot horse like mine. I really don't have much of a problem with that....but it was more the power tools I had heard most were against. Don't quite remember why....

The one dentist my farrier recommended charges between $125 & $250 per horse depending on how much work she needs to do.....with 4 horses I am already feeling the pain in my pocket

[2manypetz]

I forgot to add that she will come out and the more horses you have lined up for her to do she will give a group discount. Ask your vet/dentist and see and maybe you can get your horse friends to come to your barn or take yours to somone that has a nice barn and share the cost on the vet call, and maybe they will discount.

[PeggySue]

My trip with the Equine Dentist


Equine Dentist and his tools

[StarfireArizona]

Originally Posted by PeggySue

My trip with the Equine Dentist


Equine Dentist and his tools

Blah...........that looks like some medieval torture device LOL Now it is surely clear why sedation is HIGHLY recommended

Thanks for the eye opener..

[StarfireArizona]

Originally Posted by 2manypetz

I will never go back to a regular hand float again. Our horses have behaved wonderful, no head flipping, ear shyness, dropping grain, and have put on weight. This was our experience...I think it was better because she got their heads right and looked and felt in their mouths opposed to just feeling and guessing. She even put a "bit set" on the theeth next to where the bit lays to make things fit better. I was impressed!

You actually found teeth were a source or ear shyness ? That is interesting... My big gelding is so outrageously ear shy with his left.....and several times I had him 1/2 way through it & was able to touch it without the shooting up out of reach business.....only for a few days later going back to square one. For being only a 7 year old OTTB his teeth do not look good to me, and I really am not even sure what I am looking for. They are still brownish and look worn down.

Guess there is only one way to find out.....

[PeggySue]

My horses are all 110% better then they were BEFORE having their teeth worked on !! I will continue to have it done yearly now ... I can not believe the difference !!