BAEN Message Board

Tooth Extraction

Posted by SGH on 6/30/2012, 8:58 pm

My horse has an abscess in a rear left side upper molar. The infection has spread to the sinus area and smelly thick yellow stuff is coming out of the left nostril. I am giving antibiotics twice a day and the tooth will likely need to be removed.

Have any of you had a similar experience? Did you take your horse to a clinic or UCD or was it pulled at the barn? Was it done standing or on an operating table? Did you need to have the sinus flushed or a catheter inserted in the sinus? What sort of care did you do after the tooth was gone and were there any short or long term problems? Costs?

Thank you for your help. I always learn something new from the posts.

"Horses are non-human persons."

Re: Tooth Extraction

Posted by MaresRBetter on 6/30/2012, 10:12 pm, in reply to "Tooth Extraction"
4.182.216.70

Not my horse, but a few weeks ago a horse with an identical problem was at the Vet clinic for the followup visit ,so I asked the Vet how it was done.

That horse was done at the Clinic, sedated but standing in the stocks. Tooth was extracted leaving a hole all the way through the horse's face. Some kind of temporary surgical wire was sticking out of this hole and was used to hold a bandage down into the hole to keep dirt out. At the followup visit, the bandage was removed, area cleaned and a lot of liquid was flushed down into the hole using a syringe to flush it out, with the liquid coming out the nostril as I recall. They were trying to keep infection out and let the body heal from the inside out. The Owner said the care at home wasn't complicated in between the Vet visits. Sorry I don't know the cost. This was in Oakdale, but not at Pioneer.

Re: Tooth Extraction

Posted by ponybrat on 6/30/2012, 10:56 pm, in reply to "Re: Tooth Extraction"

Most likely the vet will give your horse antibiotics in this case. You will need to flush the hole after the "plug" comes out( the vet will insert a "plug" (packing)into the hole where the tooth once was. My mare had two molars removed at the same time. They were one in front of the other. (I had to give her antibiotics 2 times a day for 3 weeks.)I had to feed her a soft diet for a couple of weeks. Beet pulp and soaking hay pellets is what I gave my mare. Senior feed soaked too. My mare knew the antibiotics was in her feed so I had to start using cherry flavored yogurt (without the cherry chunks)to hide the antibiotics in and mix with her feed or syringe it to her orally.This worked great. Was real frustrating trying to figure out what she would or would not eat. Molasses and the other stuff did not work with her.

about 9 years ago we had Coffee's done

Posted by Bitohoneylady on 7/1/2012, 12:32 am, in reply to "Tooth Extraction"
67.142.166.26

they drilled a hole thru the sinus cavity which left a big gaping hole in the front of her face. They drained and cleaned it, then stitched a tube in it. We had to stand on a ladder 3x a day for 10 days and flush it with some blue fluids and gave her antibiotics. The drain was removed after 10 days and it healed so nice, you could nevet tell where the hole was. Word of caution: DO NOT stand in front of a horse with a horrible pusy infection, they cough the most disgustingly smelling gunk you've ever smelled! If you don't want it sprayed all over you, be sure to stand at the SIDE ONLY. (Ask me how I know?)
Placerville CA

call the academy

Posted by Guinny1 on 7/1/2012, 1:59 am, in reply to "Tooth Extraction"
184.8.116.199

Up in Idaho. They do a lot of these at the school and can put you in touch with the dean or another highly trained individual (possibly even the vet that works with the school. Just do a Google search for Academy of Equine Dentistry and you can pull up their number. Because of the infection and sinus correlation, radiographs will need to be taken and a treatment plan developed...important to avoid damaging the roots of the adjacent teeth. And whether it is done down or up will depend on how the tooth is fragmented what is required to remove all the pieces so that everything can heal properly and without further complication/damage.

Re: Tooth Extraction

Posted by NewHorseMommy on 7/1/2012, 6:05 am, in reply to "Tooth Extraction"
108.94.9.89

My gelding had the upper left 3rd molar removed two months ago. it was cracked and infected, but no sinus infection.

It was done standing in stocks, with heavy sedation. The vet wasn't sure he would be able to extract it orally, in which case it would have meant surgery under general anesthesia. Luckily, he was able to get it!

He was antibiotics for 10 days, and had to eat soaked hay pellets for a month! No hay or grass at all.

Re: Tooth Extraction

Posted by 3 Bay Ranch on 7/1/2012, 6:59 am, in reply to "Tooth Extraction"
216.57.70.101

I had a horse with a tooth abscess. Tony Basile, a dental guy removed it at my barn. It was relatively easy - under standing sedation. I think it was about $450 including the veterinarians fees for sedation.

My neighbor brought a horse in to UC Davis for the same procedure, and it was under general sedation in the operating room. - over $2K.

Neither horse had long term issues.

Exact same tooth and exact same procedure.

One horse that came into the school

Posted by Guinny1 on 7/1/2012, 10:00 am, in reply to "Re: Tooth Extraction"
184.8.116.199

Had bilateral 7's that were broken down the middle. He was trailered to the school from another state because the local vets wanted something like $12,000 to do the procedure. It ended up being less than $1000 at the school (maybe even down to $500).

But really depends on how fragmented the tooth is and how old the horse is. Older horses can have their molars removed without much fuss. But horses in the 5-12 range can be really difficult because of the size of the reserve crown.

Re: Tooth Extraction

Posted by ponybrat on 7/3/2012, 9:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Tooth Extraction"

I too had Tony Basile do my mare's tooth extraction. This was back when Tony was working with UCD. I had to bring my mare to UCD where they had her standing in stocks under local sedation for the removal. It did cost me over 2K as well. Crappy thing is, I may have to take her back to have one or two more removed! My mare is a weird case. She had 4 extra teeth! Kind of like wisdom teeth. I did read somewhere though, that geldings may have more teeth than mares. My mare is a long-headed Standardbred. She is a "special needs" case as I call her. She has to have the "tooth maintenence" every 6 months from now on for the rest of her life. I had tried 2-3 different vets with no luck. Tony was the only one who can get her teeth where they should be. Deffinately spend the money on a "Dental Specialist" and not a vet who has only had 1 week of dental schooling.

Re: Tooth Extraction-Thank You

Posted by SGH on 7/1/2012, 9:24 pm, in reply to "Tooth Extraction"
198.228.216.17

Thank you to everyone who took the time to answer. The horse is 15 and has Cushings so hopefully we won't have too many issues.
"Horses are non-human persons."

Re: Tooth Extraction-Thank You

Posted by Icancan on 7/3/2012, 9:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Tooth Extraction-Thank You"

Contact Richard Miller he works with Tony who is amazing!! Richard and his crew are excellent and have a nice clean Mobil setup. Just had them out in Morgan Hill on Monday. He will be back in this area October & March. He travels all over even internationally. Just an excellent dentist.

Cell# (949)233-0707 email: richdent1@gmail.com
& www.richdent.com

Good luck!!

Ponybrat - see my post

Posted by Icancan on 7/3/2012, 9:54 pm, in reply to "Re: Tooth Extraction-Thank You"
198.228.216.153

Richard would probably be able to help your mare also... He has measuring tools to measure MA, DGL, TMJ & LIPA. Richard is a colleague of Tony's.

Good luck to you too
Kendail

Kendail you rat fink you should have called me!

Posted by lms on 7/8/2012, 11:18 am, in reply to "Re: Tooth Extraction-Thank You"
67.142.172.24

I just had mine done but would have had him look at Prince. I think he needs an incisor reduction although my dentists disagrees..would be interested in seeing what Richard or his guys say. He has full occlusion but I see problems forming later if 'pre-maintanence' isn't done now! Let me know when he comes back! I only had half my herd done - my dentist had to go back to Tx on an emergency!
http://www.prophecyfarms.com

Dagnabit!!!

Posted by Icancan on 7/8/2012, 12:11 pm, in reply to "Kendail you rat fink you should have called me!"

sorry!! He's coming again in October. My sisters horse Charm had a sh@t load of work done and needs a recheck. I'll let you know when I have the dates confirmed. We just finished riding at bear today and what a differance with dental work done miss you and hope all is well!!! Anyone else wanting on the list feel fee to contact me !!

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