26/12/2025
Ok. Now I really hope people pay attention to this one..
Why? Well because it is a nice example of both the challenges and when it all comes together the triumphs of how dental surgery and working as a team can fix long standing problems.
SO
What are you looking at?
Great question
We work LONG hours and have often been criticised for not making detailed explanations on each and every post, so taking that onboard here the explaination for this one.
What we have here is firstly the result of teamwork!
It takes a team to find and to fix these.
In this case Dr Miranda Brown of Western Equine Vets at Werribee was the critical link in finding and referring this pony for help. Next up comes the ponies dedicated carers, without whom there would be no surgery and who had an active role on a hot, dry day in helping to achieve a successful outcome. Then we go back to Dr Miranda who was responsible for checking the patient post op and for managing any other challenges or complications ( thankfully this case ran smoothly )
SO finally we get down to Ruby and I
Those who have met and worked with a Ruby know just how hard she works at helping focus stressed owners on something else ( such as her ears ) and at reassuring them that all will be ok. She does it in storms, wind, rain, heat and dust, often at a location that avoids further stress for owners by allowing the patient to avoid the travel to see us ( not always we do also see cases in veterinary practices etc )
Finally there is my role
And after “ Awhile “ in that role I’m not sure that I can tell you what that is
Anyway moving on to the specifics of this case
This much loved pony presented ( means we had a look at it ) with a draining tract in her bottom jaw ( means she had a hole in her jaw where puss drained out )
After looking in her mouth a long dead damaged tooth looked like the problem and by using a metallic marker and some dental X-rays we confirmed that the hole in the jaw was a result of the infected tooth.
NOW that just left getting it out ..
Over the years I think that I’ve heard every possible comment
Such as “ you just wiggle them abit and they fall out “
“ if we left it, it would fall out on its own “
“I’d have done it but I haven’t got all the tools “
“ Is it out yet” that comes up about 10 mins in to surgery…
“ I’d have it out by now “
And so on
However
Perhaps it might not be that simple?
So in this case
Let me start by saying what has happened here is very common
The tooth has had difficulty erupting into the ponies mouth years earlier, this has lead to death of the blood vessels within the tooth and infection. It has also resulted in parts of the tooth continuing to develop and change shape..
SO now what we actually have is like the second image in this post.. the wrong complex shape crammed into the hole
And what’s more the shape is brittle and we must not break the shape ( tooth ) nor the hole ( jaw )
These types of changes often happen to varying degrees following chronic tooth infection and inflammation and involve tissue called cementum which irregularly produces more laying it down on the outside of the tooth. These hypercementotic changes or cementomas are a serious challenge to dental surgery. ( and they are common )
SO what happened in this case?
Well in this case the tooth was removed over about 4 hours while the patient stood for the surgery. ( They have great pain relief onboard )
Following surgery the tooth socket healed and the hole in the jaw closed, the infection dried up and as the last photo shows. It was a Merry Xmas for both Pony and Rider 🙂
Remember cases like this one are very common and can only happen with teamwork.
AED.vet
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