And because Facebook won’t let you share both photos and videos in one post, here’s the video to go with our previous post 🦷
A vet and a dental expert, routine treatments and advanced veterinary procedures, we do nothing but equine dentistry day in, day out: “This is not just dentistry… this is Bescoby Equine Dental Vets” 😜🎄🎅🏻 #notjustfood #christmasadvert #soundon #mouthwatering
Root canal fillings due to pulp exposure: During a routine dental exam, Sam noticed open pulps on two of Gwen’s top incisors. One of the common causes is ill-fitting grazing muzzles - the horse’s front teeth excessively wear against the inside of the muzzle (rather than the grass) acting like sandpaper. Horse’s teeth naturally have a few millimetres of protective surface, preventing an open pulp for food to get stuck in. However in this case the surface of the teeth had been worn down too quickly so the pulps were open, leading to food packing in and an infection risk. If we catch these early enough, root canal fillings can be done rather than extractions which would be warranted if there are signs of infection in the roots and surrounding bone. Fillings would always be the preferred option as they are pain-free, less invasive and should be a permanent solution.
Loose cap being removed
Equine Dental Awareness Week - FAQ No. 6:
When should my youngster have their first dental check?
Like humans, horses have baby and adult teeth. Adult (or permanent teeth) start erupting from around 1 year of age but there are baby teeth in the mouth from birth until 4 years old.
You may notice lumps forming on the jaw of a 2 - 4 year old horse- if they are symmetrical then they are most likely teething bumps caused by newly formed adult pre-molars getting ready to erupt. If the lumps are painful or one side is larger than the other then they should be checked by a vet as it could indicate a problem.
Between 2.5 - 4 years of age, baby teeth start to be replaced by their adult versions and the mouth is often inundated with new teeth, loose teeth and bits of baby teeth falling off - the horse equivalent of teething. This is also at the most common age of the introduction to the bit. Therefore we advise that the first dental check is always BEFORE any introduction of the bit and ideally no later than 2.5 years old. At this age, the presence of wolf teeth can also be determined and can be removed if they are deemed problematic, and any loose baby teeth or those that may be stopping a normal eruption of the permanent tooth can be removed (see video).
The teeth of a younger horse are sharper than older horses, so usually require 6 monthly rasping if you wish to keep them comfortable whilst introducing them to work.
Noticing signs of laminitis as early as possible gives your horse or pony the greatest chance of success in their recovery.
The longer a horse is left with inflammation & instability in their feet, the more damage is being done, so it is important to know the signs!
If your horse has a stilted, pottery gait (especially on hard ground), struggles to turn, has heat in the feet, is weight shifting, or has a strong/bounding digital pulse at the back of the fetlock, call your vet straight away.
If your vet has not seen your horse for laminitis recently, they will need to visit your horse that day. Pain relief will be required as it is an extremely painful condition.
In addition to medication, initial treatment involves taking them off any grass, restricting their movement and providing thick soft bedding.
Once stabilised, foot Xrays can be taken for the farrier to provide therapeutic shoeing/trimming, and the underlying cause can be determined with blood tests. Remember that laminitis is not a disease in itself, but a clinical sign of (usually) a metabolic condition.
It is unfortunately common for owners to avoid any diagnostic blood tests after an initial flare up because with the correct first-aid treatment (pain relief, no grass, restricted movement) current signs of laminitis are resolved. However, once a horse has a history of laminitis they are more likely to suffer future episodes, particularly if any underlying metabolic conditions are not being monitored or treated.
To reduce the chances of further laminitis flare-ups, we strongly advise:
- Blood tests to determine how the horse is coping with current forage and whether they have an underlying metabolic condition such as EMS/PPID;
- Ongoing footcare from the farrier;
- Fat scoring, weight loss, weight monitoring & avoiding weight gain;
- Careful management of diet and a tailored exercise regime.
Our Weight Loss Programme is also designed to be a ‘Laminitis-Prevention Programme’ and includes insulin
Lateral flow tests for foals…
Horse vets have been using these tests well before March 2020 – however, we aren’t looking for COVID!
When a foal is born it does not have the infection fighting ability older horses have due to a lack of antibodies in the blood stream.
It is vital that the foal suckles from the mare in the first 12 hours after birth as the first milk (colostrum) contains a rich supply of antibodies. These pass into the foal’s blood stream and give the foal a defence against infection until it is old enough to start producing its own antibodies and to have its first vaccinations.
Any time from 24 hours after birth, these antibodies in the milk are no longer absorbed into the foal’s blood stream and therefore drinking colostrum after this point will not boost immunity.
To check if the foal has ingested enough colostrum, we can perform a blood test from 24 hours after foaling to measure the concentration of one of these antibodies. Like COVID tests, this can be sent to a lab or conducted at the yard using a lateral flow test. Whilst the test in a lab can be more accurate, the lateral flow test provides a good indication with instant results.
If the test shows the foal does not have enough antibodies it is known as ‘failure of passive transfer’. To treat this the foal must be given a plasma transfusion via a drip into the vein.
In the case of foals who are a little slow to pick up in the first 24 hours, a plasma transfusion can also provide a well-needed boost and alongside other treatment, diligent human nursing and a good mare we often see remarkable turnarounds in very short periods.
Here we can see a foal from last week who was quiet 24 hours after birth. The lateral flow test showed that he didn’t have enough antibodies and so a plasma transfusion was given at the yard straight away. After his drip, an enema to clear a moderate impaction, a little snooze and a good drink from his mum, here are the results…!
