Veterinary Equine Dentistry

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Atlanta, GA
Veterinary Equine Dentistry

Dentistry and Acupuncture for Performance Horses
(12)

04/17/2024

EOTRH is such an awful disease. I’m glad I could help this sweet senior horse. When I wiggled the lower central incisors…large amounts of pus started pouring out.

03/22/2024

* * ANNOUNCEMENT * *

03/15/2024

Love continuing Ed- even in Germany!! There is always something to learn.

02/19/2024

These are tongue lacerations from sharp teeth. Are you SURE your horse is not in pain? A complete oral exam involves sedation, a speculum and a bright light.

12/14/2023

Extracted this diseased incisor this week (one of 16 extractions this month!!). He is going to feel so much better- so glad I can help these horses.

10/10/2023

This is a progressing case of EOTRH. There is root Hypercementosis (evidenced by the gum swelling- blue arrow), a draining tract which communicates with the root (red arrow), severe gingival (gum) recession (yellow arrow), and a draining tract with pus running out (green arrow). These changes can be seen without sedation. This horse is in a significant amount of pain, and these incisors need to be extracted. If your horse is over 15 - especially if it’s a Warmblood gelding- be sure to check them!

07/24/2023

Monday Morning extraction on a 4 year old. He will feel so much better!

03/09/2023

I was recently interviewed for the Veterinary Advantage Magazine. Here is the link if you are interested.
https://vet-advantage.com/vet_advantage/healthy-teeth-happy-horse/

12/15/2022

KNOW YOUR TRAINER!!! This is a severe wound from bitting. The white inside the hole is the exposed jaw bone (mandible) known as the bars. Thankful that this poor horse is at a new trainer. Once again - I cannot overstate the importance of a COMPLETE Oral Exam (with sedation, speculum and light). Maybe there is a reason for the behavior.

11/01/2022

A difficult but interesting extraction today. 5 yr old with malformed (and painful) molar.

09/30/2022

Young Horse Dentistry- often overlooked… but critically important. Just like in people, baby teeth can cause crowding and affect the way the adult teeth come in. A procedure called ‘relief cuts’ can be performed on the baby teeth to allow enough room for the adults to come in correctly. However- these corrections must be made at certain times to be effective. Young horses (5 and under) need dental care every 6 months.

08/03/2022

WE’VE GROWN!! The last 2 years has seen incredible growth in the horse industry, and within my practice. With growth comes some pain sometimes. Each & every horse is important to me - whether they are a pasture pet or a Grand Prix horse - and deserve the same kind/gentle interaction and thorough treatment. Yes - it may take longer to get an appointment. Please understand that we are working our tails off to get everyone seen in a timely manner. I do my own scheduling on my weekends ‘off’. There are some cases that are a priority: acute trauma and fractured teeth, ie - horses in acute pain - are seen first. Horses ridden by kids, and those going to a big show are next. Here are some things that can help make everyone happier…
1. Please email ( [email protected] ) for an appointment. It’s hard for me to check multiple methods of communication and not have someone fall through the cracks. If you don’t get a response by the weekend- please email me again!
2. Please let me know if the problem is emergent, if you have a big show, etc.
3. I try very hard to give an accurate time frame, and to arrive on time. We also send a text out 30-45 min prior to arrival. Please be respectful to us and have the horse(s) up and ready for their appointment when we get there. If you plan to meet us - please plan to arrive BEFORE us. Please do not plan to ride or bathe your horse while we are working on the one before yours. If I fall behind, it affects every other client that day. Not to mention that we are already working 14 hour days, and my dog would like to see me while it’s light out.
4. Please understand that when I am working on a horse, I’m not checking FB, etc. - that horse/client has my full attention. I will probably not be able to reply until I am home.
5. Please try to give an accurate number of horses when the appointment is scheduled. As busy as we are- I’m just not able to add an extra 5-6 horses when I get there.
6. Please keep in mind that last minute (night before) or same day schedule changes are a nightmare for me.

I’ve been Blessed with an amazing group of horse owners. I am truly Grateful and want to thank each of you for the privilege of working on your horse. I am committed to providing the best care possible.

06/30/2022

Another horse with EOTRH. Now that these painful teeth have been extracted, he will be much happier. We are seeing multiple cases like this each month. It is a disease of older horses. In my practice, the prevalence is in older warmblood geldings. Often, the first sign is ‘bumpy gums’ with the roots of the incisors becoming very prominent.

03/23/2022

“Cavities” in horses… this is a case of Infundibular Caries involving a pulp chamber in a 10 year old horse. ‘Dental Caries’ is the term for a cavity. The tooth in question is unhealthy, will have a shorter life span and is more prone to fracture. There are a few places doing ‘restorations’, but they are expensive and not yet proven to be successful (but seem to be helpful). It is important to identify these problems so the tooth can be monitored and extracted when necessary. Once again - IT’s ALL ABOUT THE EXAM!!!!

03/10/2022

Interesting pony case this week - only presenting complaint was what the trainer described as ‘long stringy drool’ during work. On exam, a large periodontal pocket filled with debris and pus was found. X-rays showed a fractured incisor. Extraction was performed. This underscores the critical nature of a complete oral exam!!

01/06/2022

1,714 dentals and 177 major extractions for 2021. Thank you to every client who trusted us with their horse.

12/16/2021

This is a terrible picture… but this horse had live Bot Larva coming out from his gums 😳. Oral exam - it’s necessary!!

12/02/2021

Extremely large hook which was causing an ulcer in the palate of this horse. This was caused by an extra, or ‘supranumerary’ tooth. It was present on both sides. We started the correction- giving her immediate relief. Over the course of the next 2 years we should be able to get it into a somewhat normal alignment.

11/08/2021

A severe case of EOTRH- a disease which affects older horses. This sweet guy will feel SO MUCH better now!

10/17/2021

Wolf teeth vs Canine teeth
This often confuses people. ‘Wolf’ teeth are small, single rooted teeth next to the molars. They can create a bitting issue and should be extracted (usually on first dental). They are very difficult for an owner to see. ‘Canine’ teeth are normal in male horses and are located in the inter-dental space (bars). They are the four ‘fighting teeth’ in stallions and easily seen. They generally erupt around 4 1/2. We do NOT extract these. Mares can occasionally have small canines.

10/06/2021

Three cases from today highlighting the importance of correct dentistry which ALWAYS includes a complete oral exam.

09/06/2021

This was a new horse in the program… history of resisting the right rein although compliant otherwise. Now we know why! Overgrowth/Ridge was caused from a missing lower molar.

08/23/2021

Good Morning Monday!

08/18/2021

PSA- when purchasing a horse, PLEASE have someone you trust look at the horse. Here is an example of a common ‘horse scam’. The Perfect Horse is out of area. Seller has ‘another buyer’ so you don’t have the opportunity to try it/see it. To get ‘The Perfect Horse’ you need to buy it immediately. They seem legit… they sell a lot of horses…. Seller and Coggins says 13 years old… Unfortunately, when the horse arrives, it is thin. This sparks a veterinary exam - where you discover that the horse is in the mid 20’s, needs several teeth extracted, etc. The purchase agreement ‘guarantees soundness’ but also states that the horse is sold ‘As Is’. I hate it for the new owner… who cared enough to have the horse treated appropriately. Please don’t fall for this scam!!!

08/02/2021

And some days are more challenging than others…..

Address

Telephone

+17709540793

Website

http://www.GeorgiaEquineDentistry.com/

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