Abscess on gum

hopscotch bandit

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Before anything is said, just to make you aware I have the vet coming later this afternoon to see my horse.

I went to brush my horses teeth last night (on vets advice from a few months ago in order to remove bits between teeth) and saw this awful abscess or ulcer on her gum. It smells pretty bad but she ate her tea and is eating her hay absolutely fine and showing no discomfort from it. I was a bit alarmed to rang the out of hours vet who said that an appointment the next day would suffice and it didn't necessitate an emergency visit so long as she looked fine and was eating as normal (she'd already polished off her tea and some of her hay ration). The vet said to give her a bute so I gave her a second smaller tea with a bute in it and she thought all her birthdays had come at once and polished that off too, licking the bowl clean. She also has a bute in her breakfast in the morning and has gone out in the paddock as normal.

I said to the vet that I had some Chlorhexadine mouth wash which I used diluted to clean her teeth so she said that would be a good idea if I could syringe the abscess with that so I diluted it and syringed and she seemed happy to let me do it. The vet said an abscess in a horses mouth is not systemic meaning that it won't make them feel ill like it would do us.

I'm a little annoyed with myself as I last looked at her mouth on Sunday as I try to brush her teeth every day but she was missed on Monday. On Monday when I took her out in the trailer to hack out I noticed after the hack she was slightly drooling, it was only the once and not copious quantities of drool but just a little strand - it wasn't noticeable before or since and there was certainly no foul smell like there is now. I thought it was a little odd to see her drool, I never put much weight into it as I've seen horses do this before but made a mental note to check her mouth when I got home. However, I was distracted by a couple of walkers who were admiring her and asking me questions and of course I completely forgot about it by the time I'd got back to the yard. Grrrr.

I am concerned that its a tooth root abscess and the tooth will have to come out. I'm really hoping its not. The fractured tooth from a few months ago I was quoted at costing between £600 - £2K to remove and there was no way I could justify that cost in such an old horse with so many issues, and no matter how much I loved her I wouldn't put her through that. Luckily the slab fragment came away and the tooth which was healthy was saved. This tooth is in a different area of the mouth altogether. I am really worried. And desparately hoping its 'just' an abscess from something she ate whilst on our hack although I feel that's unlikely. Or an abrasion as I did see her chew the side of her manger the other day and baulk away from it like she'd caught something on it, although i checked her mouth after and couldn't see anything.

Coupled with all this is the problem with the antibiotic as she can't have Trimedazine (due to heart block) although the vet has given me the name of one good antibiotic she can have that she is able to have. Horses eh? What a nightmare.
Oh and please, please, please, no nasty or unnecessary comments, I am worried enough without having to endure more grief and I've done my best for her. Thanks.
 

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whiteflower

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Poor girl, doesn't look nice, I'm sure your vet will be able to give you a suitable antibiotic when they come out. I've seen some horrid things in mouths over the years where they have eaten sharp things and all have healed well. Fingers crossed its straight forwards for you
 

hopscotch bandit

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Poor girl, doesn't look nice, I'm sure your vet will be able to give you a suitable antibiotic when they come out. I've seen some horrid things in mouths over the years where they have eaten sharp things and all have healed well. Fingers crossed its straight forwards for you
Thank you.
 

hopscotch bandit

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Update. Burst abscess. Doesn't appear to be tooth involvement but i have to see how she responds to the antibiotics to know for sure. Fingers xsed. Had a good wash out, had an antibiotic injection and then two huge syringes a day friday and saturday and one tomorrow night. Bute x 2 a day and mouthwash as much as i can. Lovely vet who attended. Stuffing face as i left (horse not vet)! Gosh aren't horses stoic?. I'd be in bed sipping soup lol
 

Surbie

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Whole office now knows I am on HH - muttered 'eurch that looks ouchy' and everyone came to look...

Fingers crossed it all goes well, and it's so good she's not at all bothered by what you are doing.
 

hopscotch bandit

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Whole office now knows I am on HH - muttered 'eurch that looks ouchy' and everyone came to look...

Fingers crossed it all goes well, and it's so good she's not at all bothered by what you are doing.
Yeah I do that all the time without thinking, luckily there quite liberal where I work :)
 
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