Another tooth root infection

ktj1891

ktj1891

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How did you know your horse had something wrong with them which ultimately was a tooth root infection? What symptom did your horses have?

What diagnostics was used to determine tooth root infection?
What treatment did you opt for and how successful was it?

My boy has had a snotty nose since march 13 going away periodically after a 3 week course of antibiotics. This is him today after riding him.


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Not great quality sorry!
 
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If it is a tooth or sinus infection then the puss is likely to drain via only one of the nasal cavities.
The puss will probably have a pungent smell.
If your horse has failed to respond to antibiotics then I would get your vet to refer you horse to a specialist equine hospital so that they can carry out a full diagnosis to determine exactly what is going on.
 
He has had all work done they have said he has two diseased teeth. However, I have had two dentists in past two days look at him and neither would say he had tooth infection. One was extremely adamant to leave him well alone.

His mouth and snot do not smell whatsoever, he still loves and is eating his food fine and is riding fine. He did become really poor through winter see my previous threads and this snotty nose first occurred in march- however since this has happened he has continued to thrive weight and condition wise. It just doesn't add up surely if he had two tooth infections he would be in a lot of pain and showing other symptoms other that just a snotty nostril. Soooo confused!
 
You wouldn't have known that my chap had a head full of cheese and a rotten tooth until the gunk appeared, we were due to o to a competition the day after the snots appeared.......wish they could talk as it must've been uncomfortable?

I had the dentist out the wk before the snot, he gave him a clean bill of health.....no mention of the very rotten tooth (and this was a v experienced, reputable EDT).

I read somewhere re the sinus op meaning 10days hospitalisation......seems excessive, mine was 3 days post op then sent home (sinus flap op). Then had fair few wks of flushing twice a day, which was v easy to do.

The filling didn't cost anywhere near £2k (which I think you've been quoted), will dig my bill out and let you know. That seems crazy! I would honestly email chris Pearce and get an idea of cost from him, at least you've got something to compare with?

Don't envy you as it's such a roller coaster, but I would get the teeth sorted or the snots will never resolve.
 
Yeah basically this dentist was saying to me you would know if he had a rotting tooth let alone two. The discharge from his nose would smell, his mouth would smell, he would be off his food or tilting his head eating, he would be different to ride and would be loosing condition. Well my guy was really poor over winter and started picking up in April and he got this discharge in march. So really, his condition has improved to the best he has ever looked since I have had him all the while he has apparently had a tooth root infection? I dunno he has made me question the vets. Considering I have had 3 x rays and a ct scan now. The first two x rays showed nothing on them regarding tooth root infection. The third x ray showed one possibly tooth root infection. But apparently now ct is showing two tooth root infections.

Btw I have contacted Chris Pearce by email - don't know if he will get back to me.
 
If he doesn't, keep nagging him as he is v busy. He's also got a FB page......think it's his Clinic name?

I saw the rotten tooth that was removed, it was disgusting and the stink made me gag!! But, his mouth didn't his smell.......the snot was rancid though......poor boy didn't have many friends ;)

Think our horses must be related - my chap had a very poor winter, which is v unusual for him, picked up in the early spring then snots beginning of April!!
 
Hi chris has replied to me know. So I am going to see if I can get the ct scan sent to him to look at. May contact some other vets for them to look at just to put my mind at rest about it all. I don't want him going through a horrible procedure until I am confident it needs to be done. Poor boy I feel so bad for him!
 
I'm afraid if the CT scan shows two roots have current infections it's unlikely to go away on it's own. I've been dealing with the same problem with my 13 year old Clydesdale x TB since May.
Her only symptom was slight nasal discharge on one side. Treated as sinusitis (as x rays were inconclusive), she was a week in vets with a tube fitted to the sinus cavity and lots of flushing with saline and given antibiotics. Came home fine, a week later more snot.
Sent for a CT scan showing 4 problem teeth, 2 on each side. On one side (where no snot) the infections had been walled off by her immune system. One tooth left alone, the other was filled by a specialist vet, much like a dentist would.
On snotty side there was no option but to take one out.
Long abd expensive story short.....due to severity of the infection in her sinus they created a bone flap (to clean sinus) that became infected and it had to come out. So we are currently dealing with a significant hole in her face but it is now healing. So the other tooth has been left in for now but might have to come out. She was in the equine hospital for a further 5 weeks.......
My advice is get it dealt with before the infection gets any worse. My mare showed no symptoms what so ever, they could hardly believe how bad her sinus infection was when they looked inside.
Her teeth are regularly done by a fantastic EDT and he had no idea either. No weight loss, behavioural signs either, the smell
only became obvious after the initial sinus treatment started.

I just wish they could talk too!! I feel terrible that she's been in pain for so long. We still have a good few weeks before the hole in her face will be healed enough to see if we have to skin graft, I can still hardly believe a rotten tooth caused so many problems. I haven't had the final bill in yet but I'm prepared for it to be substantially over my £5k insurance limit....
 
ktj1891 said:
Hi chris has replied to me know. So I am going to see if I can get the ct scan sent to him to look at. May contact some other vets for them to look at just to put my mind at rest about it all. I don't want him going through a horrible procedure until I am confident it needs to be done. Poor boy I feel so bad for him!
Click to expand...

That's great news that he's got back to you, he really is v good and v straight talking too. He can do sinus and dental if need be, which will certainly keep your costs down........that was by bad luck, ended up with two specialists involved = £££££!!

Good luck!
 
Me again:)
Horse face started to swell (where a caveson noseband would go...first tooth after wolf tooth)....as the bone was infected...no smelly discharge but smelly breath..
I STRONGLY recommend you ask about the Sodium Iodide......
Best of luck
Bryndu:)
 
Got a reply from a dentist saying this.

Its normally caused by an imbalanced overgrowth on a lower molar, usually caused when a cap is stuck on longer than it should as a youngster and takes time to affect the horse. The lower molar, which is slightly extended above then puts more pressure on the top one which causes a pressure abscess in the nasal cavity and bursts through coming down the nostril. Eight out of ten can be cured simply by removing the overgrowth on the bottom jaw, taking the pressure of the tooth and the abscess goes away. It then normally takes 2-3 weeks for the sinuses to stop running.

Thought may be worth getting his teeth done and balanced first? Before deciding on operations?
 
Sorry I'm a little confused I thought the CT scan showed 2 diseased teeth? These will be obviously diseased as having gas
pockets etc in them, I'm guessing this will look very different to an abscess caused by an over growth. If they are diseased and infection can track up into the sinus you are just delaying the inevitable by waiting. Does the report from the equine hospital where the CT scan was carried out not specify what the problem is? In my experience taking out teeth is a pretty last resort thing so if there was a simpler solution, like correcting an overgrowth, it's unlikely your vet wouldn't be offering it as an option first.
Hope you get some answers!
 
Hi spoken to few people including Chris Pearce and I think it's going to bean extraction and flushing of the sinuses! Poor boy!
 
My boy went off his food for a couple of days before a huge swelling appeared where noseband fits and all around,his tooth root infection was not caused by any actual problem to the tooth-if he gets an infection it just hits somewhere in his body-this time his tooth-no discharge or smelly breath.Good luck.
 
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