Dental advice diastemas

[Fluffy20]

Looking for some dental advice. Had vet out for a routine dental last week, pony had some hooks so he rasped teeth. Pony was sedated and it took roughly 5-10 mins. Vet told me that he has diastemas (food packed in teeth) but as it was not usual for vets to carry the diastema tool he has not treated this, recommended that pony has his next dental in 6 months and that when I book the appointment that I ask for for the vet to bring the tool. Does this sound right? I am concerned that it’s not the best approach to leave the problem to get worse for 6 months

 

[Sossigpoker]

I wouldn't think it would be good to leave it for 6 months as it could cause an abscess!

 

[fidleyspromise]

My vet brings it out as standard and removes the food every 6 months.

 

[Caol Ila]

My vet made her diastemas larger, so the food would wash straight out. He sees her every five or six months to check that all is good and adjusts as needed. About nine years ago, before I switched to my current vet practice, a vet left the diastemas as the OP described, and my horse got so sore that she would throw her head violently when you put on the bridle. Cracked me in the head, and I went flying and hit the deck. This is a horse who would put on the bridle herself if she had opposable thumbs, so that behaviour meant she was beyond miserable. I'd heard good things from other liveries about (now) current vet, so brought him in, and he sorted her out in a single session.

 

[planete]

My old boy has diastema which have now been treated by my new vet. She packed the gaps with a gel like substance which has allowed the infection to heal and has recommended that he gets no chaff, only long stem hay as chaff tends to get packed into the gaps. I certainly would not leave it six months as my previous vet did which meant the horse developed an infection.

 

[little_critter]

Not had experience of diastemas but I wouldn’t want food left stuck for 6 months.
The last time my vet did my horses teeth she said that they were generally recommending that people move away from feeding chaff because it gets stuck in diastemas. She said that mine didn’t have diastemas but they tend to suggest switching to grass nuts etc anyway.

 

[Xmasha]

I would get an equine dentist out . I had a mare a while back and she had 3 diastemas . They where made bigger so food was less likely to get stuck . As little critter says , we changed her food . She was given mush /wet type foods . No chop. The poor mare was in an awful condition when we got her , as her mouth was that sore she couldn’t eat . With the help of the vet and dentist she started to get better .

 

[Gloi]

My vet treated my pony's diastemas every six months. I wouldn't leave them six months to be done the first time but have a vet dental specialist do them asap. I wouldn't be particularly happy about them needing to return because they hadn't fetched the kit though.

 

[Trouper]

If you have free call out days with your practice I think I would be inviting them to return then - with the right kit!

 

[whiteflower]

I also wouldn't leave 6 months, there is potential for the gums to get irritated and become sore and unable to eat. Mine is seen every 6 months and gaps cleared and filled with putty, which often stays in for the whole 6 months ! This allows the gums to heal underneath without getting inflamed. If they are left to get sore you can get in a cycle of them not healing so I definitely wouldn't leave it

 

[EventingMum]

I would want them flushed sooner rather than later. If they aren't widened they will need flushing fairly regularly. It is possible to do it yourself if the horse is fairly amenable, you can buy a drench gun fairly cheaply from an agricultural supplies shop which would help. The fact the vet wasn't equipped to deal with the problem would annoy me, my son is an EDT and always carries a diastema pump with him along with a huge amount of other equipment.

 

[atropa]

Don't think I'd be happy with my vet coming out to do a dental without a complete set of tools tbh, diastemas are a fairly common find

 

[fredflop]

Probably a shoddy excuse as they forgot the kit/it’s currently broken/they don’t currently have one.