Dental work costing thousands ??? WWYD ?

[Bedford Joy]

My polo mare who is 8 was kicked in the sinus as a foal and as a result has been left with a hole in her cheek bone which leaks pus all the time and has likely damaged one of her back teeth. She's lived with it for 8 years and I got my vet/ dentist to check it out and they said it may need to be x-rayed to see if the tooth needs removing as its hard to see just looking in the her mouth. She's a little head shy but according to her breeder so was her mother so we don't know if its psin causing it or just behavioural .. I don't know what to do as I can't afford thousands on dental work which would include a full blown op to go in and remove the tooth but it is worrying me that she might be in pain. Insurance I'm sure wont cover it as its a Pre-existing condition .. What would you do ?

 

[figgy]

Sorry to hear, if it was me I would get an xray done and go from there .

 

[Boxers]

Ditto Figgy, get the x ray done and see what's what. It may be that things can be left as they are and you are worrying over nothing. You need all the facts in place before you can decide what's to be done.

 

[Polos Mum]

Dental work is tricky as if it's major the likelihood of major infection/ complications is quite high.
One of the closest to death horses I've personally seen was after a tooth removal, she's been back and forth to vets IV anti biotics, top level care but she had pus running from eyes, nose, and holes that appeared in her forehead! She just lay in her stable, couldn't believe she pulled through really.

I've a companion pony who has a half missing tooth in a tricky place, to get to it they'd need to go in through his forehead ! My very highly qualified dentist said even if he was a £25k competition horse who was fully insured he wouldn't recommend the surgery, mine has lived with it for 5 years with me and if it gets to the point of effecting his eating I will just PTS.

With yours I'd get a £100 xray done so you know what you're dealing with (incase it's simple) some tooth extractions can be only £600 ish if they are easy. Then talk long and hard to a good dentist and vet. But if she's lived with it OK for 8 years I'd be inclined not to meddle unless something changed.

 

[sophspot]

We had a lower tooth removed which an abscess had burst through the jaw and was dripping pus on a mare last week, 8 weeks of antibiotics didn't touch it, so made decision to have it out. No problems at all in & out 4 hrs £480 inc xrays. Mare is 21yrs which I know is easiser on an older horse due to lenght of the tooth.

 

[Shay]

Damaged teeth left untreated cause far more problems than extractions. Get the x-ray done and then you'll be in a position to make the best decision for her.

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

Bad teeth are better extracted everytime

 

[AmyMay]

Get the xrays done and then make a decision. If the damaged area leaks puss continuously it will most likely have had a pretty devastating effect on the jaw, and she will be in pain. I suspect the results of the xrays will take any further decisions out of your hands.

 

[cptrayes]

Has her behaviour actually changed at all in the 8 years? If not, then I would bear in mind that a general anaesthetic itself carries a 1% or so risk of the horse dying during the operation or during the recovery and I'd leave it alone.

Operating anywhere near an infection is risky. I had a horse refused for a tie-back because of a draining sinus between his jawbones. Last I knew he had lived with it for another 20 years. (It was nowhere near his teeth).

 

[honetpot]

Some good advice given. If you do go for removal may look at a vet school which may give you a better price as they allow students to assist.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Get the xrays done.

My horse had an abcessed tooth removed, cost £1800 and hospitalisation for 4/5 days.
Recovery was quick and straightforward.