Dentigerous cysts in older horse

K

keeleyBoss

New User
Joined
26 October 2011
Messages
6
Location
Plymouth, UK
Visit site
Hi all,

I have just got a new horse and on day of arrival i noticed he has a Dentigerous cysts, i have had 2 vets out to check him and both have said the same and both have said just keep it clean and protect with a fly fringe with ear covers in summer! they said they would not do surgery

anyone else have or ever seen a horse with this and best way to treat
 
I think the vets are taking the view that the dentigerous cyst poses no risk to your horse in the long term whereas a general anesthetic would. To properly remove such a cyst you would need to treat it the same as removing a tumour - you need clear margins and where you do not leave any material that would lead to recurrence. You also need to identify and remove the odontological material causing the cyst (often a buried undeveloped tooth). To carry out this sort of procedure with that kind of accuracy you need a perfectly still animal i.e. GA.

An older horse the same as an older animal or person carries a higher GA risk. If the cyst gets too big or is causing problems it can be drained as they are usually fluid filled and the fluid is thin enough to drain through a needle. The fluid will build up again but that takes time. However drainage carries infection risk so no point in doing this unless you need to.
 
I guess that why they said they would not treat, sudeocrem, daily cleaning and a fly fringe in summer thats all they have told me to do for now thanks for help! i just wanna know i doing what best for buddy
 
Always best to start with the least invasive plan and you can change things at any point if there are problems. No point in causing unnecessary problems if he is not currently bothered by it.
 
I have owned my horse for 1 year now. I bought him from Cavan Horse sales. He has Cavalier Royale bloodlines. Hes a very smart horse. When he arrived home we noticed he had a very funny shaped face and a floppy ear! Dentist came and found he had a dentigerous cyst removed when he was younger causing nerve damage and muscle loss on the right side of his face. I will post some pictures later on. You will be able to see the effect it had on him. Luckily this does not affect how he peforms etc. Hes very cute, makes him stand out! :-) xxx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top