Diastema

[Ceriann]

Mare in mid teens, been quidding on hay/haylage but generally still eating and maintaining weight, and definitely unsettled to ride (only hacked now as semi-retired). Dental exam identified two lower jaw diastema - cleaned etc and told not severe but will need monitoring. I was advised to have her out at grass as much as possible but she’s in overnight. I’m steaming her hay and stopped chaff but is there a better option to allow some healing and help avoid food build up? She’s not at slops stage but has anyone fed senior feeds as a hay replacer with success for this? I’ve also bought a sheep drench so I can wash her mouth out (she’ll tolerate that) with some watered down mouthwash.

 

[whirlwind]

Can she not have them packed? One of mine had a fairly severe diastema (young horse and rest of mouth good so presumably from wedging a stick or something) he had it cleaned and packed a couple of times maybe 3 months apart (he did have to go up to our local hospital) and on last dental examination it had completely healed. I kept him out pretty much 24/7 with hay available but mainly on a grass diet and no chaff.

 

[LEC]

Get a good vet dentist and I find they can normally sort the issue relatively easily. Had one with severe diastema but good vet dentist sorted it from being a nearly admit to dental hospital and spend ££££.

Vet dentists can sedate and then treat which makes it far more productive.

 

[Laurac13]

Hi my vet recommend syringing a weak iodine solution around my elderly ponies teeth, he quids on hay and hayledge so mainly eats quick soak mash at regular intervals and looks really healthy I buy Mole valley own brand quick soak fibre

 

[minesadouble]

Our dental vet packs the gaps with a putty like substance which then hardens. It's a temporary solution but we have found it works really well.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Our oldie is seen every six months and gaps widened or packed as necessary. We flush with water then hexarinse regularly.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Get a good vet dentist and I find they can normally sort the issue relatively easily. Had one with severe diastema but good vet dentist sorted it from being a nearly admit to dental hospital and spend ££££.

Vet dentists can sedate and then treat which makes it far more productive.

This. Are you currently using a non vet EDT?

My 17yo mare was very badly let down by my non vet EDT, though thankfully he DID notice infundibular decay in 109/110 which led to him referring her to a vet dentist. Crikey, what else the vet dentist found going on in addition to the decay .

Anyhoo, after doing the fillings, removing two previously unreported infected dead incisors and correcting her shear mouth she is now in great order, and able to eat correctly at last. He does have his eye on a valve diastema (gap just at the bottom, closed at top) which he is flushing out but may need widening at the top later to stop food getting trapped. It’s not a difficult procedure, but it is only to be done by a vet.

 

[Asha]

When my old girl started to develop diastemas our EDT made the gaps wider so that food was more likely to fall out. She was kept out as much as possible as that really helps. She never needed sloppy foods etc, we just made sure she had regular check ups to keep the hole free from food.

 

[AmyMay]

@LadyGascoyne

 

[Annagain]

You haven't mentioned what sort of dentist you're using so this might be irrelevant but the difference a really good, specialist dental vet has made to my old boy's teeth is incredible. I used a registered EDT (who wasn't bad at all) for years but my current dental vet (she's a fully qualified vet but dental is all she does) is brilliant. Being able to sedate to treat accordingly is a huge part of it. She often expresses concern about the way diastemas are treated, it's not a one size fits all treatment and thinks some less experienced vets / EDTs are overdoing it as they're treating mild ones in the same way as more severe ones.

You've already made the biggest change you can by cutting out chaff.

 

[Ceriann]

Thanks all - currently using my vet practice as until now all been pretty standard sharp teeth and the vet that does mine usually is knowledgeable. This time had another member of the practice who advised that the cleaning out would help and to go on a 6 month check up. I’ve since read about diastema and want to do more for her or as much as I can to support. Is my first port of call a specialist EDT vet? The vet did mention widening but said it wasn’t necessarily the answer.

 

[TPO]

Similar to other above I've always used an EDT regularly (6-9mths based on his recommendations). Due to new(ish) horse needing sedated we got all of them done by vet.

Vet found severe diastema and massive periodontal pockets in my horses lower jaw, that had been missed for years by EDT.

I was referred to Equine Dental Clinic and they widened the gap, smoothed off thr edges around it, cleaned it all out and packed it.

My horses ended up seriously ill. It was unrelated to the dental issues but I had a worse than useless equine vet who wouldn't see past the mouth. This lead to me seeing the vet from EDC several times for more checks. I can't recommend them highly enough.

As two out of three horses now have dental issues, and they're quiet & easy to handle, EDC now come out to do all 3 for routine 6mthly checks and treatments.

They operate throughout the whole of the UK so worth checking out. Initially I travelled to a clinic hosted at a nearby yard and went slightly further afield for the new(ish) horse to have a removal.

I was told to feed grass as much as possible. Just because this is what they're designed to eat. Avoid haylage, it's longer stems and take more chewing.

As my horse was ill I was feeding a lot of high calorie feed including mix. He was checked at the hospital by the dental specialist and then saw EDC vet as planned at th4 end of October. Six minth check ups were recommended to coincide with grazing season eg at the end of it and when it restarts

 

[Annagain]

Thanks all - currently using my vet practice as until now all been pretty standard sharp teeth and the vet that does mine usually is knowledgeable. This time had another member of the practice who advised that the cleaning out would help and to go on a 6 month check up. I’ve since read about diastema and want to do more for her or as much as I can to support. Is my first port of call a specialist EDT vet? The vet did mention widening but said it wasn’t necessarily the answer.

Every vet will do dental to a certain level but there are options for those who want to build their skills even further so you could check to see if your vet has done any post grad dental training / qualifications to be happy that you're getting the best qualified person you can. My dental vet actually teaches the Liverpool Uni post grad dental course so I'm very happy that she knows what she's talking about. When Wiggy arrived and she came to check his teeth, knowing the area he came from, she was pretty certain a specific former student of hers had done them and it turned out she was right!

 

[Marnie]

My little old pony mare has a number of diastema along with a number of wobbly teeth. She is checked every 6 months by my vet who cleans them out and packs them with a putty like substance. For at least the last 2 visits the putty from the previous visit has still been present. Her mouth, gums etc look really healthy now she isn't getting food trapped.

 

[emziemoo]

Mare in mid teens, been quidding on hay/haylage but generally still eating and maintaining weight, and definitely unsettled to ride (only hacked now as semi-retired). Dental exam identified two lower jaw diastema - cleaned etc and told not severe but will need monitoring. I was advised to have her out at grass as much as possible but she’s in overnight. I’m steaming her hay and stopped chaff but is there a better option to allow some healing and help avoid food build up? She’s not at slops stage but has anyone fed senior feeds as a hay replacer with success for this? I’ve also bought a sheep drench so I can wash her mouth out (she’ll tolerate that) with some watered down mouthwash.

I have a mare in a similar situation. In her late 20’s she had a lot of diastema work done and she’s lost a few teeth due to old age so she barely has any left. She is 31 and in the winter has 3 sloppy feeds per day. Her last feed of the day is 2-3 large scoops of TopSpec High Fibre Mash. She absolutely loves it and it’s her favourite dish of the day! I find she keeps her weight really well on it along with her other 2 feeds she gets which contain grass pellets and senior mix with some added supplements. She’s also exercised with gentle walks throughout the week to help keep her muscle healthy which in turn helps keep the weight on!

I should add that she can’t eat hay or haylage anymore as she’s unable to chew very well so she doesn’t have that in her diet much. She can eat very fine hay but doesn’t get a lot of it so it’s her sloppy feeds that keep her mainly as well as any grass she is able to get when outside so the High Fibre Mash is a replacer for those!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Is my first port of call a specialist EDT vet?

Yes. My vet dentist and his newly appointed assistant have the full Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Equine Dentistry) - they might well have been taught at Liverpool by Annagain’s vet dentist .

Dentistry - Veterinary Postgraduate Unit - University of Liverpool

www.liverpool.ac.uk

 

[Ratface]

My equine dentist was a travelling equine vet for a large equine practice in our area. He's been a private equine dental vet now for a few years and is excellent. He's lectured on equine veterinary dentistry all over the world and written a number of learned articles. He's really good with all our horses and doesn't mind doing a running commentary on the what and why of his treatment. He'll also come out for any dental emergencies arising out of hours.

 

[humblepie]

There was a seminar by a vet for Dengie Feeds last week which is on their youtube channel which I found interesting. Might be worth a watch as people raise questions about managing this.

 

[Annagain]

My equine dentist was a travelling equine vet for a large equine practice in our area. He's been a private equine dental vet now for a few years and is excellent. He's lectured on equine veterinary dentistry all over the world and written a number of learned articles. He's really good with all our horses and doesn't mind doing a running commentary on the what and why of his treatment. He'll also come out for any dental emergencies arising out of hours.

Yes, mine encourages us to get our hands in and feel before and after so we understand what she's doing and why. I also still have the broken tooth she removed from Archie last year.