Diastemas - anyone know much about them?

Emilieu

Emilieu

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My vet found diastemas in my boy's teeth at his check up (first check up in my ownership) and advised that he needed them operated on as he would be in pain and they could cause future issues. She could see three but thought there might be more lurking. Sure enough when she got a better look there were nine in total :( To cut a long story short these have now been operated on but following the operation a couple of more experienced horse owners have said that they think i have been 'had' as the vet apparently tries to do this op on a lot of horses as the equipment was expensive and needs paying for. Apparently no horse ever needed it before the equipment was bought. Also his previous owner said he was checked by a respected EDT last year, who did not pick up on any issues with his mouth.
Sorry for the essay, i've been a bit stressed over it, basically my question is: if he didn't need the work done will it have any negative impact on his teeth in the future??

Thank you, hope someone more clued up than me can help!
 
Diastemas are common in older horses, they are very painful for the horse and need burring out regularly to prevent food packing into the gaps between the horse's teeth. It's good that your practice has the right kit for the job.
 
My 6yr ISH had two. the dentist did some serious work to make the gaps bigger so the food could get out, (at least if I remember correctly)

Sorry I can't offer any help with the vet
 
My mare got diagnosed with these following a check up she had lost some weight. Went into vets to get them drilled out. Vet changed mind doesn't need to be drillled out next visit by horse dentist couldn't find any diastemas
 
Yeah my horse has a few and some others at the yard have them. They are more common in older holrses but mine is 12 yrs old. My vet flushes them out yearly for my mare but all depends on the horses. It hasnt caused her much bother to be fair, but every horse is different. If they cause alot of hassle then the vet can do more to try and stop them fillin up by drilling the teeth and stuff.
 
My 25 year old started having issues with the when he was 23.

It started as an episode of what looked like choke - but ended up being a salivary gland infection (rare). He had to go into horsepital and the vet found diastema (due to the teeth tapering when they come to the end of their growth). He had some shelving work done to try and roof the gaps to prevent packing down of foods.

He's been fine since then with a few lifestyle changes.

1) Regular (six monthly) dental checks by the vet (I tried an EDT, but she seemed a bit out of her depth).

2) A big bucket of sloppy Fast Fibre with Readigrass (and a mixture of minerals) as well as a haynet - nice and sloppy is easier to eat and helps to flush the gaps out and keep them clean. His ability to eat haylage is impaired due to the gaps as it tends to wrap around them. He does manage - but I give a forage replacing diet when he's in at night so that any haylage he does manage to eat is a bonus.

3) Herbs to boost immune system to give him some resistance to infections.

4) 2000iu a day of Vitamin E (two capsules squeezed out into his feed each day). Horses get this from grass - but if a horse isn't so great at chewing, then they need added Vitamin E for their immune system.

5) Salt - horses generally need more sodium and chloride than they can normally get from the grazing (even normal horses) and if their ability to graze is impaired, they won't be getting nearly enough, especially if working too.

6) Micronised linseed - supplies omega oils that they may be lacking from impaired grazing.

It might be an idea to get a big syringe and flush his mouth at night too. I've never needed to do this, but I keep one in case.
 
when i got ZAch as a 5year old he was found to have two valvular diastemas on each side - he had to go to the vet school to have them operated on because our own vet couldn't/wouldn't do it and we were distraught thinking it was an extremely horrendous thing - but once up there we found out they were quite routine problems resulting from inadequate/ non existent dental work from a foal :\ he was in and out in a day, a month of antibiotics, could be ridden after 2 weeks so problems since :) and we were told Zach's were significantly bad :\ hope it goes all ok for you :) xx
 
Thank you for your replies. It sounds as if I am lucky then that my vets were able to do the procedure, they have said three monthly checks at first, going to six months or even yearly in the future, no special maintenance in between as the work they have done means that the food will no longer get stuck in the gaps.
Three days since the work was done and my poor boy struggling to eat anything but grass - and he has had to come in from the field because it has flooded :( Hopefully will start to see an improvement over the next week.
Ealana - i know the distraught feeling! Glad to hear its all sorted for your Zach x
 
I have had them sorted out in one horse it was jumping to the right for ages I thought it was me then I started jumping other horses and they where straight so I got the vet and she found them they where sorted in the surgery and the difference was huge he had his teeth done since he came to me but they had come since his last check.
I asked the vet why did horses never have these in the past she said they did but now we can do something about them, so get them done and don't listen to the doubters
 
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