Difficulty chewing after rasping

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MochaDun

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My chap had his regular rasping today and for first time in ages had to be sedated as needed a bit of work. There was one large hook/spur which took some sorting and she did say he was likely to feel quite sore afterwards as right at the back and very close to his cheek.

I waited an hour after she'd finished and he had come round sufficiently to put in hay but he's struggling to eat it sensibly or comfortably, he pulls strands out, half chews and then opens his mouth till they fall out again. I've come home for an hour and left hay out til I go back. Presumably this can be common when had quite full on dental work and mouth is sore? Just don't want him to choke so will spend some time ensuring he's eating OK this evening before I leave yard.
 
If he has had a lot of work, it can feel very odd for them as they are used to chewing in a certain way and their muscles/joints/etc have built up out of line. Even tho it is all ok now they have to get used to it being normal. It shouldn't take too long for him tho, just keep a close eye on him.

Hope that makes sense!
 
I have just had exactly the same with my 20 year old TB mare.
Dentist came last Sunday and she had "beaks" at the back that took some moving, she had to use a new rasp in the end.
Mare was doing just what yours is, would try and arrange some hay in her mouth move the jaw but wouldnt make any grinding noises, she would then shake her head and spit all the hay out in a big quid.
She picked at her hard feed but that is really soft and mushy anyway and even struggled with her Readigrass.
Two days passed and she was slowly improving, I upped her hard feed and she seemed to eat grass ok.

I was lucky as I found some really soft short cut hay in the barn and she went through that alot better.
If your hay is coarse could you maybe soak some for a few days to make it easier to chew?

She is still not quite back to normal but is improving by the day.

I have been putting a handfull of salt in her mouth every night as well as recommended by dentist.

She also had a very slight swelling on the side of her face where she had the problem.

Makes you feel really sorry for them doesnt it.
frown.gif
 
We had a horse with a similar problem. The dentist had indeed taken too much of the tooth off, although perhaps too much was removed, some horses can cope with it.

Hope she improves quickly :-)
 
hmmm, can she eat hard feed ok?

If so, put a bucket of hi fi/lite in with her hay so she doesnt get too hungry. If she is eating ok by Sunday it will be that she is getting used to her new mouth and has had to alter the way she chews (for the better).
 
Thanks for those replies, very helpful. I'm just back from yard and he's still quidding with his hay and not happy to grind and getting very annoyed with me like it's all my fault! I've given him 3 small very sloppy chaffy based feeds over the last 3 hours so at least he's had some fibre and water passing through his gut. I did contact vet and they said much as you all have, just takes a while to all settle down. Ah horses, doubt I'll sleep much tonight with my silly worries!
 
its prob due to the work he has had done should come right in a couple of days until thn wet his feed and his hay to make it easier for him to eat!
 
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