Do i need a dentist to look at my horses teeth, or can the vet do just the job?

[grandmaweloveyou]

additionally, does your horse like your vet? Mine really does, yep seriously, so I would rather my vet do his teeth with no gag etc whilst chatting & horse so calm he's practically napping than bring out another bod who my horse might not like so much....

Do whats best for your horse and only you know / can tell that.

 

[PingPongPony]

Not sure this is strictly true ..... "years of training" to be a horse dentist - would need to check on that one, and vets don't just skim over their training of each particular part of a horse's anatomy.

Depends on the EDT i guess. We're lucky enough to have a very very good lady that took the time and money to go and train for 5 years at uni in america then came back here and did 2 further years of training, she's been an EDT for many years now, even a sharp tb at our yard behaved like a lamb for her, all the horses seem to love her and behave well for her, we only ever needed to sedate one horse for her, the horse had remains of a wolf tooth stuck in its gum after some i*iot broke the top half off rather than taking it out properly, so horse was in so much pain that we got the vet out to sedate and EDT to do the job. But i cann't say a bad word about this lady, so i never even considered getting anyone else to do the teeth

 

[alsiola]

the horse had remains of a wolf tooth stuck in its gum after some i*iot broke the top half off rather than taking it out properly, so horse was in so much pain that we got the vet out to sedate and EDT to do the job.

And it was illegal for the EDT to perform this act of veterinary surgery.

 

[PingPongPony]

And it was illegal for the EDT to perform this act of veterinary surgery.

the vet was there to sedate and he seemed perfectly happy with what the EDT was doing

 

[Goldenstar]

Never ever a EDT after two bad experiances I have learnt that lesson my vet practise has two vets that have done dentistry training so I use my usual vet and am very happy with them.

 

[alsiola]

the vet was there to sedate and he seemed perfectly happy with what the EDT was doing

I'm glad he was happy, but it doesn't make it any more legal.

 

[Marydoll]

additionally, does your horse like your vet? Mine really does, yep seriously, so I would rather my vet do his teeth with no gag etc whilst chatting & horse so calm he's practically napping than bring out another bod who my horse might not like so much....

Do whats best for your horse and only you know / can tell that.

How can your vet see the back teeth and gums etc properly with no gag on ?
Does your horse keep his mouth open all the time while the job is done, i cant see how the mouth can be checked properly without the gag, yes you can feel rough and sharp edges, but a healthy mouth is more than keeping sharp teeth down, how can he see properly whats going on in there.

 

[Jnhuk]

At the end of the day, there are good vets and bad vets and likewise EDT out there and sometime it is difficult to know which category as a layperson.

However, I use my vet and always get them sedated. The vet always lets me see/feel before and after as well and is always happy to answer any questions or queries I have. I have no qualms using my vet and I am 110% satisfied with their competency.

I would be wary of letting anyone doing my lads teeth without me being present as I like to know what is happening.