Equine Dentist or Vet. Advice needed.

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The Virgin Dubble

The Virgin Dubble

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As many of you know, Snowy the rescue horse is in desperate need of his teeth doing, so I've booked an EDT to come out. He will come out on bank holiday Monday.

However, Snowy has a parrot mouth, and atrociously uneven wear on his teeth (really, really bad!), and I am now wondering if I should have booked the vet instead.

I think he is going to need a lot of work on his mouth, and will probably need sedating, which the EDT can't do.

So, do you think I should stick with the idea of having the EDT out, or swap for the vet?

Many thanks. xx
 
If your pony needs alot doing i would stay with the EDT but maybe you will need the vet out to sedate him. An EDT is better equipped and more experienced in dealing with a wider range of dental problems than a vet who get limited training in dentistry. I would rather use dentist anytime!!!
 
Can you get a tube of sedative anywhere before the EDT comes? Worth a try in the first instance, although I know the stuff you buy in tack shops doesn't always work. I use Sedolin on my horse when he has his jabs and have found it really good, but I think you have to get that from a vet.
 
can you not call dentist back & explain you think there is a lot of work & would they recommend you have him sedated?
 
Vets do not have to learn equine dentistry to become a vet - (although some do go on courses etc..)
so I alwyas use(d :-( ) a dentist - my horse (who also had a parrot mouth) hated the dentist when I got him adn hadn't been done for over a year - he spent most of the time on two legs - but we managed to get through it without sedation and a lot of patience.

You do what you have to do, but I would strongly recommend using a qualified dentist - be that an equine dentist or a vet who has had additional training.
 
If the EDT is a good one s/he will give you an honest appraisal of what needs doing, including sedation if necessary, in which case you will need a vet. I would definitely stick with the EDT initially, as they are specialists and should know best what is required.
 
Hi Dubs x

Definitely dentist hun, they do it day in and day out and are expert at their jobs. Vets dont really like doing it and dont get enough practice IMO. Suppose its a bit like asking a carpet fitter to cut your hair
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If his teeth are that bad he will probably need more remedial work which will be done with an electric rasp rather than hand held, in which case he will need proper sedation by the vet. Speak to dentist first, then if needed arrange for vet to meet him at the yard.

My dentist often has to put right the teeth that a vet has done in the past
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Hx
 
Ditto the above - DEFFO an EDT. However, I would say you should DEFFO have the horse sedated too for the work, then the EDT can absolutely crack on with what is necessary to make Snowy happy - I also will absolutely NOT allow electrical equipment inside my horse's mouth without sedation, for obv reasons!
 
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I'd go with the EDT Dubs and see what he/she says.

Bethxx

PS. Guess who arrives home tomorrow?
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PMSL, Beth! I was actually going to contact you earlier and wish you luck for tomorrow, but I didn't want to make a huge issue of it, in case you were a bundle of nerves and I set you off!
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I'm really excited for you hun, and can't wait for piccies!
Hope it all goes smoothly
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xxx
 
Thanks for all the advice - it's really appreciated.

I would definitely always choose an EDT over a vet, as they specialise in teeth, but I think my main dilemma is that the appointment is on a bank holiday, so I'm not going to be able to get a vet out to sedate, as they will only be covering emergencies.

The EDT was highly recommended to me, and he has said that he will appraise Snowys mouth, and will only work on it if he's able to, but I can't help feeling that I'll be wasting his time, and that he's going to have to come back on another day.

Gah, bank holidays....
 
If the front of his mouth is any indication as to what his back teeth are like, then I would go with my vet any day of the week.

Would depend on what Vets you used though. Sebby has done his extra equine bits and I think there is a vet at Shires that has specialised in equines too.

The other thing I would say is that Snowy won't be able to have the gag on when they level the fronts out, therefore sedation might be required.

Fingers crossed hunny that he is not like Jerry! lol
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He will feel like a new neddy with them done!
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Oh I am a bundle of nerves...doubt very much I'll sleep tonight, but a beer or 3 says differently
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Must admit to worrying about him and how he'll travel etc, but I'm sure he's a touch little thing and will be fine. Me on the other hand may well be nursing a hangover....
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xxx
 
I'd say the EDT.

Mine does what he can without sedation and if the horse needs sedating he does a monthly clinic at the vets.
Ive found that alot of horses will tolerate power tools very well without sedation. All4 of mine have never needed sedating for powertools and we have some major dental work. One of mine has 2 displaced teeth at the back, anouther of mine has missing teeth at the front which makes them unlevel and stopps him chewing unless they are leveled and that normaly involves the electric saw. never had anyproblems and never needed sedating.
 
I suspect you are going to need BOTH Dubs. However for the first consultation I would go with the EDT assuming they are properly qualified and recognised rather than someone who just 'does teeth'.

From what you say this could be a long process but hopefully there will be something that can be done to assist Snowy. A parrot mouth will always be a parrot mouth but with regular good dental care you can make them more comfortable and small changes make all the difference.

It will be ongoing though and you will come to regard your EDT as a friend very soon!
 
Call your EDT tell him or her the situation and they will probably come out and assess the situation (should be free of charge) and then return another time when the vet has been booked.

You cannot put a regular gag on a bad parrot mouth so the vet will most definately not have the alternative plates needed in his car anyway and the EDT will.

Please make sure you use a properly trained EDT www.beva.org.uk and that your horse is sedated by the vet for any power work!

Good Luck!
 
I know but there are still EDTs out there that do! makes me cringe!

I dont know why they do because it really is of no benefit to the EDT; all I can think is that it means they have to make a return visit.
 
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I suspect you are going to need BOTH Dubs. However for the first consultation I would go with the EDT assuming they are properly qualified and recognised rather than someone who just 'does teeth'.

From what you say this could be a long process but hopefully there will be something that can be done to assist Snowy. A parrot mouth will always be a parrot mouth but with regular good dental care you can make them more comfortable and small changes make all the difference.

It will be ongoing though and you will come to regard your EDT as a friend very soon!

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He copes surprisingly well with the parrot mouth tbh. I have studied him eating grass, and he crops it quite well - poor beggar has probably learned to adapt over the years. He also quids very little of his feed too, but then it IS like slops!
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I have a feeling that my list of friends might well extend to the EDT.......... along with my other new friends the feed merchant, the vet, the farrier, lol!
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My dentist wouldn't dream of using power tools without the horse sedated by the vet. I am shocked any vet would attempt it.

Love my dentist. He's coming out next Thursday to my lot. He always jokes that alot of vets must have short arms as the back of mouths are often missed.
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Dubs, if it was me, I'd stick with the EDT. Let him have a look, assess what needs to be done and then he'll be able to give you an indication of price and whether the vet is needed for sedating and re-book.
 
Thanks for that info Victoria
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He has said that he will assess Snowy's mouth, and if he feels it's going to be a major jobby, he will re-book, and will not charge us.

Off to take a peek at that site now, to make sure I'm not getting a cowboy!
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Yeah, that's what I meant. EDT's not using sedation. I can't imagine that any would....quite surprised. I know mine won't. He wouldn't want to risk his tools if the horse took exception to the noise I'm sure.
 
Oh I don't mind putting his name out there publicly. He's fabulous. Seriously impressed with him. Highly recommend him, and indeed I have to many people!
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Eric Cleary. He lives down South but travels all over the country. He has a website if you google him.
 
Well i would rather not sedate my lot if i can avoid it, concidering they are all veterans and have in the past reacted badly to sedation (i had one fight the sedation and he got very very nasty when he did).

My EDT is more then happy to do my lot with power tools, without sedation. The all stand like rocks anyway and there is absolutely no point in sedating a horse that doesnt react to it anyway.

Infact, ive used 2 other EDT's before settleing on this one (who is absolutely brilliant) and neither of those 2 asked for sedation before useing powertools.
 
Hi Dubs. Haven't read the other replies but I'd book both - sorry! I'd want the vet there to sedate the horse (you CANNOT do seriously intrusive work without sedation, I don't care what anyone says...) - then the EDT can get to work whilst the vet is around - they can pick each others brains & compare opinions if it's really a tricky case.

If you stick to just the EDT & the EDT is good, I would expect them to do some work but tell you that they need to come back with a vet for sedation anyway...

Sorry if I've said what everyone else has said...
 
Id stick with the dentist since I believe they're better than the vet because obviously that's what they do for a living. But I would probably call the vet a few days before and just say that you might need them to come out at short notice to sedate, if thats ok.
 
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