Horse Tooth Removal

[sarahfifee]

Hi,

Wondering if anyone would be able to give me some advice or tell me of their experiences of a horse needing a tooth removed. My horse is around 10 years old and I've only had him around 6 weeks. I had the vet check his teeth about 3 weeks ago, she said that one is fractured and needs removed (209) and will be causing him a bit of pain. Horse went to vet hospital yesterday and i was originally quoted £1000-1500. However they had a look at his teeth and phoned me a few hours later to tell me that the tooth is pretty badly damaged and diseased and that there's a high risk that the tooth will crumble when it's extracted - just had the call 20 minutes ago to tell me majority of tooth has been removed but it did crumble in the root and they're now cutting through his cheek to remove the fragments. The vet told me all sorts of figures on the phone that I struggled to keep track of but he's now said it's likely to be £2000-£2500, and then potentially up to £6000-7000 if there are complications with his sinus I think?

I just wanted to know if anyone else has ever had to pay such a high price for a tooth removal as I'm now extremely stressed. Have had a look on H&H where all other tooth extractions seem to be no more than £1500. Also really concerned insurance doesn't help because they say a dental record of the last 2 years is required, however I've only had him 6 weeks. Would really appreciate any advice! TIA

 

[SO1]

That sounds incredibly stressful.

Any chance you can get hold of the people you bought him off and explain the situation and ask them if they have records for dental check ups for last two years.

 

[Polos Mum]

If they are operating now there is very little you can do. Worrying won't help you can't control the situation.

Any surgery can be v expensive if there are complications.

Next steps would be to speak to sellers and see if they can share his dental records - they don't need to be yours. Then perhaps speak to the insurers and see what the facts are in your circumstances.
If £6-7k is a possibility maybe think about where you will find that - or what the alternatives are if you don't have it available.

It's no no help to you but teeth can be nasty, I personally saw one on a yard I was on at the time with puss coming out of her eyes and bursting out of the front of her face in and out of hospital on IV antibiotics for weeks and weeks - that took months and I am sure well over £6-7k more than 15 years ago. That is clearly an extreme example and as you say lots of examples on here where it was straightforward.

 

[sarahfifee]

That sounds incredibly stressful.

Any chance you can get hold of the people you bought him off and explain the situation and ask them if they have records for dental check ups for last two years.

If they are operating now there is very little you can do. Worrying won't help you can't control the situation.

Any surgery can be v expensive if there are complications.

Next steps would be to speak to sellers and see if they can share his dental records - they don't need to be yours. Then perhaps speak to the insurers and see what the facts are in your circumstances.
If £6-7k is a possibility maybe think about where you will find that - or what the alternatives are if you don't have it available.

It's no no help to you but teeth can be nasty, I personally saw one on a yard I was on at the time with puss coming out of her eyes and bursting out of the front of her face in and out of hospital on IV antibiotics for weeks and weeks - that took months and I am sure well over £6-7k more than 15 years ago. That is clearly an extreme example and as you say lots of examples on here where it was straightforward.

Thank you for answering! Unfortunately his history is a bit of a mystery to me, have posted on Facebook group Trace My Horse Ireland but with not much luck. Will post here too in the off chance someone may recognise him.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/739726413085335/permalink/1436522513405718/

 

[wiglet]

My horse recently had two teeth removed.
It was originally 1 tooth which was fractured but when they did the initial dental check, they found another tooth to be septic so I asked them to remove that one as well.
Horse was in at the vets for 5 days and fortunately both teeth came out without crumbling. Total cost was £2750. I don't have insurance (have a savings pot instead). The vet was made aware that it wasn't going to be an insurance job and kept costs to minimum.
Make the vet aware you may not be insured and I'm sure they will try to keep costs down.
Hope it goes well OP - horses are such a worry.

 

[sarahfifee]

My horse recently had two teeth removed.
It was originally 1 tooth which was fractured but when they did the initial dental check, they found another tooth to be septic so I asked them to remove that one as well.
Horse was in at the vets for 5 days and fortunately both teeth came out without crumbling. Total cost was £2750. I don't have insurance (have a savings pot instead). The vet was made aware that it wasn't going to be an insurance job and kept costs to minimum.
Make the vet aware you may not be insured and I'm sure they will try to keep costs down.
Hope it goes well OP - horses are such a worry.

Thank you, vet’s told me too that a 2nd tooth is looking to need extracted but he wants to do that in a month or two so there’s not a huge healing gap, so will need to go back in. Vet knows that it’s not definite insurance will cover so really hoping they do that same for me in trying to keep costs low!

 

[windand rain]

Hazel had 2 fillings and tooth extracted 109 210 filled and 209 removed a couple of weeks ago initially was 3 fillings but the cost escalated fortunately we had just got a zero percent credit card as cancelled her insurance a long time ago the cost of both came in just under your first quote. She had an abscess behind the removed tooth so was pleased I had taken her as had thought at nearly 25 it might not be worth it She is fit well and much happier to be rid of the infection which must have been painful. Still flushing her mouth daily but apart from the welsh drinking the mouthwash and water she hasnt minded one bit

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

My mare had exactly this, her tooth disintegrated and she had a whole cut through her cheek and the rest chiselled out. She had hers done in her stable with a surgeon and a lot of sedation. The surgery was £700, then the vet call out fees, sedation, anti biotics, bute, x rays etc brought it up to £1,800 in total. My insurance paid out and I only had a years history as only had her a year. I’m with petplan.

they popped this putty type stuff in the hole to stop it getting infected which they then took out after a couple of weeks.

 

[minesadouble]

My daughter's 'pony recently had a tooth removed under standing sedation and nerve block. I was quoted approx £500 but obviously dependant on time.
His tooth did break and they had to dig a root out, though not through the cheek.
My bill was £380, I was very pleased with that!

 

[sarahfifee]

My mare had exactly this, her tooth disintegrated and she had a whole cut through her cheek and the rest chiselled out. She had hers done in her stable with a surgeon and a lot of sedation. The surgery was £700, then the vet call out fees, sedation, anti biotics, bute, x rays etc brought it up to £1,800 in total. My insurance paid out and I only had a years history as only had her a year. I’m with petplan.

they popped this putty type stuff in the hole to stop it getting infected which they then took out after a couple of weeks.

Thank you I’m with Petplan too, really hoping they give a hand. How did you find the aftercare? Vet’s told me of the high risk of sinusitis post-removal, he’s really not helping my worries lol

 

[sarahfifee]

My daughter's 'pony recently had a tooth removed under standing sedation and nerve block. I was quoted approx £500 but obviously dependant on time.
His tooth did break and they had to dig a root out, though not through the cheek.
My bill was £380, I was very pleased with that!

Wow that does seem very reasonable

 

[sarahfifee]

Hazel had 2 fillings and tooth extracted 109 210 filled and 209 removed a couple of weeks ago initially was 3 fillings but the cost escalated fortunately we had just got a zero percent credit card as cancelled her insurance a long time ago the cost of both came in just under your first quote. She had an abscess behind the removed tooth so was pleased I had taken her as had thought at nearly 25 it might not be worth it She is fit well and much happier to be rid of the infection which must have been painful. Still flushing her mouth daily but apart from the welsh drinking the mouthwash and water she hasnt minded one bit

Thank you will be glad to get him out of pain at least

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Thank you I’m with Petplan too, really hoping they give a hand. How did you find the aftercare? Vet’s told me of the high risk of sinusitis post-removal, he’s really not helping my worries lol

They did warn me of sinusitis and I knew what to look out for but she was fine. It was May 2019 so she had the op in the morning, took about 3 hours and then she went out in late afternoon with her field mates for the night. I went down and checked on her in the evening and she was absolutely fine. I didn’t ride her for about a week mainly because of the stitches on her cheek being where her cheek strap sits and when I did I just did a little walk. I was moving yards 2 weeks after the op so gave her the two weeks to convalesce really! I also made her feeds as wet as poss to minimise chance of food getting stuck in the hole. She had a vet check up 2 weeks after the op I think. He did suggest I flush her mouth out everyday but I couldn’t get near her with a big syringe and it wasn’t worth stressing her out.

 

[rabatsa]

I got quoted £4,000 for a back tooth removal a couple of years ago. That was without complications. I did not go ahead with the surgery in the end.

 

[sarahfifee]

They did warn me of sinusitis and I knew what to look out for but she was fine. It was May 2019 so she had the op in the morning, took about 3 hours and then she went out in late afternoon with her field mates for the night. I went down and checked on her in the evening and she was absolutely fine. I didn’t ride her for about a week mainly because of the stitches on her cheek being where her cheek strap sits and when I did I just did a little walk. I was moving yards 2 weeks after the op so gave her the two weeks to convalesce really! I also made her feeds as wet as poss to minimise chance of food getting stuck in the hole. She had a vet check up 2 weeks after the op I think. He did suggest I flush her mouth out everyday but I couldn’t get near her with a big syringe and it wasn’t worth stressing her out.

Yeah I’ve heard of flushing out with a syringe I don’t think I’ll be very successful with that at all either he doesn’t enjoy his face being touched as it it! Thank you!

 

[sarahfifee]

I got quoted £4,000 for a back tooth removal a couple of years ago. That was without complications. I did not go ahead with the surgery in the end.

£4000 with no complications wow that seems dear!

 

[asmp]

About 12 years ago my horse had a back tooth removed. It was done under sedation (took quite a few hours though) and that cost about £1500. If they go through the jaw it will be a lot more. My insurance was not going to pay out as they said that the tooth could have been cracked when I bought him (It was in the first year). My vet wrote a letter saying it had to be done and in the end they stumped up half. Hopefully Petplan will be more helpful.

 

[sarahfifee]

About 12 years ago my horse had a back tooth removed. It was done under sedation (took quite a few hours though) and that cost about £1500. If they go through the jaw it will be a lot more. My insurance was not going to pay out as they said that the tooth could have been cracked when I bought him (It was in the first year). My vet wrote a letter saying it had to be done and in the end they stumped up half. Hopefully Petplan will be more helpful.

Heard of a few vets doing this to get insurance to pay half! Going to speak to mine incase petplan refuse to pay, thank you!

 

[sarahfifee]

Vet has just phoned to say fragments have been successfully removed through his cheek and said it’s only slightly went over the original £1500 budget! No idea why he was quoting £7000 yesterday lol but not complaining. Just hoping Petplan help ?? Thanks everyone

 

[Gingerwitch]

Vet has just phoned to say fragments have been successfully removed through his cheek and said it’s only slightly went over the original £1500 budget! No idea why he was quoting £7000 yesterday lol but not complaining. Just hoping Petplan help ?? Thanks everyone

That's a relief for you. I have know 2 with sinues infections, both were pretty awful for both horse owners and vets. The size of a horses sinus is huge. Us he staying at vets just over night or are they keeping him til thur or Fri ?

 

[Uliy]

Glad it went well for you! I am currently dealing with a horse with sinusitis and the total is around £6,000 ? so he isn’t wrong!

I hope your worries are over! mine is only so bad as they had to do the surgery twice!

 

[sarahfifee]

That's a relief for you. I have know 2 with sinues infections, both were pretty awful for both horse owners and vets. The size of a horses sinus is huge. Us he staying at vets just over night or are they keeping him til thur or Fri ?

I know think the hard work’s prob only just starting for me to try n make sure he doesn’t scratch his face and get it infected! Yeah staying in until Thursday/Friday, currently got a catheter in his face to flush out his sinus poor boy x

 

[sarahfifee]

Glad it went well for you! I am currently dealing with a horse with sinusitis and the total is around £6,000 ? so he isn’t wrong!

I hope your worries are over! mine is only so bad as they had to do the surgery twice!

Oh jeez ? that is brutal. Thank you I hope yours clears up soon!

 

[brighteyes]

I had a KWPN prone to 'slab fractures' but with no apparent cause. Two of the tooth slices were removed by my EDT (as they stopped at the gum-line and my horse was amenable to the fractured slices being removed. Then she had a third on ANOTHER tooth which wasn't so easily picked out, and a specialist vet EDT grabbed it under sedation. The remainder of all three teeth carried on growing and I just had to monitor the gums for food=packing. This, fortunately for me, was simple as my son is a fully qualified BAEDT.

Did the vet give any underlying cause or x-ray evidence? I'd be interested to see anything you can show...

The aftercare is the sod, really, as it's well nigh impossible to see what's going on in there.

 

[sarahfifee]

I had a KWPN prone to 'slab fractures' but with no apparent cause. Two of the tooth slices were removed by my EDT (as they stopped at the gum-line and my horse was amenable to the fractured slices being removed. Then she had a third on ANOTHER tooth which wasn't so easily picked out, and a specialist vet EDT grabbed it under sedation. The remainder of all three teeth carried on growing and I just had to monitor the gums for food=packing. This, fortunately for me, was simple as my son is a fully qualified BAEDT.

Did the vet give any underlying cause or x-ray evidence? I'd be interested to see anything you can show...

The aftercare is the sod, really, as it's well nigh impossible to see what's going on in there.

Not sure about x-rays but vet’s told me he’s taken a lot of pics of the tooth etc. to show me which I’d be happy to share! I’m quite interested to find out too. Not looking forward to the aftercare but he’s to go back in to the hospital before Christmas so they can have another check so hopefully they can keep him on track!

 

[ycbm]

Ooh yes, please, pics of tooth shards ?

 

[sarahfifee]

Ooh yes, please, pics of tooth shards ?

Haha will be sure to upload pics when I get them!

 

[windand rain]

hazels removed tooth black bits are decay track from abscess is clear

 

[sarahfifee]

What’s left of the tooth ? vet wasn’t lying when he said it had crumbled!

 

[ycbm]

Oooooh!