Tia
Well-Known Member
Well finally today was mild enough for the vet to come and do the old boys teeth. Vet asked me how old he was, I said I bought him as a +30 years old horse, but I was not convinced he was that old. Vet took a look at his teeth and agreed that he was probably about 25 years old.
Got his dremel out and started work on his teeth. What a fine job he did! He has done a lot of dental courses back in his homeland but even so, I was superly impressed at how thorough he was ... dare I say it, much more so than my wonderful EDT in England.
The old boy still has all 24 molar teeth in place, however only 12 of them are in working order and all are loose, including front teeth. Vet changed his mind after doing all his teeth and suggested that I was probably sold the horse as correct age and that he now would agree that he is probably just over 30 years old. He also suggested that this would very likely be his last winter because he feared that the teeth would give out before anything else on this horse. He said that his teeth had been well cared for over the years and that someone at some time had taken good care of him - that was my impression too, as he has no splints, no back trouble and absolutely no arthritis. Vet said that although his teeth were not typical of those ancient old horses who have not had their teeth done regularly throughout their lives, where they grow into a V shape at the front, my old boys are not like that which he believes is why this old lad is surviving so well, however vet was somewhat saddened to realise that this old boy is definitely nowhere near ready to give up the ghost, but unfortunately as no dentures are available for these old horses, that he will probably have to be put to sleep at some point this year because the teeth will eventually give up on him.
The vet was blown away by the amount of weight old horse had put on over the past couple of months. He admitted today that he thought he was not going to live for longer than a couple of weeks when he first met him as he was in such poor condition, so he was very happy with his weight progress. He kept saying the same as I said though, that I wish I had got him before the onslaught of winter, but regardless, he has done really well to put on the weight he has under these conditions.
Soooo, it was a good day, glad to find out that he is the age he was supposed to be, and very happy to say that he is still going from strength to strength in his gaining weight.
So we'll make his last year as good as it can be and hey if he manages to hang onto those teeth a bit longer then I have no hesitation in saying that he will go on for longer.
Here's the old beggar
- photo taken a couple of weeks ago.
Got his dremel out and started work on his teeth. What a fine job he did! He has done a lot of dental courses back in his homeland but even so, I was superly impressed at how thorough he was ... dare I say it, much more so than my wonderful EDT in England.
The old boy still has all 24 molar teeth in place, however only 12 of them are in working order and all are loose, including front teeth. Vet changed his mind after doing all his teeth and suggested that I was probably sold the horse as correct age and that he now would agree that he is probably just over 30 years old. He also suggested that this would very likely be his last winter because he feared that the teeth would give out before anything else on this horse. He said that his teeth had been well cared for over the years and that someone at some time had taken good care of him - that was my impression too, as he has no splints, no back trouble and absolutely no arthritis. Vet said that although his teeth were not typical of those ancient old horses who have not had their teeth done regularly throughout their lives, where they grow into a V shape at the front, my old boys are not like that which he believes is why this old lad is surviving so well, however vet was somewhat saddened to realise that this old boy is definitely nowhere near ready to give up the ghost, but unfortunately as no dentures are available for these old horses, that he will probably have to be put to sleep at some point this year because the teeth will eventually give up on him.
The vet was blown away by the amount of weight old horse had put on over the past couple of months. He admitted today that he thought he was not going to live for longer than a couple of weeks when he first met him as he was in such poor condition, so he was very happy with his weight progress. He kept saying the same as I said though, that I wish I had got him before the onslaught of winter, but regardless, he has done really well to put on the weight he has under these conditions.
Soooo, it was a good day, glad to find out that he is the age he was supposed to be, and very happy to say that he is still going from strength to strength in his gaining weight.
Here's the old beggar
