People with experience of horses with broken jaws.

V1NN

V1NN

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 July 2009
Messages
1,860
Visit site
Advice / reasurance required.

Ok so in the first week of January my youngster (rising 3) broke his jaw in 2 places. The vets here could not fix it so he went to the Dick vet in edinburgh. The operation to wire his jaw went very well and he came back to me a week later.

So last Friday it was 8weeks since the operation so he was due to get the wires removed yesterday. The 2vets came and sedated him and they said they are very happy in that it has healed and stayed in the right place fine, but they felt that there was possibly just a slight amount of movement. So we phoned dick vet and were able to speak to the vet who did the op. He said to leave it for another 3 weeks and then remove. Fair enough, but now i am just very very worried that in 3 weeks what if they still feel slight movement? :(

The other thing that worried me a bit was they took massive wire cutters and say they have been told to just cut the wire into heaps of little bits and it should all just come away. But this wire is digging very tightly into the gums at the front where it is all intertwined in the teeth i could see them doing a fair bit of damage with those particular cutters, i will have a look online to see if i can find some smaller presision cutters?

So has anyone had experince of seeing a horse have the wire removed? I have visions of when they take the tension out of the wire his jaw fill just flop about again, i am very scared for him he is my absolute pride and joy :( How long after they had it removed could the horse go out? because my poor chap is doing his nut in now, he is not allowed to pull at the grass so can only go in the indoor for a while each day.
Have you had problems using a bit in the horses mouth? I have decided once this is all over he is going to grass livery and having a year out to chill and be a horse because he is a bit down at the moment from being in, so i have no intention of backing him until he is 4 anyway but by then do you think his mouth would be strong enough to manage a bit?

sorry for the long rambling post but any advice at all would be massively appreciated. x
 
If he was my youngster, and my vet did not have experience removing the wires, I would plonk him on the lorry and take him back to the vet hospital, that way your mind will be put at rest. Young horses are very reiliant and I am sure he will be fine.
 
I've not had any experience of this myself, so I can't really comment.

Had the vet at Dicks seen recent pictures of the jaw? I wouldn't be a fan of two vets not experienced with the injury just describing it down the phone.

If you're not happy about the wire cutters too, I would maybe try the speak to the other vet myself and see what is suggested.

It's possible that they need big huge things to get through the wire, but I have no clue!!

Good luck with him anyway, he's obviously been through a lot for a baby (or indeed any horse!!) and I hope in 3 weeks it all goes ok :)
 
Hey thanks for replying guys, no the vet in Edinburgh has not seen recent pictures but he seemed to be very relaxed about it says its a fairly common injury and it normally goes smoothly. Although i realise i am not a vet i know that his jaw looks entirely normal and how it should look except obviously for the wire, it looks great you would never have known he'd broke it. Personally i think these vets are worried about doing it and are trying to cover there own back. Perhaps you are right i may need to look into transport and just go for it and take him back down. thanks again x
 
I looked after a horse that broke his jaw. He snapped it in one place (on both sides) and it was a clean brake. The vet at the time said due to were it was (brake was just under his teeth) he should be ok to bit again but we wouldn't know until the jaw had healed. He also said we would have to find a bit or away to have his bit higher in his mouth than normal to ease any pressure.

He came through the opp without any problems but then died, not due to this jaw due to a bactrial gut problem. He was ok for the first few days then went down and that was it, vet said the natural bacteria in this gut went mad and that was what killed him in the end. :(
 
picolenicole - thats so sad, sorry to hear that, was it due to infection at all? Vinnie seems well more than fine at the minute and to be honest has throughout it all even when he first broke it he was eating hay etc apart from the blood you might have missed it. He broke it on his bottom jaw on the right hand side where all the front teeth start and then towards the front of the mouth to almost right in the middle of the jaw. He has never lost condition or seemed in any discomfort after the op and he has continued to eat well, in fact at the moment i think he is looking the best i have ever seen him. Luckily he is a very even tempered well behaved and fairly calm quiet sort of chap so i will be happy enough to try backing him bitless if i have to.
 
Our horse fractured his Jaw on Saturday

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=440574

and it has been the most harrowing experience. He is still at Glasgow Vet School and will return there for regular checks throughout his treatment and to have the wires removed when the time comes.

From my discussions with the vets I am under the impression they will x ray prior to finally removing the wires to ensure this isn’t being done too soon. I assume that from reading your post you live a distance from The Dick and that is why your local vets have been involved. I can totally understand your worries, is it possible for you to have a chat with the vets at The Dick and voice your concerns? I would have thought that if you are claiming through your insurance they wouldn’t have a problem paying for him to be checked prior to the wires being removed to lessen the risk of further treatment being required. Also if you have cover for non veterinary fees on a policy this may well cover the cost of transport to a vet hospital.

I wish you the best of luck – I would be interested to know how things go for you and your boy as we will obviously have the same issues re turnout etc in a few months time.
 
No i have been told if they only fravture it and it is a small fracture in one place they often dont need wiring.

Eventingmum - i cant believe i missed your thread! i shall certainly pm you once my boy has had it removed in 3 weeks or so. I feel your pain its a very rubbish time! Ihave been in tears a few times as my poor boy is so down and he's only a baby - my baby. When i first seen it i seriously thought he'd have to be put down as i couldnt even see his bottom teeth, i was distraught, if you have a look back at my previous thread from when it first happened i got quite a lot of great advice from others then. I'll keep in touch and i wish your boy the best of luck xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top