Pony struggling to eat hay after dentist

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

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My pony was intravenously sedated for teeth and farrier this morning. Was sedated at 8.10am and not given food until 10.40am by which time he was back round.

Gave him pile of hay and bucket of oat straw chaff and quickly noticed although he was eating hay, he was then chewing it and spitting it back out. Called vet who said most likely due to his teeth feeling different and hence him having difficulty chewing.

I've stayed with him for over 1/2hr just to make sure no sign of choke and going back up again shortly.

He didn't need much doing, had some hooks at the front but not bad but vet did use power rasp rather than manual one, don't know if that makes a difference.

Is this normal is what I'm asking I guess?
 
Yes quidding is normal, just because it feels different for them as the vet said :) although i'm sure greedyness helps as my horse only did it a few times before going back to stuffing his face after his last dental!
 
Yes very normal for them to do that after dentist. They can take a day or so to return to eating normally. When my new horse was done one afternoon she didnt eat much of her haynet that night but by the following evening she was back to normal.
 
Probably a combination of still being a bit derpy from the sedation and his teeth feeling odd. If you've ever had a filling you'll know your mouth feels really odd until you get used to the new shape of the teeth.

Just keep an eye on him, and if in doubt, call the vet straight away :)
 
I had to have my boy sedated for the dentist last time and was warned that the last reflex to recover after sedation is swallowing - so keep an eyeon him in case he chokes.
 
I have the opposite, my dentist always tells me that he may not eat much after he has been seen, but Jay is greedy and empties his net every time...

Having said that he is not sedated.
 
Thank you all, just been up again and he's fine. Still quidding but bright and alert and ate a carrot with no problems!!

I've just had to have a boiling hot bath to unfreeze myself ;-)
 
Power rasping may result in too much tooth substance being removed from the biting surfaces of the back teeth making it difficult for the horse to grind its food.
 
Red-1 said:
I have the opposite, my dentist always tells me that he may not eat much after he has been seen, but Jay is greedy and empties his net every time...

Having said that he is not sedated.
Click to expand...

Sounds like mine.. Would take a lot to stop him eating ! ^^^
 
When did it become considered 'normal' for horses not to want to eat after their teeth have been rasped?

It's not normal at all, in my experience of seeing hundreds of tooth raspings. I won't let a dentist do my horses with power tools. Is it connected?
 
Just to update you he is totally back to normal today! With hindsight I think it was the remnants of the sedation and he just couldn't co ordinate his chewing properley.
 
ycbm said:
When did it become considered 'normal' for horses not to want to eat after their teeth have been rasped?

It's not normal at all, in my experience of seeing hundreds of tooth raspings. I won't let a dentist do my horses with power tools. Is it connected?
Click to expand...
That's my experience as well. I too was surprised to hear so many people saying it was normal.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.

Regarding eating after sedation, I think the best advice is to withhold hay (and other food) until the effects have completely worn off, to avoid the risk of choking.

Supertrooper, I'm glad to hear your boy is back to normal. :)
 
I am by no means an expert in dentistry...

But surely the use of power tools is not the issue, but HOW the tools are used. Like a strong bit can be as mild as a basic one in good hands. Vets use some large power tool type things to assist them in all sorts of procedures. Do our own dentists not use mini power tools to do even a scale and polish on us humans? Just a ponder.
 
I've also not found my horse stops eating after the dentist. If anything, she eats better.

Good to hear he's back to normal, Supertrooper.
 
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