teeth - vet or dentist?

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skydancer

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just windering my horse is due her vaccs next month obviously with the vet but she is also due to get her teeth checked - usually use a dentist but thought might just use vet for teeth and save on extra call out fees - what do you all think - vet or dentist???:D:D
 
I normally use a dentist, but recently had my vet do them as he was coming out and my dentist wasn't due down, and they were 2 months over due, due to me having broken arm so unable to hold them or anthing!. (he comes from yorkshire so comes down every year and does teeth).
 
I think it all depends on the vet or dentist. Theres good and bad in both. We had a well respected dentist do the whole yard and the whole yard had to get vets out to try to put right what the dentist had done.
Ive had 2 vets do mine from the same practice, one was better than the other.
 
When we had a vet stabled at our livery yard... she STILL used to get a dentist to do her horse! even though she was trained and qualified to rasp herself... she preferred a specialist!

For me, it's dentist every time
 
Anyone from the BAEDT list - preferably a vet from there though,cos at least then I know my horse will be sedated and looked at properly, and any removals that need doing can be done legally and proper pain relief given !!

Seen too much damage over the years from "dentists" and there are far too many "dentists" about who think that doing 15 horses in 3 hours is doing a proper job on them - and dont see the point of doing their exams because "ive been doing this job for 20 years, I dont need to get accredited" which makes me weep for the horses, and the owners who dont know any better...
 
Racergirl said:
Anyone from the BAEDT list - preferably a vet from there though,cos at least then I know my horse will be sedated and looked at properly, and any removals that need doing can be done legally and proper pain relief given !!

Seen too much damage over the years from "dentists" and there are far too many "dentists" about who think that doing 15 horses in 3 hours is doing a proper job on them - and dont see the point of doing their exams because "ive been doing this job for 20 years, I dont need to get accredited" which makes me weep for the horses, and the owners who dont know any better...
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You don't have to have a horse sedated to do a proper job on its teeth. Just get a good EDT who comes with a recommendation or ten! I don't like sedating my horse more times in his life that absolutely necessary.

We use Shane Kitching who is brilliant - 3 of the ones he just did on our yard used to have to be sedated, but his horsemanship is so good they learn to accept the procedure.
 
Recommended qualified dentist usually a few of us gather to get done. I used our equine vet once as I had them coming for some jabs and it worked out pretty much the same price...I ended up with one collapsed horse old boy whose head was held in the air for too long and he dropped! He didnt die but the vet thinks the angle etc of head in air. He took soooooo long and never again will I use a vet unless its something serious.

Had my old boy done recently took about 10-15mins and i think she was very thorough and she knew straight away he lived out as she said he had excellent teeth...I had never met her before & took him to a neighbours stables to be done! So How would she know that?

Go on recommendation. I agree would not go to GP for my teeth!
 
Racergirl said:
Anyone from the BAEDT list - preferably a vet from there though,cos at least then I know my horse will be sedated and looked at properly, and any removals that need doing can be done legally and proper pain relief given !!

Seen too much damage over the years from "dentists" and there are far too many "dentists" about who think that doing 15 horses in 3 hours is doing a proper job on them - and dont see the point of doing their exams because "ive been doing this job for 20 years, I dont need to get accredited" which makes me weep for the horses, and the owners who dont know any better...
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Why isnt there a like button :)
 
An approved and well qualified dentist. Recommendation isn't enough for me, there are alot of charlatans out there who claim to be able to do teeth but don't have the knowledge to do a proper job. The owners might be happy with them, they might be nice people but the horse can't tell you itself if its teeth have been done properly.

Don't want to be accused of advertising but if anyone wants to know of a good EDT near Derby pm me. :D
 
Ask a vet how long he has spent studying horse's teeth and what experience he has in dealing with problems. Dentist every time, unless a vet has specifically trained and worked under a qualified EDT.
 
Racergirl said:
Anyone from the BAEDT list - preferably a vet from there though,cos at least then I know my horse will be sedated and looked at properly, and any removals that need doing can be done legally and proper pain relief given !!

Agree - my vet is on the BAEDT list and is better than either a vet (who isn't a dentist) or a dentist (who isn't a vet and cannot opt for sedation when that is needed without getting the vet out)
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BAEDT dentist only!

Vets study teeth for 1-2 days maximum whilst qualifying to become a vet. Unless they have had additional dental training they are no more qualified than your average 'man with a rasp and a bucket'. Also beware of the adverts that say 'EDT trained' - they could have attended a course for a week, given up and never qualified but are quite within their rights to say they have 'trained'. Always look for a professional qualification monitored by an approved association.
 
BAEDT Approved Dentist or Vet with known experience/interest.

I'm a vet student, and although fully trained we do not get the change to get much in the way of experience with dental cases. Although we are lucky in that they hold alot of further (and thorough) CPD training at my uni which is recommended to thoe wanting to do equine as we pass through.
However one of the vets at my equine practice has a particular interest in dental cases and is very experienced and good.
 
Always the vet, I have had my horses teeth checked every year for the 3yrs I have had him. First 2 years was by a dentist this years was by my vet as had them out for new horses vaccinations. The dentist I had for first 2 yrs said he was missing a tooth and it wasnt causing any issue, when the vet came out that missing tooth was actually a fractured tooth causing inflammation and infection, which had started to spread, my boy went straight in for an extraction. Would only ever use my vet again
 
used to always use vet now NEVER all they do is file to tops of teeth . never look at the insides check teeth not rubbing the gums I was amazed when Dorian did mine how much more the Equine Dentist does compared to vet
Mount of stories I have heard of horses reacting bad still after vet did teeth but when dentist came he found the problem missed by vet.. I would never use vet for teeth unless he was qualified dentist as well as vet.

When you see a vet do it then a dentist there is NO comparison
as mentioned would you get a gp to do surgery or a specialist at hospital??? i rest my case

I bet those who use vets would be amazed if they got a dentist after to check what vet did i
 
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horse_lover said:
Always the vet, I have had my horses teeth checked every year for the 3yrs I have had him. First 2 years was by a dentist this years was by my vet as had them out for new horses vaccinations. The dentist I had for first 2 yrs said he was missing a tooth and it wasnt causing any issue, when the vet came out that missing tooth was actually a fractured tooth causing inflammation and infection, which had started to spread, my boy went straight in for an extraction. Would only ever use my vet again
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Not saying who was right or wrong, but unless you had cause to suspect a problem, why would you choose to believe a vet over a EDT? (I am assuming here that your dentist is fully qualified and recommended).

I have to be honest: I have heard of far more cases the other way round; where a vet has missed a big problem and it's been found by an EDT - not at all surprising when you look at the quite correct comments about training and experience in the field quoted above....
 
Dentist. I wouldn't go gp for brain surgery. The vet is good at everything but the dentist should be excellent at teeth.
 
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