tooth extraction eek!

[bluekerry123]

My mare has had her xrays, after a recurring bi-lateral smelly discharge, and the vet has told me that she needs one, possibly 2 teeth out from the front up her upper jaw. The list of worries is endless.

What is the success rate? If she has these teeth out, which is where the bit would probably make some contact during ridden work, will it affect the way she goes? Will she be wonky in the contact? Whats the recovery time after an uncomplicated tooth extraction?

And the cost....well.....don't even go there. Shes a veteran mare, with public liability only.

Oh god. OH has asked me why I'm not selling her! As in, get a new one that works properly. Does anyone have any experience of this situation?

 

[Louby]

Ohhhhh yes, I have experience of this.
Your saving grace is you say your mare is a veteran which makes the extraction much easier.
My horse was 4 at the time and his tooth was fractured. He too had the awful smelly discharge and antibiotics hadnt helped, so he was xrayed which shown the fracture. They tried to remove the tooth under sedation but it fractured fully so he had to have a GA to knock it out from the inside out. He had a bone flap took out of his face to do this . He looked quite normal after it despite hundeds of staples and I was able to ride him 3 weeks later. His was the 3rd cheek molar that was removed. He continued to have discharge dispite flushing it via a trephine for weeks after, then he was trephined again months later and the smell still came back. Eventually the smell went although it does every now and again come back for a few days. I dont worry about it anymore. He is now 12 and is fine.
We were unlucky, vet said teeth in young horses have long roots and are difficult to remove and the day after an older horse came in and had teeth removed under sedation without any problems at all.
Good luck, I hope it all goes well.

 

[bluekerry123]

thanks for that, hopefully it will go smoothly, shes having it out under standing sedation.....pleeeeease let it not break, apparently its not wobbly AT ALL. So vet will be wiggling it loose.