Tooth fallen out!

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PrettyPolly

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I went to feed my 32 year old pony yesterday & noticed a tooth lying on the ground next to her bucket! It was a large molar that had fallen out, but wasn't covered in any blood or gunk, so I assume that it wasn't badly infected before falling out? Anyway, it doesn't seem to be affecting her eating and she's due to have her teeth checked later on in the year when she's also due for her vaccinations. Would you get it checked out, or do you think it would be OK if she continues to eat OK etc.? Has anyone else experienced this?
 
How were her teeth when they were last checked? Does it look as though the tooth has come out cleanly, or do you think there may be part of it still lodged in her gum? If so, probably wise to have the vet/EDT check it out.

The danger of having a missing tooth is that she may not be able to chew as well, so may drop food, or not chew it properly and develop choke. Also, food may become lodged in the gap, which will then become very smelly and horrible (you'll notice!!).

Older ponies do tend to lose their teeth (mine had almost none at 37, just her front teeth left to bite you with
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), so I don't think it's anything to worry unduly about.

I would just watch her closely, particularly while she's eating, and keep an eye that she isn't losing weight. It may be as well to offer her as soft a feed as possible, so that chewing is easier (especially for the first few days when she might be sore). Choke is the main hazard to watch out for, but to be honest, there isn't a lot you can do about that once the tooth is gone, except offer soft/mushed up feed that she doesn't need to chew as much.
 
It looked like the tooth had just worked its way loose and then eventually fallen out. I noticed her having a few problems in the day or so before it fell out so it must have been really loose then. She already has mush as feed, as she can't eat hay/haylage due to her inability to chew and digest the longer fibres (she has lost a few teeth already). When the vet last did the teeth, she said they were ok, but she didn't want to rasp them too much as they were already very worn down! I think I'll just see how she goes over the next week or so & if she appears to be in any pain, I'll get the vet out.
 
Thanks - it's great to have feedback from an EDT! I decided to get the vet out to take a look, as she does seem to be leaving some of her feed and she was also drooling on Saturday, which I have not seen her do before!
 
No probs! it is worth remembering that these old horses close to expired teeth get incredibly sharp causung the horse to salivate more. The sharp points need to be removed with power instruments (def NOT hand instruments as it will tug on the loose teeth too much).
 
Thanks Victoria EDT. I don't think my vet uses any electric tools when performing dentistry on horses? Out of interest, do you ever float the front teeth (are they the incisors)? My pony's teeth don't seem to meet any more properly - I noticed this when I tried her with a grazing muzzle & she was unable to grab the grass through the hole as her teeth don't meet in the middle!
 
We do occasionally but that would only be for severe malocclusions where the incisors appear to look like a smile or a frown or angled diagonally throughout the quadrant.
Naturally, horses incisors dont meet at head height, the lower incisors sit slightly behind the uppers and when the horse puts his head down to graze; the lower jaw slides forward and the incisors meet (this is why it is so impt to have regular dentistry as you can get overgrowths at the back of the mouth that prevent the lower jaw sliding forwards).
However, you do get extreme of this known as prognathia and brachygnathia (sow mouth or parrot mouth) and is usually apparent from birth rather that aquiring it later on in life!
 
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