Tooth removal

[Winters100]

Hi, my 15 year old mare has to have a back tooth removed and I am told that she will be 2 weeks in the hospital. Does anyone have experience of this? I am interested in how she will feel after and how long until she has no pain. To date she has shown no sign of pain but it has to go due to risk of infection. I am not so much worried about the process as my vet is also head of surgery for the university large animal clinic, so I suppose he knows what he is doing, but I really love her and I want to do what I can to make her feel ok after. Thank you in advance.

 

[Louby]

Yes my boy had this done as a 4 yr old, 3rd upper molar. Its years ago now but had to be done under GA as the tooth fractured when they tried to remove it under sedation. My vet said the roots are longer in young horses and that in an older horse the tooth probably would have come out. He had a bucoctomy, ie removed from the outside in, they cut a piece of bone out of his face and knocked it out. It did look a bit gruesome, loads of staples but you would have never know it had been done once it settled. We had post op complications, infections that wouldnt go and he was trephined through both sinus's to be flushed, loads of ABs and it took a long long time to go, as in years! All this time though he was pain free and rideable, it was just a pain and costly. Eventually it went, then when he was 15 I had a different dentist, more fool me and a few weeks later, pus came out of the trephined hole, that had been closed for years. Sadly despite more abs, it wasnt a good ending for my poor boy but we were unlucky and although I cant prove it came back as a result of what that dentist did, it was too much of a coincidence.
I do believe the procedure is more refined now and Im sure everything will be fine x

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sister's mare had to have a top molar removed when she was 4. (mid 70's). Same procedure as above post. She went down to Edgehill for the removal. Getting it out took about 3 hours, our vet was getting worried that he might fracture her skull doing it. Much easier with an older horse, less root. She came home with a drain through the wound which had to be flushed with saline daily. Made a very good recovery but of course with no opposing tooth the bottom molar needed frequent rasping, something she took violent exception to and back then there weren't the brilliant sedatives there are now.

 

[palterwell]

Hi, my pony is 17 and had a tooth removed last year . He came home from the hospital the same day and had his teeth checked a week later. He also had two fillings done , he was eating better immediately and was eating his haynet on the journey home.Good luck with your mare Winters !

 

[Winters100]

Thank you everyone

 

[exracehorse]

My gelding had a broken tooth. Went to Newmarket. Cost was 5,500k

 

[cundlegreen]

Two weeks?? My 9 yr old mare had a completely rotten top molar removed last year in a 5 hour standing op. The whole tooth fell to bits as they were trying to get it in one go, so it took a lot longer than expected. She was home the next day and completely unfazed by it all.

 

[TreeDog]

Following - my dentist suspects my 10 year old gelding has a rotting root, he's probably going to need a ct scan to confirm and if her diagnosis is right I'm guessing it'll be removed. He is insured, does anyone else have approximate costs for tooth removal?

Dentist said the vet would plug the hole and recovery would be straightforward (assuming uncomplicated removal) and that vet would probably want to come check it once a week for three weeks, so does seem unusual yours would have to stay in the hospital for two weeks?

 

[cundlegreen]

Following - my dentist suspects my 10 year old gelding has a rotting root, he's probably going to need a ct scan to confirm and if her diagnosis is right I'm guessing it'll be removed. He is insured, does anyone else have approximate costs for tooth removal?

Dentist said the vet would plug the hole and recovery would be straightforward (assuming uncomplicated removal) and that vet would probably want to come check it once a week for three weeks, so does seem unusual yours would have to stay in the hospital for two weeks?

My mare's op cost £1800 last March. That included an overnight stay.

 

[exracehorse]

Following - my dentist suspects my 10 year old gelding has a rotting root, he's probably going to need a ct scan to confirm and if her diagnosis is right I'm guessing it'll be removed. He is insured, does anyone else have approximate costs for tooth removal?

Dentist said the vet would plug the hole and recovery would be straightforward (assuming uncomplicated removal) and that vet would probably want to come check it once a week for three weeks, so does seem unusual yours would have to stay in the hospital for two weeks?

Mine was two weeks. At Newmarket. Cost 5,500k. Tooth was x rayed at local vet. Root was rotten and had caused an abscess that had made a hole in the bottom jaw. Tooth removal was disaster with it braking in half. He was referred to Newmarket. Tooth was knocked out via the jaw. A drain was put in. He was in a drip for fluids. He was there for two weeks until they were satisfied there was no infection. Total bill. 5.5k

 

[cundlegreen]

Mine was two weeks. At Newmarket. Cost 5,500k. Tooth was x rayed at local vet. Root was rotten and had caused an abscess that had made a hole in the bottom jaw. Tooth removal was disaster with it braking in half. He was referred to Newmarket. Tooth was knocked out via the jaw. A drain was put in. He was in a drip for fluids. He was there for two weeks until they were satisfied there was no infection. Total bill. 5.5k

Unbelievable! I got off lucky!

 

[Louby]

Cant remember the cost exactly but thinking under £1800, it was the post op complications that took it over the £5k insurance!

 

[texas]

Cost about £2k a couple of years ago including an overnight stay. Took about two weeks before he started eating again properly.

 

[Winters100]

Dentist said the vet would plug the hole and recovery would be straightforward (assuming uncomplicated removal) and that vet would probably want to come check it once a week for three weeks, so does seem unusual yours would have to stay in the hospital for two weeks?[/QUOTE]

Yes, I was quite surprised that it is so long, but I know this vet very well and have worked with him for a number of years, and he usually gives the pessimistic view. If he says that a horse will be off work for 3 weeks usually it is 2, so I am expecting that it may be that she can come home sooner. To be honest I would rather leave her there a bit longer anyway as the conditions are good and she can be more closely monitored for signs of infection. Anyway we will take her tomorrow morning so hopefully it will all go to plan.

 

[Winters100]

Cost about £2k a couple of years ago including an overnight stay. Took about two weeks before he started eating again properly.

Yes - this is my big worry. She is prone to lose weight, did you give something special during the weeks that your horse would not eat?