What would you do if you couldn't afford dental surgery for your horse?

B

Bedford Joy

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 February 2012
Messages
296
Visit site
Can I ask what people would do if they were faced with having to get their horse operated on at a cost of a few thousand and they simply couldn't afford it ...
My TB mare may need a dental op costing £2k or possibly more If complications arise and I cannot afford it. Just paid out £700 on vet bills for other sick mare and dental work for her. My mares are fully insured but as my mare was injured as a foal the insurance won't cover it.
Please don't say 'we'll I'd find the money no matter what' as sometimes this just isn't possible ... Thank you x
 
Does it cause the mare any pain?

Have you spoken to your vets about any possible payment plans (i.e paying off in installments?)
 
I suppose it depends on how dear the mare is to you? You could get a credit card, or loan... I think I'd do that, but have never been in this position.

Other than that it would probably be to have to PTS, if it was something that caused her pain and discomfort.
 
If she's not in pain and it just causes issues with a bit maybe turn her away and save the money over a few months.
If not I'd speak to the vets about paying in installments. That's what I've had to do since my mare was rushed into the clinic with colic a few months back.

If she's in pain and all other options don't work out I would PTS for her sake but it's worth exploring all the avenues first :)
 
She doesn't outwardly show signs of pain, she eats well and is a good weight. To be honest she's only really ever known it to be this way, she played polo for 2 years with it so its hard to tell? They don't always show outwardly that they are in pain :(
 
I'd phone around to see who can do it cheapest. Then get a 0% credit card and pay as much off as possible each month.
 
To be honest BJ, until you actually get a set of x-rays done and a diagnosis of what the problem is all this is just speculation.

Ring the vet, get the x-rays done, go from there.
 
It is Amy but it doesn't hurt to be prepared
As I said I'm waiting for the specialist dentist to come and have a look at her before paying out for X-rays
 
Horses are good at hiding pain I guess but if she is eating well and not loosing condition it would seem she isnt in to much pain? My vets would accept a payment plan but it would need to be discussed in advance and would need to be settled within 1 year so hopefully this would be an option.
 
I would also talk to the vet about the insurance. Depending on the insurance company, if your vet is prepared to say it is not related to the injury you may be able to appeal the decision.
 
Does the surgery require general anaesthetic or can it be done standing ? Makes a big difference to the cost ( and also the risk involved with GA).
Could be worth doing some research for surgeons with a special interest in dentistry. I was warned that it was likely that my horse would need a GA but surgeon was prepared to try orally first. Thanks to his amazing skill and determination, he didn't need to put her under GA and the cost was 2/3 less than they'd said it could potentially be.
 
Hello, does your insurance specifically exclude teeth and gums?

My previous horse underwent dental surgery. I had felt him getting progressively uncomfortable in his head over a month or so, I had the EDT out and 24 hours later I was in Leahurst with him, he had to go under GA for them to cut through his face, chissel the bone and remove a fractured tooth, I have never smelt anything quite so vile as the stuff they pulled out. He spent a further two weeks there, recovering. The bill would have come to 4k, my insurance paid out after querying whether it was an old injury prior to my insurance cover - that was with E&L. He was a different horse when he came back into work, 100% more happy responsive and content with life, I could not have left him to suffer with that pain and had I not been insured I would have found the funds from savings, family, friends, a loan or a vets repayment package.
 
My daughter arranged a payment plan with the vet when her (uninsured) horse had unexpected vets bills of £2K. They were really good about it, allowing her to pay what she could each month and because the vet knew horse was not insured, vet bill was kept to a minimum.
 
Vets are good at paying in instalments, but if you fear they would so no, what is stopping you just paying a sum every month as long as they are getting the money they wont complain, not much they could do anyway, thousands do it, we are not all rich.
 
How old is she? Where is the problem tooth? Has vet said it will have to be done GA? Two of mine had teeth out standing sedation in Feb. 26yr old with tooth already loose cost about £120. 20yr old 2 teeth removed, his weren't loose, took vet about 2 hours to pull them out cost £450. Neither of mine were xrayed. It could be that she can be done under standing sedation. I would get dental vet to look at her, get a quote and then decide what you want to do.
 
Also shop around - prices can vary greatly!
My boy had a rig op which cost me £612 for everything including his livery and drugs. I had been quoted up to 2k!!
 
have a sale! I'd sell everything I could get my hands on that didn't need, get a/nother job?, get a loan... basically if my horses needed something I'd do anything to make sure they got it. Thankfully I've never been in that sort of position though as always had at least 5k saved up for emergency bills just for the horses plus insurance covers most things so far.
 
Theres really nothing worse than being in limbo. I have to say im the worst for this. I start speculating, imagining the worst and trying to fix things before I know exactly whats going on

It doesnt sound like shes in too much pain at the moment. So my advice would be to try and not panic just yet, wait and see what the xrays say.

Once you know exactly whats wrong/pain/cost then you can make a decision.

The payment plan sounds like a great idea if it comes to it.
 
Montyforever said:
If she's not in pain and it just causes issues with a bit maybe turn her away and save the money over a few months.
If not I'd speak to the vets about paying in installments. That's what I've had to do since my mare was rushed into the clinic with colic a few months back.

If she's in pain and all other options don't work out I would PTS for her sake but it's worth exploring all the avenues first :)
Click to expand...

This. And don't just go with the quote from one vet- ask around.
 
When I had a massive unexpected payout for my boy, at the worst possible time too, I made a deal with my vet. I paid what I could each month until I paid it off.

ADD- I would also go through all her stuff and sell anything she didn't need 100%. Rugs, bits etc. Her health is more important than her things at the moment.
 
Not quite the same situation but my pony has a half missing tooth that could be operated on and has caused him to really drop weight this winter (fine for four years but now looks like he struggles to eat hay).

While cost comes into it (would be many many £1000's given location and nature of surgery required) but also
- he doesn't load
- he's a rescue (proper one RSPCA prosecuted his owners before I got him from a charity) and is not good with strangers
- my dentist said he wouldn't put his own horse (even if a £25k competition horse) through it because of the likely risk of infection and post surgery complications
- I've witnessed first had the nasty infection from a 'simple' extraction (puss coming out of eyes, nose, burst holes all over the face ) really not good.


So even if I had money to burn I'd probably still PTS as and when he really doesn't cope. If your mare is coping fine I wouldn't meddle - what has prompted you to start investigating after all this time?
 
Phone around a couple of vets and get quotes...prices vary greatly. See if you can set ups payment plan, maybe a deposit and the rest over a few months.
Have you got anything you can sell?
If you own a house cold you see if you could release some equity or ask for a mortgage holiday for a couple of months?
 
Vets can't really quote until they know what they need to do not all tooth removals are simple or the same .
Without X-rays the vets are just guessing .
Certainly my vets are used if not thrilled by people paying in installments as I know several people who have done this , as other have said sell stuff barrow from family get a 0% credit card .
I have a credit card I dont use that I could use in dire straights until I got sorted out I keep it for this sort of emergency.

If I genuinely could not raise the money or pay in installments and a vet said the op was necessary I would PTS I would have no choice .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top