Who does your horses teeth? Vet or EDT.

Elsbells said:
Vets arn't all knowing gods and I know that I'd much rather have my dentist who has spent his life around horses and can put them at ease, than a vet who's got most of his knowledge from vet school and books and then needs to sedate my mare first. Why would I do that to her??
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Well the country's two leading dental specialists, Prof. Paddy Dixon and Henry Tremaine have both stated that it is impossible to do a thorough dental examination without sedation, so perhaps that is a good reason to sedate?
 
EDT, every time.

Two little stories..

Little mare has always had her teeth done by an EDT. She has a maintenance float annually and her teeth are spot on. She also has no objection to the dentist and is quite happy to say 'ahh'.

The lanky one is quite the opposite. Before we bought him, he had little to no dentistry and previous owners had used a vet. He struggles to keep condition, has a parrot mouth and sprays food everywhere when he eats. We had the vet do his teeth when he first bought him and he was 'impressed' with horse's mouth and again, just a quick float. He then had a visit from EDT who was quite horrified with the state his mouth, she can't identify whether he has a parrot mouth or if it's just the state his teeth have gotten in to. He finds the dentist very painful but the improvement in his eating post-EDT is fantastic and even just looking at his jaw, it presents a much more balanced picture.

EDT has more relevant qualifications and is also cheaper, despite that fact she is over 50miles away whereas vet is less than 5 miles.
 
I am really struggling to agree with the two experts that sedation is always necessary the majority of horses at our yard ( sadly not mine who is a sod ) just stand there and let the Edt do anything, how could sedation possibly help?
 
alsiola said:
Well the country's two leading dental specialists, Prof. Paddy Dixon and Henry Tremaine have both stated that it is impossible to do a thorough dental examination without sedation, so perhaps that is a good reason to sedate?
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IME its a complete waste of time to try to check the teeth at the very back of the mouth without sedation.
 
lannerch said:
I am really struggling to agree with the two experts that sedation is always necessary the majority of horses at our yard ( sadly not mine who is a sod ) just stand there and let the Edt do anything, how could sedation possibly help?
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It allows the vet to look for hooks at the back of the mouth especially at the very back teeth which it's well nigh impossible to do without sedation.
professor Dixon is the most amazing expert on the horses teeth he's just amazing and so good at explaining it all to lesser morals I first took a horse to him when I had the misfortune to buy a horse who had had a tooth removed no prob with that but instead of removing the tooth it was snapped off causing the shards to stick though the horses gums into its mouth as the shards parted as the remains of the tooth grew down.
 
The vet checked my girl for any major probs yesterday but in general, for any work I use edt, wouldn't mind vet checking for things like wolf teeth in youngster or like I said any possible glaring problem but for actual work: edt! Having said that I can see the merits of having vet do it if horse needs sedating and there are a few vets out there who are exceptionally good at dentistry but down here I have faith in my edt who is flipping great so would always use him, with his guidance I was able to get rid of my mares diastema ( gaps in teeth where food impacted) by careful routine management, her gums healed and slowly the gaps closed... Many others would have just drilled the gaps wider, you can get bad edts and good vets, but I'd go with a good edt as preference :)
 
lannerch said:
I am really struggling to agree with the two experts that sedation is always necessary the majority of horses at our yard ( sadly not mine who is a sod ) just stand there and let the Edt do anything, how could sedation possibly help?
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I'm guessing your EDT doesn't bother to probe the periodontal pockets for early signs of gum disease or tooth resorption then? I'm yet to meet a horse that you can safely do this to without getting some reaction.
 
Alsiola: excuse my for asking but are you a vet or edt or just a normal layperson with an opinion like most of us on here? What a sweeping and may I say insulting statement to make that all edts who do not sedate do not do a thorough job, does this mean that most vets do because they sedate or merely that most vets have a better opportunity. I also think that suggesting that an edt would be ignorant of how fast a horses teeth grow and potential Consequences of over rasping is... Well actually I do not have words for that, so by your words vets know more about teeth than edts. Hmmm, I wonder who you would have to treat your horse for anything to do with the hoof?
 
Used to use a very good dentist, but then our vet did all teeth training, as its his thing (alongwith breeding) so now use him. He sedates as routine, but I have no stabling, so he has to do them in the field, so this is probably a good thing!
 
Then would alsiola like to qualify how much basic training a vet has in dentistry ie how many lectures?
And why does my equine vet very well known, have an Edt attached to his practice if vets are so much better? ( and the Edt I use )
Are vets doing so bad in her part of the world that buissness is so cut throat that you have to pull down the fellow proffesionals you should be working with?
 
EDT now and for ever.


I mean you would let a GP look in your mouth and do a filling would you ??? I think not
I use Dorian Harwood he is amazing .

If the vet IS qualified that is another story .

I have witnessed to many liveries who had their horses teeth done by the vet only to find the problem still there and they got Dorian to have a look he found, a list of problems overlooked by the vet.



Rachel Burton East Anglia 07968 445509
Grant Chanter S.West, Bucks, Herts, Beds 07768 094850
Martin Danzebrink Beds, Bucks, Herts 07720 299269
Richard Frost MRCVS East Anglia 01284 789428
Tom Grantham Lincs and surroundings 07515576748/017673 842448
Mark Grant MRCVS Suffolk, Norfolk & Cambridgeshire 01638 663150
Richard Halls Bedfordshire, Northants, Herts 01525 840700
Dorian Harwood Bucks, Berks, Beds, Herts, South East 07967 662779
Beverley Rippon East Anglia 01638 507117
Mark Youngs East Anglia 07818 841526
 
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Seems the majority are for the EDT. I've spoken to my vet too who seem more than capable of doing his teeth. How did we cope in the days before dentists? When I was a teenager many years ago the vet always did my horses teeth. Thanks all.
 
Queenbee said:
Alsiola: excuse my for asking but are you a vet or edt or just a normal layperson with an opinion like most of us on here? What a sweeping and may I say insulting statement to make that all edts who do not sedate do not do a thorough job, does this mean that most vets do because they sedate or merely that most vets have a better opportunity. I also think that suggesting that an edt would be ignorant of how fast a horses teeth grow and potential Consequences of over rasping is... Well actually I do not have words for that, so by your words vets know more about teeth than edts. Hmmm, I wonder who you would have to treat your horse for anything to do with the hoof?
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It's not insulting it the generally held view of vets who are experts in the field that dentals without sedation canot be as effective.
the ONLY person who can treat Alsiola horses feet is Alsiola or another vet if she wanted to have bits of metal nailed to her horses feet she would of course have to use a registered farrier.
There is no more likely hood of a vet over rasping than an EDT I had one horse who whole career was spoilt by an EDT who broke a tooth off in her jaw attempting to remove a broken tooth something that definatly IMO should be done in horseospital leaving her needing regular trips to professor DIxon until she was PTS ( for another reason)
 
I've heard a few "stories" about EDT's doing a bad job and EDT's ive had slating others who have done a bad job on my horse previously. And they also slate vets too. My horse was only done in August last year (with previous own) dentist last week said that they had done a good job at the front but had left the back, hence why I have to have him sedated.
 
Leviathan said:
EDT now and for ever.


I mean you would let a GP look in your mouth and do a filling would you ??? I think not
I use Dorian Harwood he is amazing .

If the vet IS qualified that is another story .

I have witnessed to many liveries who had their horses teeth done by the vet only to find the problem still there and they got Dorian to have a look he found, a list of problems overlooked by the vet.


Two of the vet at my practice have done dentistry training so they are not strictly speaking GP's in the field any more.
I used to use a EDT at one point I was going to live abroad and one of my horses went on loan to a friend he was a plain bay TB before I went he had the back person new shoes everything to have in good shape for my friend including his teeth done by an EDT.
After he had been at my friend a fortnight the same EDT came to do routine dentals at my friends she had forgotten that my horse had just been done or I had forgotten to tell her the EDT made this great fuss how it was disgraceful that people did not there horses teeth done how horse had been on pain for years etc etc he had done it two weeks before it was either an act or he took my money and did nothing to my horses mouth which he had been in charge of for two years that's when I swopped to my vets and buying a horse with a snapped tooth inside its jaw confirmed my view that you need to be wary of EDT 's
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Sorry can't quote on phone.

Yes maybe it was unprofessional of the EDT to slate the vets job - it was a rasp that ended up needing doing again very soon after the vet had done it. I've used my EDT for 10yrs, he has been an EDT for over 40yrs & I trust his opinion completely. He also did a fab job on an old pony of mine who came with god awful teeth that hadn't been looked at in around 4yrs.

He also doesn't mind coming out to 1, does a much better job that the vet did & charges me £35 for a rasp when the vet was over £70 for a poor job.

Don't get me wrong, if the vet had done a good job , I would have them back to do it, but I am happier using my EDT.

The original question was asking what we use, not let's bash anyone that uses an EDT!!
 
I always use my EDT, she's fantastic and the horses love her.

One of mine needs sedating, so I order Domosedan from the vet, apply the gel 30 mins before the dentist comes, and Bob's your uncle! (Bear in mind the Domosedan is expensive, but brilliant stuff!)

Happy horses with excellent teeth!

Must admit I've never used the vet for teeth as my EDT is so good!! ;
 
Goldsttar: farriers do not just stick metal in horses feet! I'm talking about in general . it would seem to me that a bet slating EDTs is as bad as an edt slating vets. I think we are very lucky to have a range of people highly trained on specific and important area of the functioning horse, to discount these specialists whether they are edt, farriers or podiatrists just because they are not vets in an insult to some very hardworking, knowledgable, experienced, highly Qualified and highly skilled individuals. There are of course many times when directly going to a vet IS the course of action, but for teeth and hooves they will never be my first 'go to'
 
Queenbee said:
Goldsttar: farriers do not just stick metal in horses feet! I'm talking about in general . it would seem to me that a bet slating EDTs is as bad as an edt slating vets. I think we are very lucky to have a range of people highly trained on specific and important area of the functioning horse, to discount these specialists whether they are edt, farriers or podiatrists just because they are not vets in an insult to some very hardworking, knowledgable, experienced, highly Qualified and highly skilled individuals. There are of course many times when directly going to a vet IS the course of action, but for teeth and hooves they will never be my first 'go to'
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Only a vet is qualified to do diagnostics only a vet can X-ray get an MRI do anerve block there is no point in a farrier trying to diagnose say navicular he can say to you it looks like x but the vet is the diagnostic expert that's not to say its easy to get it right particularly in the foot I might get a farrier to dig out an abbcess but nothing esle.
Farrier podiatrists physios etc are only specialists in what they are trained to do and that's not diagnostics that's why physios need the vets permission to work on your horse.
 
Fair point, but my point is that they are who I would go to 'first' that is not to say I would not use a vet following a farriers initial assessment a farrier would be well placed to draw a basic conclusion as to whether it was within his or her remit and area of expertise, in any case on matters of the hoof and leg I would always expect that where a vet was needed they would work hand in hand with my farrier to deliver the best possible care.

The same goes for edts and vets, let's just say for instance that a full and thorough examination and work of a horses teeth is only possible under sedation, I would expect a vet and edt to work together, vet to sedate etc and the edt to carry out the work that they were specifically trained to do, I wouldn't want my edt, to sedate my horse, my farrier to do his teeth or my vet to put shoes on... For instance, sweeping generalisation I know but merely illustrates that each are specialists and should work together but within their field of expertise for the best of the horse
 
alsiola said:
I think that is hugely unprofessional of your EDT. How did he know what job the vet had done 3 months ago? Many dental problems cannot be corrected in one visit, and any good vet or EDT should know this. Vets are often more conservative than EDTs in the amount of reduction they do - is your EDT aware that any tooth reduction of more than 4mm runs the risk of exposing vital tissue and killing the tooth?

In this modern world where there are numerous people looking after any given horse (e.g. vet, EDT, farrier) then it is imperative that there are professional relationships between them, not only for the sake of the horse but for the sanity of all involved. If he had concerns about the vet's work then the proper course of action is to phone the vet, ask what had been found 3 months before, ask what treatment had been done, and discuss the case as a fellow professional. There is a lot of antagonism towards EDT from the veterinary profession, and until they start acting like professionals then they will not be treated as such.



I imagine you would go to the dentist. An EDT is not a dentist and their training is not even remotely comparable to that of a dentist. If I had toothache I would go to someone who was trained to, and legally allowed to, prescribe pain relief, antibiotics if necessary, perform extractions, perform corrective motorised dentistry, carry out endodontic procedures. For all of these then the only person who can do that is your vet.
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I agree with this! I have used EDT and vets for my horses' teeth.

What worries me most abut EDT is that anyone can go and buy thousands of pounds worth of equipment and set up in this relatively easily. Also, agree that EDTs seem to do a lot when they come...vets are much more conservative. This doesn't mean they haven't done the job properly...I wouldn't want my dentist to start drilling away just because I'd visited. I'd much rather he did the bare minimum to keep my teeth healthy!
 
[QUOTEWhat worries me most abut EDT is that anyone can go and buy thousands of pounds worth of equipment and set up in this relatively easily. Also, agree that EDTs seem to do a lot when they come...vets are much more conservative. This doesn't mean they haven't done the job properly...I wouldn't want my dentist to start drilling away just because I'd visited. I'd much rather he did the bare minimum to keep my teeth healthy![/QUOTE]

That is why I would only use an EDT who is BEVA registered (British Association of Equine Dental Technicians). They are not people who have just bought a bunch of tools and set themselves up but have undertaken a rigorous process of assessments and examinations.

I think the bad EDT experiences that people are quoting are for those that are not BEVA/BVDA qualified.
 
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