Wolf Teeth

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mcnaughty

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Today a fellow horse owner of a 2yo ID gelding had the vet out to remove his wolf teeth - he is unbroken and has not been bitted yet -

I asked the vet if this was common practice nowadays to remove wolf teeth before any problems arise and she said yes - felt it was better to remove them to prevent issues arising.

I have to add that the procedure was very quick - horse was sedated and teeth removed within 15 mins.

Thoughts and comments??
 
My mare had her upper wolf teeth removed at 3, before breaking.

For the last year, she has been under the vet for lameness. She has been to a referral vet for scintgraphy etc etc.

Anyway, all avenues exhausted, still lame :(.

Vet watched her being ridden again and as a last resort felt in her mouth (she had her teeth done in August, just after referral vet had seen her) and she has unerupted lower wolf teeth.

I appreciate it isn't a normal scenario but if upper wolf teeth can cause as much discomfort as these lower ones have, then I can fully understand why the vets remove as a preventative measure.

I am waiting to see if these teeth pop out before they are removed.
 
I suppose it depends really, either "prevention is better than cure" or "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", I can't decide!!!- but I'm sure in your case the vet would have known because of the mouth conformation as to whether it may casue future problems.

A vet in the past advised me to have one of my horses wolf teeth removed when he was about 4 because it could give him grief -and I decided against it, and to this day it's never caused him any probs touch wood!, he's 10 now. Every horse is different I guess and what suits one doesn't necessarily suit another.
 
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