Dentist Visit

This afternoon our equine dentist, Stuart Huggan, visited.

We had four lined up ready for him to see.

First up was Efstur.  Dreki stood and watched.

We wanted Dreki to see that this was easy and non-panicky.

And then it was his turn.  Dreki has recently been bitted so we wanted to have his mouth checked out.  It is part of his health and training.  Stuart found wolf-teeth!

So, he took off the sharp bits and filed down the edges of the erroneous wolf teeth.

The plan is to remove them on Stuart’s next visit in October. Dreki was very good about all of this.

The boys were returned to their field and then it was time for the ladies.  First up was Fivla.  This winter there was evidence of quidding (spits balls of semi-chewed food stuff) when she ate hay which worried me.  Stuart found no sharp bits but she has a diastema (gap in her teeth) so that could cause this. There was nothing he could do and, as she is keeping the weight on now (she has a bijoux daily bucket), then we will just potter along.

Lilja watched …..

Vitamin, who has recently been losing weight, was seen.  Stuart, keen as a whippet, was in there and removed a loose tooth.  He said that should help.  Vitamin never even noticed!

And so Lilja kept watching and then it was her turn.

Never before with anything in her mouth and she was as good as gold.

The sharp bits were unsharpened and Stuart said she had no wolf teeth – phew!

Sóley watched, vaguely interested.  She has wolf teeth (FFS, what is the matter with my horses?) and they too will be removed in October.

And so, all done, Floss and I took the old ladies home.

(Newt)

And everyone rushed off, very pleased to see them again. Albie had been waiting by himself for his “mum” (aka Fivla) all afternoon.  Awwww!

6 thoughts on “Dentist Visit

  1. Kris

    Well, this sent me off to research “wolf teeth”. We only had older horses that were already bit ridden so I guess that’s why the subject never came up. Interesting.

    Reply
  2. Irmgard Falk

    Dear Frances,
    what are wolfteeth? And how does one remove teeth from equine mouths? Do they need a full anesthesia?
    Worried, Irmel

    Reply
    1. Frances Post author

      Wolf teeth are leftover prehistoric teeth. They serve not function and need to be removed if a horse is bitted. They are situated in the area where pressure is applied from the bit. The soft tissue in the mouth, the cheeks and the tongue can press against the tooth and cause a great deal of discomfort so out they go.

      Anaesthesia? The dentist will give him a light anaesthesia first, make incisions around the gum area and pull them out.

      Stop worrying. Our dentist is brilliant! xx

      Reply
  3. Sam

    Thanks for the info on Wolf Teeth. Made my heart sing for Albie to have “mum” Fivla back in the field.
    He really is a gentle boy.

    Reply
    1. Frances Post author

      I know what you mean. He was hopping up and down looking for her. He adores his “mum”.

      Reply

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