I hope you have more choices in vet clinics there. Sounds like an incomplete exam at best.
Continued jingles for Bo.
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Funny you say that, the two vets I have been dissatisfied with in my search have both been young - nearly fresh out of vet school and this being their first associate position at a clinic. From this experience, I think I have learned that I need to ask for one of the more experienced vets OR put on my big girl undies and start bossing people around (the first one seems easier).
Anyway, I appreciate everyone’s sympathies. I am very irritated, although thankful it wasn’t an expensive lesson. And disappointed I didn’t get all the information I was after.
That said, I hit TSC and grabbed Purina Senior, Ultium, Nutrena ProForce Senior, and Renew Gold. I know the Ultium and Renew Gold are not meant to be complete feeds, but at this point I just wanted to find something he would actually eat. Figure out the rest later.
That’s the Ultium he chose first. Runner up on the right was Purina Senior. The Nutrena at the bottom was wholly rejected, as was the Renew Gold. I will find somewhere to donate the rejected bags, my other two fatties don’t need it. I am mixing the Ultium and PS and he seems OK with that, so we’ll do that for a bit until he’s reliably eating and then hope to wean off the Ultium since it’s not really meant to be fed as a complete feed.
And I will have a different vet/dentist attend to his remaining teeth when I have my other two done in December. Just because he’s missing some teeth doesn’t mean the remaining ones don’t need maintenance.
Long day, but now he’s EATING - HURRAY!
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So glad he finds something edible. BTW, have you tried chopped forage? Apologies if I missed that, above.
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No, that’s a legit question and has been on my radar. I haven’t tried it ONLY because TSC does not keep it in stock here, so I would need to special order it. The shipping is $32 per bale for ship to store. I am going to see if there are any other feed stores that might have it, within driving distance.
My feed room is starting to look like I knocked over a TSC.
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Bless you for taking BO in.
Is there a vet college anywhere near you?
I’m blessed to have one an hour away.
Not only do they have all the (diagnostic & treatment) Toys, but the students are great & overseen by senior staff.
A bonus is prices are often less than a clinic, since you help educate students with Real Life issues.
JINGLING for you & Bo (& your DH who named Bo)
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20 years old with upright incisors and no Galvayne’s Groove?
will be interesting to see what your dentist thinks
If true, based on the photo you posted, I certainly thought wrong (Humm)
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Can you access Coolstance Copra? We’ve fed Copra for weightgain for many years in Australia, and it’s a good source of additional & low NSC fibre, especially for those who can’t have hay. Horses seem to either love it or hate it though, and it is another feed that needs to be soaked.
Just an idea, maybe save a bit of the Nutrena and Renew Gold in a gallon freezer bag for a few weeks? Just in case he turns his nose up at the PS and you need to rerun your taste test.
Regarding chopped forage: The alfalfa cubes that I get here in NC are a similar cut to the bagged forage I can get (both Standlee brand). I always soak my alfalfa cubes, so I see them when they are broken down. Maybe that will pique his interest over alfalfa mush?
Just some ideas…jingling from NC for you Bo!
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Yes, I actually drove by Texas A&M on my way to this clinic. The vet that owns the clinic was a professor at A&M for a long time. I may try him instead if I go back. I’m also open to trying the university.
I agree, something doesn’t quite track for him to be “over 20”. I know that incisors can be deceptive, but it would be quite the anomaly for them to be THAT far off. Especially given all his lost teeth (and where did they all go?).
@Postandrails I will have to investigate that. Something tells me he would not be a fan, but it’s worth a try.
I am going to give it a bit to make sure he’s eating reliably before I get rid of anything, although he had zero interest in either of them. Next time I am at TSC I will also grab a bag of cubes - I’m not sure he will be able to chew the chopped forage enough and he may be offended by the soaking, but again, worth a try.
He ate about half his breakfast this morning before taking a nap.
I’m hopeful that he will go back and finish it later… 
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I’ve gone back and looked at the photos too and thought, “huh”. I even went and looked at the multiple 20+ horses on our property to get a feel on if I was totally off base.
Here’s my guess. I think whatever is going on with Bo’s teeth, that gum-line recession / possible resorption, is making his teeth appear “longer” than they are. Generally when they are 5-10 their incisors “appear” short because the gumline covers up a fair bit of them. As they get older the gumline recedes and the angles become much more oblique. Maybe that, combined with the general poor health of his mouth, the missing molars, and his overall poor condition that OP got him in, the vets erred on the side of “older” versus “younger”.
All I can say is my 20+ something horses don’t have teeth that look like Bo’s. Their caps show way more wear, their angles are much more oblique, and they both have a groove still. The most obvious difference was the angle of their incisors.
Maybe I should get a photo for compare and contrast?
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Agree!
Just out of curiosity, I annoyed all 3 of mine this morning - ages 22, 20-ish & 8 - by lifting lips.
Only the 8yo resembled your pic of Bo’s teeth.
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You are right, the front ones don’t seem to have the older horse angles or look like older horse teeth, there will be a mystery for your vets to chase, could make a difference how to treat your horse, if other is found than age decline.
Maybe something more for the University team to look into than individual vets?
At least he is eating some, that helps.
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I would investigate EOTRH I have known a horse who did very well after having the majority of his teeth removed. His meals were more of a slurry but he enjoyed a small amount of hay.
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I guarantee it will be a good experience.
My vet of 20+yrs was amazing, went for CE annually & valued my input.
When he retired his equine practice to concentrate on canine ACL surgeries, I was lucky to find a younger (practicing for 10yrs) local vet who also takes her job very seriously.
If anything, she is overly dedicated, taking on cases when other vets won’t.
But my visits to the vet college have been rewarding in ways that differ from the 1 on 1 of a private practice.
Still for Bo.
The only thing she examined to determine age was the chewing surface of the lower incisors. The shape of the tooth and appearance of the dental star is what is looked at. If I look solely at that and reference the various charts, I’d guess late teens. But the rest of the factors usually considered say younger IMO. Really, he could be any “adult” age and just have teeth that look considerably older OR younger 
I’m seriously considering booking the dentist sooner than later, because while I do want another opinion on age, I moreso want the teeth he has left to be properly checked and maintained.
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Someone posted that Petco has free delivery, and when I checked their site, saw this from Standlee: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/standlee-premium-products-premium-alfalfa-chopped-forage
It might be worth trying for your guy. I’m thinking about trying a bag too, I have an oldie that can’t eat hay so am currently soaking cubes to get him some actual roughage - plus TC Senior. But if he could eat this, it would be nice.
Edit - the free delivery is for orders over $35.
Heinz, I know you haven’t asked and probably wouldn’t dream of it, but I’d love to chip in for a couple bales shipped to store, so you’re not driving all over heaven and earth. Since I cant be there to give Bo a big scritch, being able to gift him some forage would be the next best thing. Please let me know if you’d accept?
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I am glad he found something to his liking ( for now). I know you said his manure was normal but he could have some stomach upset due to the new food he is getting since coming home to you which might put him off feed ?
Anything you can give to help with that while he adjusts to actually eating again?
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@PamnReba good find! I discovered that my TSC has a different brand of chopped forage, I am going to snag a bag today and see if he can handle the texture. If he can, I’ll see about ordering the Standlee from petco. The forage at TSC is a timothy, oat, alfalfa mix with added molasses so maybe not something I want to feed long term (unless I must!).
@EssexFells that is very, very kind. I wouldn’t say no, although he is not really a financial burden. Since we are so far out in the boondocks, anything I can get shipped to my door is a win. 
@candyappy he has had cowpie manure since Friday afternoon. Vet said it is likely just his system adjusting to having regular food again… I have probiotics for him to start on that may help, if he will eat them. If not I have syringes of probios that he will be subjected to.
And for the lunchtime update, he DID finish most of his breakfast and was napping flat out again. I dumped and refilled the water tub and he seemed quite pleased with that, I think he is going to be a water snob that needs his tub scrubbed every other day. 
I am but a slave.
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How about call your feed store to set up a Bo fund, and just tell us the store, phone #, and post your desired products. That way Friends of Bo can just transact with the store, your info can stay private
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