Sounds like user error, power float should not take 40 min. Generally should be much faster and involve less pressure on the jaw than hand floating.
Head hanging does look uncomfortable, my dentistry very uses a headstand and not too high.
1 Like
Oh it was user error alright! There was a ton of work to be done, and breaks were given … with the head strung up. How is that even a break? 
I think I was more furious than the horse’s owner! Same horse has had hand floats with speculum but not head stringing up and has been back to work same day with not chewing issues.
I think even with a stand, you’ve still got the weight of the upper jaw/head pushing down on the opened jaw. I can’t think that’s good for the TMJ .probably a LOT better for the neck though!
Yikes, sounds like that maybe should have been done in more than one visit! Probably left some teeth sensitive if that much done at once, too. My guy lowers the stand and closes the speculum if they stop to look at rads or something.
I feel like chewing issues after floating is kind of like a horse being sore after farrier - not ok.
1 Like
How is the mare doing now?
Aging horses need to be seen regularly even if they seem to be fine. I’m having my 25 y.o. gelding checked every 6 months. In the spring he had a few signs of aging. A couple of teeth are worn flat, but nothing drastic. Last month a small gap had started but it isn’t affecting his chewing. He pulled the tarter off but didn’t need a float.
Remember the old days when power floating hit the market? A local vet, very knowledgeable but doesn’t relate well to humans, bought one and pulled it out at a local barn. She opened the case up and pulled out the user directions and started to read. Downright scary. Our lay dentist, who works with most of the vets in the area, can do a hand float on my horse without sedation. The technology has improved over the years, but I prefer to avoid sedation and machinery. A float is not my horse’s favorite thing to do but his dentist has a way with horses and most of them go with the flow.
She’s been heavy in the contact, which is unlike her. She also still doesn’t seem to be eating all of her hay, though I can’t tell if that could be because she’s filling up on the hay pellets I’m still giving her to supplement. I’ve cut back on the pellets a bit and will see if she chooses to finish up the hay.
I sent a video of her funny chewing last week to the dentist and he said to give her bute for a few days. He said it was probably because of all the work he had to do. I want him to take a look at her mouth the next time he’s out, hopefully soon (if not I’ll ask the regular vet to look at her mouth next time they’re there). The heaviness in the bridle isn’t typical for her. At least the funny chewing seems to be gone, since she got the round of bute for a few days (off the bute now and chewing ok this morning it seemed…)
I don’t know. With her being heavy in the bridle I would probably have someone out to look for a second opinion on the job. She shouldn’t still be having issues.
1 Like
ugh, yeah - it’s tricky when I have my doubts but the trainer is super duper trusting of this dentist and knows him very well. The dentist is acting like this isn’t a big deal, and she is improving in chewing so I don’t think it’s catastrophic or an emergency (she is definitely sensitive). I’ll text my vet and ask him to take a look when he’s there next…they’re out pretty regularly.
Edited to add - In future, I’m inclined to go with someone else. I was hesitant about the power-float approach to begin with (in the past I’ve always had people who did it by hand, without sedation most times), and given how expensive this was and the result…it’s soured me. I don’t think dental work should leave a horse in this much pain.
That’s frustrating.
I’ve never had one go that long with problems. When I took Dexter to the vet for the first time after purchasing him at age 11, it was clear he had NEVER had his teeth done in his life. But he didn’t have an ill effects.
Even had my mom’s miniature horses worked on the last couple years and they too had pretty poor mouths from years (with previous owners) of not getting dental care. But did fine thereafter.
I’ve only ever had power floats done with my vet-dentist. I did used to use someone else (who retired) but I use my usual lameness vet and she does a good job.
I had one in pain for over a week. Turned out that he had a puncture wound in his cheek from when “something slipped.” But he didn’t improve and there was eventually swelling.
No one mentioned the slipping something for several days when the working student who’d been holding him finally said something. Meanwhile the vet kept coming out to check him and pull blood. Finally I had enough and called a lameness vet I used and begged for help. She arranged an appointment at a local horse hospital. After a jaw x-ray and everyone nearly passing out fri
the foul odor emanating from Cool’s mouth they sedating him more, put an inclined plane thing in his mouth to hold it open, held his head up, and someone stood on a stool with a powerful flashlight.
The trainer fired the vet. Last I heard she was working for a local vet school mentoring students. 😱
