My 5 yo has had an ear tooth since I bought him as a 3yo. It’s in the usual place at the base of the ear. It has always drained and made his ear gunky but otherwise hasn’t seemed to affect him. Over the last month or so I’ve noticed he’s sensitive to have his halter pulled over his ears and will throw his head up. He also doesn’t like me touching that ear. Today I noticed it’s definitely enlarged compared to the other side - although maybe it always was and I didn’t notice.
My usual philosophy is to leave things alone if possible (he’s got some big wolf teeth too but I didn’t get them taken out). So I had planned to just leave it in there. However I’m wondering if ear teeth can get worse over time and cause more pain or infections or other problems. Or if they’re stable.
Does anyone have any experience about this?
yes, I bought a 5 y/o PRE who had one, same location. I had it removed at new bolton because the browband interfered w it and it was obviously tender. Also, they can grow and may weaken underlying bone. This was 10 yrs ago and it was 2k back then. Even removed, it continued to slowly drain, enough to matt ear hair.
Thanks for your experience. That’s weird that it still drained even after being removed.
I’d get those pulled sooner rather than later…
They are very likely to interfere with your bit. Pulling them when the horse is young is far less traumatic to the mouth than when they’re older.
They do not interfere with the bit. I didn’t even realise he had them until he had the dentist this year as a 5 yo. My vet advised me that the vast majority of the time they are no problem at all, and it is simply a cultural habit for vets to advise pulling them out.
Ok, well if he starts to fuss you will wonder what’s going on and having this potentially be on the list of things that could be bothering him will just be another box to check. A little unfair to subject them to being pulled when it will be a massively bloody painful mess, too.
But if you want to leave them for the badge of being au-natural - that’s your choice.
