Does anyone have experience with this? My 20yo OTTB had his teeth done today and the vet said he has EOTRH (Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis), that it will progress, and the only way to treat it when it gets to that point will be to remove his front teeth. He is otherwise in good health and sound for riding and light jumping. I’m just in shock and hoping it will turn out to be a misdiagnosis and would love to hear what anyone has to say.
My guy at 23 or so was diagnosed but what I found then too was PPID and solving that backed off the EOTRH. Have you had ACTH tested? Since solving all the sh*t PPID causes, the problems my guy was having (mainly infections) have stopped.
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It is really very painful for them, and they tend to do extremely well once the teeth are pulled. Don’t be afraid to go there when needed.
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My friend’s mare had this when she was older (over 20) and she did have the offending teeth pulled. Mare did fine with a few less teeth and lived to the ripe old age of 31.
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Do the surgery/extraction.
I’ve been present now for several extractions plus the aftercare. It is astounding how much pain they hide. The extraction is brutal and not for the faint of heart to watch but the recovery is uncomplicated and worth it.
They are sore for a few days and then go right back to eating like they aren’t even missing teeth. Horses do not need their front teeth the way they need molars and most are fine to be fed their old diet. Many eat better and I notice an immediate improvement in their weight and condition in a few weeks. I also always notice a major change in personality/attitude improvement.
EOTRH is peripherally linked to cushings - something to consider.
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My friend’s elderly horse has this. Brushing her teeth several times a week with diluted chlorhexadine has helped immensely. It has been several years, and the disease has not progressed. She is also PPID and on Prescend.
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If you do this, vaccinate the horse for botulism first. I know people who have done this successfully but also know of one horse who died from botulism after the extraction. He was on antibiotics after the extraction; the theory from the veterinarian is that botulism entered the wounds in his mouth while grazing. Those antibiotics did not protect against botulism and by the time they figured out the horse was developing neurologic symptoms from botulism, it was too late.
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Can you share how this is done? Thank you!
I managed my pony on it from his diagnosis at 27 to his death at 31. He also had cushings. I elected to just take out bad teeth as they went back rather than do complete extraction all at once due to his age. He actually did pretty well and I was able to keep him going and comfortable. I had the help of an amazing equine vet/dentist and he lived at home so I could really micromanage his feed. He ultimately was put to sleep for an unrelated reason.
Post extraction he went back to eating the moment he woke up from the sedative. The bad teeth are more painful than the removal.
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My friend says she uses a travel human toothbrush. She just dumps some chlorhexadine in some water (doesn’t measure, but you could ask your vet how much to dilute it), and brushes. Her vet told her to do this and it seems to be working well.
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Thank you!!!
There are a lot of threads on this.
I have a 26 yo OTTB retirement boarder who had all incisors and canines extracted at 21. The vet noticed the diseased teeth when he colicked. He colicked a few more times, minorly, after the initial. When he stopped being able to drink cold water, his owner finally agreed to the surgery.
It’s barbaric. It’s traumatic to watch. It’s really disgusting. But the relief is immediate.
He was out hand grazing about four hours after all teeth had been extracted. It took a solid 2 -3 weeks for his gums to heal completely, but he had no trouble eating while they healed.
He has no dietary restrictions. He eats his grain soaked (all my horses eat their grain soaked) and normal dry hay. He is able to graze just fine.
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My landlord had the procedure for her senior horse. He passed about 3 years later but my landlord doesn’t regret having it done (perhaps not doing it sooner).
At the same time she had the procedure done we did transition him to a “soup” diet. Soaked senior feed, beet pulp and several pounds of soaked alfalfa pellets in a 5 lb bucket filled to the top with water 2 times a day. At the time he was going through severe bouts of colic every few days. These changes seemed to resolve it and were easy enough for us to maintain.
For this horse, he couldn’t keep his tongue in his mouth when he was at rest! It was very amusing when non horsey people came around!
My horse had all incisors and canines removed 2 years ago. He recovered just fine, eats a normal diet ( I continued to feed the fine stem hay, teff, that I was feeding prior to teeth being extracted). He grazes in the pasture. He is 24 years old.
This past spring he got a bit cranky and I noticed a small piece of residual tooth had surfaced ( he has always been a prince and the pea sort). Had it removed and on he goes.
When I decided to get the initial surgery, I felt that either I get it done or consider PTS The EOTR had progressed. He was at the very least uncomfortable
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Don’t hesitate to extract diseased teeth. The horse will be able to eat normally and will thank you for relieving the pain that has been gradually increasing. When I saw the condition of my mare’s teeth after extraction, I wished I had done it sooner.
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My horse was diagnosed at 24 and had a full extraction of all incisors done 4 years ago. He hasn’t had a single issue since and recovered without issue. It is a very painful, progressive condition. Better to address while the horse is as healthy as possible and they really do great after. My horse eats a normal diet, grazes, and honestly if it wasn’t for his tongue hanging out you would have no idea.
Best of luck!
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