Is this from a tongue tie?

[Simkie]

I’ve had this horse for about 10 days now, and he raced on July 19.

He’s got these odd sores in his mouth.

http://s155.photobucket.com/user/simkie/media/Piggy/2013-07-31202705_zpsc16a9a99.jpg.html

http://s155.photobucket.com/user/simkie/media/Piggy/2013-07-31202810_zpsb25ffe05.jpg.html

They don’t seem to bother him, but they’re not healing like I would expect. I can’t see anything that could be the cause actually in his mouth.

Is it possible these are from a too tight tongue tie? Any other ideas?

[Lamb_Chop]

A tongue tie should be farther back in the mouth to be effective. Not that I like the things anyway, but…

[Slewdledo]

A tongue tie is tied under the chin, not the lip, and as Lamb Chop said much farther back to actually do its job.

[skydy]

That is odd. It looks more like a dental issue, though what , I have no idea.

The bi-lateral nature of the sores is interesting. .almost as if teeth are erupting. How old is he?

[alto]

I 2nd something dental - have you been rinsing his mouth with a medicated wash?
(at least twice a day, more frequently if you can manage)

[vineyridge]

[QUOTE=alto;7102067]
I 2nd something dental - have you been rinsing his mouth with a medicated wash?
(at least twice a day, more frequently if you can manage)[/QUOTE]

When Bud had his abscesses from a broken jaw and tooth, I had to syringe iodine water into his mouth after every meal. It’s cheap and it seemed to help enormously. After all these years, I cannot remember the ratio of iodine to water, but your vet will know if you want to try it.

[Simkie]

He’s a February three year old. The way these have progressed, they seem like they could be some sort of pressure sore–there seems to be some tissue death and sloughing. I’ve not been rinsing but I think I’ll have to start. Was pretty surprised when I looked a couple days ago that these hadn’t healed or improved. Didn’t think much of them at all when I first brought him home.

[Laurierace]

Definitely not. A tongue tie goes roughly in the same place as the bit. Wonder if he had Zimectrin Gold?

[Simkie]

Nope. Was wormed last in late May.

[Appsolute]

I am wondering if the area became swollen - as his permanent incisors push the baby teeth up - resulting in the gums becoming prone to abrasion.

Are those permanent molars on the bottom next to those baby teeth?

[equine08]

It is likely he was chewing on a chain in his mouth either while tied or being led. I have seen it plenty of times which is why I am adamant about using only solid brass chains on my horses. The solid brass links are smooth and do not cut a horse. The links on the less expensive thanks are chrome or brass plated with a rough weld which will cut if used in the mouth or even on the nose. They are also just a smidgen larger than solid links which allows them to get hooked on a tooth. The tooth on bottom right looks like it got hung up. They tend to panic when that occurs and get sores on both sides when a handler attempts to gain control of them.

Although that tooth has moved a bit, it does not usually cause any major damage so you could likely wait for your regular dental checks unless there are obvious symptoms.

At the track you can sometimes buy an oil of myrrh solution to treat it with 3x day. That works best and heals quickest but if you can find it, you can just flush it with a salt water solution at about same strength you might gargle with for a sore throat.

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=equine08;7102991]
It is likely he was chewing on a chain in his mouth either while tied or being led.[/QUOTE]

I suppose that makes the most sense. I didn’t see this horse handled with a chain for regular day to day stuff, but I don’t recall what he goes up to the paddock with. I wasn’t there on Friday when he ran last and bowed. Wonder if he went up in a lip chain and it slipped, even? He does have a small mark up above a middle front incisor as well.

Took a look at my other three year old for comparison, and Pigs is all caps still for that second set of incisors. Seven, who is a March three year old, has one adult tooth and the rest caps. Piggy doesn’t even look like he’s close to shedding his at just about a true 3 1/2. I know he’s not quite behind schedule but it’s one more item that shows him a little immature. There’s a lot of that with this horse.

[Simkie]

Oh, also: the dentist is due out in August, so we’ll look at Piglet and make sure his mouth is okay from that perspective, too

[equine08]

I hope I didn’t imply anyone mishandled your horse or that he needs a chain. It is usually an accidental injury. I.e., while the horse is being held, he is allowed to play with the chain similar to the way some young horses might mouth a rein while you are riding. The vast majority of time it is harmless but every once in a while a horse gets a tooth hooked on the chain.

[Skippity]

My horse had some very similar sores. In her case, they were abrasions caused by a hay net. After some saline flushing and removal of the hay net, they healed quickly.

[Simkie]

equine, I didn’t take it that way at all. Chains are just rarely seen at Arapahoe Park, and while I saw this horse handled frequently out of his stall, I never saw him in a chain or being led with a chain shank. Entirely possible he goes to the paddock in one, though. I only saw him race once this season and I just don’t recall what his gear is there.

Skippity, no hay nets for this guy. This trainer has metal hay rack in the back corner of his stalls and feeds out of those.

[rcloisonne]

[QUOTE=Simkie;7102379]
–there seems to be some tissue death and sloughing. I’ve not been rinsing but I think I’ll have to start. Was pretty surprised when I looked a couple days ago that these hadn’t healed or improved.[/QUOTE]
If there is tissue necrosis, you need to have a vet debride the area and possibly start antibiotics. I’d not flush with iodine or anything but warm saline several times per day. That’s what human dentists recommend after surgical tooth extractions.

Good luck!

[CrowneDragon]

I think it’s just from the new teeth coming up. Make sure the caps don’t get retained.
Some horses will also rub at these teeth when they are teething and sore.

Edit: I see you said he is 3. He shouldn’t be losing those teeth on the ends yet. I suppose it’s still possible that he is rubbing his mouth due to other teeth erupting.

[maybedog]

Have you thoroughly checked the rest of his mouth? Many years ago we had a 3yr old filly with the same thing going on. We found more of the ulcers further in her mouth. She started loosing weight quickly then colicked and had to be put down. Necropsy showed she was riddled with ulcers from intestines to mouth. She was a very stoic tough filly and was asymptomatic until the colic.

[harnessphoto]

The bilateral nature of the sores makes me thing they are rubs of some kind, but as maybedog mentioned, ulcers in the mouth can be a symptom of ulcers in the stomach.