I’m not sure if your reply was for me. But to answer, I’m not sure what I’m doing. I will say I felt comfortable with my consult with Dr Easley that he was early stages and extraction wasn’t necessary. He told me that he’s been watching horses with EOTRH for many years - just watching - not extracting because it wasn’t necessary and it can be a very slow moving disease. This was 2019 - I had xrays in May and Dec. Then of course COVID. . . and so now here I am trying to find a closer facility to get updated xrays and see progression. That’s my first step. I am at a facility with not a ton of grass. What they do choose to eat is the really small new grass. I’m concerned about the ability to keep weight on him and his ability to eat consistently in turn out. If I had better grass and full control over his care my choices might be different.
Hi! I have no advice but am chiming in to say I’m empathetic. My horse is older, the love of my life, and I’m hoping we don’t face this in the future. I’m TERRIFIED of the dentist and have no idea how I’d cope.
I just want to echo what beowulf said. This surgery was much harder on me than my horse. I remember sobbing in the waiting room after they took him in, he’s my heart horse and it was just such a hard decision to make. But I trust my vets and I’ve never once regretted doing the extractions. He’s had almost 6 great years since and hopefully a few more. He needed an unrelated surgery last year (squamous cell carcinoma) and I was so relieved he didn’t have to go to the vet hospital (90 min each way) as he doesn’t travel as well these days, even just a few years later.
My mare is now facing extractions of some molars that have started falling out and left fragments and I’m actually more nervous about those as they use their molars so much more. On my gelding honestly if it wasn’t for his tongue hanging out you would likely never know he was missing teeth unless I told you.
As far as what he eats his diet hasn’t changed dramatically. He was already on senior grain, he stayed on hay and now get soaked alfalfa pellets as a supplemental forage. He doesn’t eat as much hay as he used to, but it’s hard to say if that’s related to his teeth or not as he had started slowing down before the surgery. We don’t have significant grass in his paddock, although if I take him out to hand graze he has learned how to tear longer grass with his lips. He holds his weight just fine on hay/grain/alfalfa pellets.
Friends have found success with that mushroom supplement and are happy they are not doing mass extractions but getting second opinions and instead pulling only occasional teeth as needed. You might want to read these blogs from a DVM that specializes in dentistry to better understand the decease and your options:
My now 35 yr old Wb geld has EORTH …he had standing surgery by Dr Early -the dental surgeon from Cornell to remove the teeth about 7yrs ago …I wish I had done it sooner …,it made him so much more comfortable and his acth numbers decreased a lot once the main source of infected/inflamed teeth were removed.
I was in the same place you are for three years.
My Thoroughbred was diagnosed in 2020, I was told it was progressing, but to keep the pain under control with Equioxx. Last year he was diagnosed with Cushings and I was crazy trying to put weigh on him since he ate slowly and left lots of his hay.
After all research I made the decision to do the extraction just 3 weeks ago on February 9. The plan was to take all his upper, but during surgery I was told the bottom ones were on the way do I made the decision. After surgery I felt I made the wrong choice seeing his bloody and depressed just standing there.
The next day I came to pick him up, I walked him and he already went for a flake of hay that was on the way. I struggled giving him his antibiotics since he was not letting anyone touch his mouth ever again. Most stressful 10 day in my life. Today I am at three weeks and I have the horse I had 10 years ago back. He calls for me, eats like a pig. We walk and shows me the grass to cut for him, but he is already cutting it himself when it is longer that 5 inches. It has only being three weeks! I give him carrots, apples in pieces and nothing is an issue.
The one thing I learned is that Equioxx is not a good choice for pain post surgery. You need to stop it if he is on it and give him Banamine for 5 days two times a day. Then transition to Equioxx.
It is a stressful decision, but your horse will thank you. Do not watch the procedure! There is no point on having such a horrible memory.
Some say that they hang their tongue after the procedure. Mine has not. He keeps it inside with no issue. Even if he does, who really cares. He is totally pain free and happy!
Thank you for this post.
Good luck with it. I used the product when diagnosed and it did help for a year or two, then I started seeing lack of interest in eating and weight loss. Head all extractions done 3 weeks ago. He had his stitches taken out a few day ago and now he eats like a little pig and I have not seen him this happy in more that 10 years.
I was in your shoes. Could not imagined taking his teeth out and was willing to pay for any supplement.
This product may help you while you do more research, but it is not a cure. It relieves the inflammation, but the desease is progressing in the inside.
My recommendation is to take the plunge and enjoy a pain free horse for the rest of his life.
Thanks for sharing. This makes me wonder if I need to pursue extraction for my mare. The vet didn’t think her EORTH was advanced enough to be problematic yet, but she also is having appetite issues that may be pain related.
What‘a the ballpark cost on extracting uppers and lowers?
His lack of interest in food or nibbling all day long was what made me decide. He still graced and did not show obvious discomfort or had any of the gross teeth you see pictured, but I knew is was progressing and there is no cure.
The procedure is definitely harder on us than them.
I am at just at 3 weeks and you can not imagine my relief today that I closed this horrible chapter.
I am in Northern California. I paid for a good floating of his molars before the extraction to ensure they would be in too shape. Including the floating and one night at the hospital I paid $2,400.
Best of luck!
This is super helpful, thank you!
This horse has had non-descript symptoms. Vet suspects a GI tumor causing her inappetence. I became suspicious it may be something like an enterolith as an alternate explanation. But maybe it’s the EORTH and her mouth just hurts too much to eat.
Mine has always been a very picky eater. Is your as well? Or was an easy keeper that suddenly stop eating?
I am not a vet or will question one. It did take for me to change vets to find out more about his Cushings and his teeth?
Does she soak her hay herself? Mine did for the past 10 years. Oddly since the extractions he is not soaking it.
If you do have good X-rays of the teeth, consider sending to a dental surgeon and do not rely on your vet. This is what I ended up doing.
All I can share is that I’m my experience, Alabaster did not have pimples or draining ducts in his gums, he was not drooling either. Are you Cushings free?
I started with his Cushing meds which on itself take their appetite alone. After 3 months on the meds I still saw the lack of appetite, do I moved to the next thing I knew he had which were the teeth and while he is still picky, his attitude towards food has changed.
You can have her scanned for tumors, but personally it sounds extreme diagnosis as a first for lack of appetite.
As for stones, is she on an alfalfa diet alone? If she is on a 50% alfalfa diet, that should not be the problem.
I know we wish they could talk. Just go step by step and check the boxes as you go along.
Lastly, how old is your horse? OTHRC is progressive. It will not stop or go away. Consider the age in your decision since it is tough having any surgery after 25. Alabaster is turning 21 this month.
When my horse’s teeth were floated last year, the vet said they weren’t “that bad”. It will break my heart to pull his teeth. He’s always eaten slowly and dunked his hay. Perhaps I should get his mouth radiographed this year???
Why so much reluctance to pull teeth, especially if it improves a horse’s comfort and quality of life?
Mine is 19 and I’ve only had her one year. It’s a long story. Basically, she was seemingly fine when I got her, although unknowingly pregnant. She started going off her feed a few months after foaling. When it didn’t change with ulcer treatment, we tested for all the usual culprits and everything was normal/negative. I have tried several ulcer meds as well as other pain management with no change. The vet feels pretty strongly it is cancer. But in doing her teeth for the second time, she had notable inflammation that was not seen the first time I had her teeth done.
She is a very stoic horse and it has been tough. I’ve been reluctant to spent $$$$ on any more diagnostics until something is more apparent, as we are at the point where we are out of “cheap” things to try and are totally guessing.
Yes get x rays, often what you can’t see if worse than expected.
We’ve pulled three teeth, two on one mare, one on another. My other mare might now need one gone, and the two had the extractions are SO MUCH happier now. Huge difference for them.
Sorry to hear. I have had mine for 15 years so I signed an irrevocable trust. I already had a major colic surgery that put me out $17K.
I do not think your girl is a gray. Why jumping to cancer though. Did they do blood work to see elevation. Cancer does cause weight loose, but not necessarily lack of appetite and there are lots of other symptoms like Hair loss, diarrhea etc.
Don’t go there yet I’d not real diagnosis has been done. Do take good x rays of teeth and send to an expert and take one thing at a time.
As you said horses are extremely stoic and when you may see actual signs they may be in extreme discomfort.
I understand if you have limited resources, but these are the most incredible creatures who only give.
Sending positive energy to you and your girl.
I think you are misunderstanding the situation but I do appreciate the information and positive thoughts.
When and if he shows discomfort and a hesitancy to eat I’ll look into extractions. At this moment he is gobbling good hay (out of a net) and enjoying the first spring grass that’s coming up through the winter rye. He is fat and sassy and looking great so I don’t see a need to subject him to surgery.
If you are asking me, I am terrified of the dentist for no real good reason, I’ve had horses in my care have teeth pulled and should mine need it, I will do it. It’s psychological and I know it.
