HORSE DENTISTRY

Dr. Lauren DeRock realized many years ago that Veterinary Dentistry has been in the Dark Ages. She was one of the first veterinarians in California to, not only become acutely aware of the need for Equine Dentistry, but she did everything in her power to bring proper Dentistry to her patients.

For many years she sponsored a lay dentist, whom she considered the best at the time, and had clinics in many barns in California. The problem has always been that there is too much need, and no one to fill it. It was often inconvenient or impossible for owners to make these clinic dates, and we could never re-schedule these horses adequately.

In the last 8 years, there have been extraordinary advances in knowledge and technology. The quality of work and professionalism in Dentistry for horses has been awesome. Veterinarians are becoming aware that "floating and rasping" with a couple of instruments on a few sharp points is not adequate care. High-tech, motorized instruments, and their proper use have revolutionized the modality, made it safer for the horses, and enabled many fine practitioners to practice excellent equine dentistry without brute strength.

One of these forward-thinking Veterinary Dentists is Dr. Katherine Burnett, from Washington. Dr. DeRock has been so impressed with her skill, her refined techniques, and her compassion for the horse, that Dr. DeRock has studied extensively under her and will now add Restorative and Preventative Equine Dentistry to her practice of Equine Acupuncture and Alternative Medicine.

We can now put horses on regular schedules, working with the client's personal schedules as well.

We are so excited to be able to offer Advanced Equine Dentistry! We are now in the Bay Area and our number has changed to (831) 637-4100.

WHY YOUR HORSE NEEDS ADVANCED VETERINARY DENTISTRY

In the past the standard procedure for Equine Dentistry has been a float of the sharp edges by your veterinarian along with vaccinations. This has been accomplished by a 20 minute or so procedure with a couple of rasp instruments. Dentistry has advanced by light-years in the last decade. We now know that there is much more involved than floating sharp points, and we now have the scientific technology and the finesse to accomplish Preventative and Restorative Equine Dentistry with less trauma to the horse than ever before. Not only does the horse benefit from pain relief, but also we find, time and again, that performance is markedly enhanced.

Recent studies have shown that up to 80% of all domestic horses have significant dental abnormalities. Studies confirm that these dental abnormalities of wild horses are much less common and less severe than their domestic counterparts. Horse's teeth erupt continuously throughout their lives. Harsh grass is the best tooth-floating instrument; it contains abrasive silicates that keep the teeth worn down adequately. Chewing grass requires a larger lateral stroke than is required for chewing processed foods, and the teeth wear down evenly. Unfortunately, while keeping horses on grass may have some benefit in California, our irrigated pastures don't really work for dental maintenance as well as the feeds that wild horses are accustomed to.

The Equine Veterinary Dentist is the one to help restore the normal function of the mouth that is so often lost by the use of processed foods.

The formation of sharp points is the tip of the iceberg to the horse. These sharp points can dig into the soft tissue and cause abrasions and ulcers, often right under the bridle. These can be extremely painful. But often, and more important in performance horses is that any hook, ramp, or ridge that interferes, not only with the lateral excursion of the chewing surfaces, but the forward and backward movement of the lower jaw, can create so much pain in the jaw joint and the poll, that the horse's performance is often dramatically affected.

What is often thought of, as "resistance" is, in fact, a reaction to a horrible and painful condition in the mouth.

Dr. DeRock, working with some of the best dentists in the world, has seen thousands of horses with problems of this sort that have been corrected immediately by Restorative Dentistry.

WHEN SHOULD YOUR HORSE HAVE THIS PROCEDURE?

1. Your babies should be checked shortly after birth, because, often, problems of misalignment start here.

2. The mouth should be checked again at 3-4 months. Very minor restorative procedures are sometimes needed at this young age, and these can help prevent more extensive problems from developing as the horse ages.

3. Once a year is a good idea after that. It is surprising that yearlings can have a "mouth full of razors." This is, in fact, one of the major causes of the periodic weight losses in growing horses.

4. Your horse should be rechecked, for sure, before training is started, and especially before a bit is placed in the mouth. This is often around 2 to 5 years of age. This is usually when the first performance "float" is performed. This is a dynamic time for the mouth. Many problems and painful conditions can arise which will impact the horse's attitude toward work for the rest of his life. Permanent teeth are erupting. Horses should be checked for abnormalities and have any loose deciduous teeth (also called caps) removed. Wolf teeth should be removed. It is pointless to start training a horse that may have a painful mouth.

5. Ages 5 to 18. At minimum, teeth should be examined once per year. Horses without serious pre-existing conditions can usually maintain acceptable dental health with a yearly check, but optimum athletic performance is usually achieved when exams and necessary procedures are performed every 6 months. If small sharp points that develop on the molars of performance horses are checked and/or removed at least every 6 months, this will allow more freedom of jaw movement as the horse works on the bit. Some horses are very sensitive to any jaw restriction at all. Some sensitive performance horses will refuse to work if they have ONE SHARP POINT.

Whether you choose an annual or semiannual exam for your horse will depend on many factors, including pre-existing dental problems, economic considerations, and your expectations for level of performance.

6. Geriatric horses (18 and over). The frequency of examination of the aged horse is determined on a case-by-case basis, but examinations should always be performed at least once yearly. Many older horses have a tremendous amount of oral pathology and benefit immensely from restorative work by gaining weight and experiencing fewer incidences of digestive disorders, especially colic.

Of course, prevention is the ultimate goal. Starting care at an early age often prevents these problems from occurring in the first place.

WHAT ARE THE COSTS?

Costs for comprehensive dental care vary greatly among individual horses. The first dental balancing, especially for a horse that has been neglected for some time, can be fairly costly. You must be prepared for a fee of possibly $300 to $400 or in some cases more than that. On average, the costs are in the neighborhood of $225 to $250. You will find that the savings in feed bills and vet bills, not to mention your horse's comfort level, will far exceed the price of the dentistry. If we keep a regular schedule, the subsequent fees will usually be less than the first one.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

Risks associated with most dental procedures are minimal, if performed by a competent Veterinarian. Horses must be sedated in order to have a thorough assessment and treatment, but remain standing during the procedure. The sedation used is the very best and safest available. Adverse reactions to sedation in the healthy, and even elderly horse are very rare. Some horses develop temporary jaw pain after a procedure, and may eat gingerly for a few days thereafter. Special diets, and perhaps medication, may be prescribed.

Dr. DeRock, and her husband Raymond Spencer, have made Equine Dentistry truly a life's mission. They are taking these procedures to a new level of competence and care.

"We cannot tolerate horses being left in a pool of blood, because of the rough handling of the mouth. Remember, teeth don't bleed. The blood is coming from the tender soft tissue of the mouth. Occasionally there will be blood if a tooth is actually pulled. However, the standard procedure of the horse left bleeding, sore for 3 weeks, and all the other horror stories we have heard and witnessed, is not only unnecessary - it is appalling. We also do not tolerate the rough handling of the horse in general. Gentle dominance is a far cry from the way some of these horses are being treated, especially by some of the lay dentists."

Dr. DeRock was there in the beginning, when dentistry was beginning to take hold in California. She has made every effort to communicate and educate the public to this long neglected and utterly important part of horse care. At first, she sponsored a lay dentist from Canada. However, she has come to the intense belief that Equine Dentistry belongs in the hands of the veterinary community. Veterinarians are becoming more and more educated to proper dental procedures. Veterinarians are trained to give these drugs, and it is legal for them to do so. The lay dentist who administers his own drugs is committing an illegal act in the state of California. There is no licensing board for lay dentists, except those created by those lay dentists themselves. You also should be aware that the lay dentist has no liability insurance if a disaster, no matter how unlikely, should occur that affects either your horse or one of your children.

If you have any questions whatsoever, or wish to set up an appointment for your horse, please feel free to call or E-mail. Dr. DeRock likes to make appointments for two or three horses per day in the Bay Area, but can make arrangements for appointments in outlying areas in some cases.

PREPARING FOR YOUR HORSE'S DENTAL APPOINTMENT

1. We need a stall with a flat surface, a blank corner we can use to back the horse into. We need electrical hookups and water. Please let us know in advance if we should bring extra hoses. We will check the electrical outlets prior to hooking up our instruments so that the horses and people are completely safe.

2. We find that fly control is of utmost importance. Many times the horses will be more bothered by the flies than by the dental procedures. It makes life miserable for everyone. We ask that you groom the horses thoroughly before they are brought into the dental stall. We are in close confinement and loose hair or dirt will make things miserable for all. Please spray or wipe your horse thoroughly for flies. It will be an ongoing effort.

3. Please feed your horse a good meal at least two hours before his appointment, and offer plenty of water. There will be a lag time after the dentistry when he cannot eat because of the sedation, and possibly might be a little sore.

4. We like to have as calm a setting as possible. It is very important for the comfort of the horse. We will give a pre-sedation injection after checking the horse, and then wait till he is calm to proceed. We find that, of all the parts of the dental procedure, this is the one we cannot rush. We will take all the time necessary to have the procedures run as smoothly and as safely for you and your friend as is possible.