From: Susan
Hi Jessica, I have been reading your answers to so many questions, and wish to commend you on the intensely comprehensive advice you give to riders with problems. You seem to be able to hit every problem from every angle and yet do it in such a positive way. I don't think I've seen anything on dentistry in your column, and hope you can comment on my dilemma:
I have owned horses for over 30 years and try to always give them the best care. Regarding dentistry, I used people with lots of different credentials and really found it hard to evaluate what they were doing. Many of the vets didn't seem that interested in doing that particular job and don't spend much time on it.
About 4 years ago I attended a clinic with a vet specializing in dentistry. He has a very good reputation and travels far and wide in his practice. He uses all the latest hi powered tools, etc. He is very methodical and exacting. I learned a lot watching and listening to him.
For the first 2 years he would work on the tranquilized horses by resting their heads on a cushioned support on a pole that my husband and I would try to keep steady. Two years ago, he changed his method in that he came up with a hoist to lift their heads. He throws the rope over the stall and hoists them up after they've been tranquilized. I am scratching my head and wondering if this is a humane way to work on them, especially the two older ones: 26 and 33 years of age. He seems to feel it is safe to do. Have you heard of this method and what do you think of it? Thank you as always for your professional opinion. Cheers, Susan
I know quite a few equine dentists, and several vets who are quite well-trained in equine dentistry. Most of them have, at one time or another, used the cushioned "head cradle" support pole that you describe. Most are now using the special, heavy, padded "dental halter" to suspend and stabilize the head of the sedated horse.
Whichever method is favoured by your dentist is likely to be the method he has found to be most effective and successful, and both are perfectly satisfactory and equally humane. A calm, relaxed, sedated horse is not going to pull or push against either apparatus.
With either method, the idea is the same: to keep the horse's head supported in a way that allows the dentist and his tools full access to the teeth, whilst keeping the horse relaxed, comfortable, and without any fear of the dentist, the tools, or the procedure. In both cases, the dentist will use a full mouth speculum to ensure complete access to all of the horse's teeth.
I think you probably analyzed the reason for the change when you said "a pole that my husband and I would try to keep steady". Very often, dentists work alone; occasionally they work with a single assistant. Rarely can a dentist count on the horse's owner or the stable manager to serve as an assistant during any procedure. ;-) Some dentists use portable stocks to confine horses for dental work; some even have purpose-built, head-supporting shelving built into their stocks. Others prefer a modified version of the "pole" - I've seen models that have built-in holders and containers for other equipment, including drills, burrs, and the motor that drives the dentist's power tools. But many dentists DO prefer to use the top of the stocks (or an overhead beam) to help them suspend and support the horse's head from above. This is just as comfortable and humane as propping it up from underneath, and from what I've observed, it presents certain advantages - in addition to the obvious one of enabling the dentist to work effectively alone.
Tightening or loosening the rope from which the halter is suspended will enable the dentist to raise or lower the horse's head. Changing the angle of the horse's head can help the dentist get a better view of the teeth, and can also help him reach some of the teeth more effectively. As you know from your own experience, it takes a certain amount of work from one or two assistants just to keep the horse's head steady when it's supported from underneath by a cradle on a pole. Neither the dentist nor the assistants can easily make height adjustments to that arrangement.
When the horse's head is suspended from above, the dentist can easily move from side to side, or stand directly in front of the horse, without accidentally encountering the pole. If the horse shifts or begins to tilt forward or sideways or down - as some horses do when they react strongly to sedation - the halter rope can be adjusted instantly with no danger to anyone, but the pole is less easy to manipulate.
Finally, once the work is done, the horse's head can be lowered easily and slowly, keeping the horse relaxed and comfortable.
I've seen both the cradle/pole and the "dental halter" in use by good dentists, many times, and I think that you can safely leave the choice up to your dentist. Correctly used, both are safe and both are kind. The "right" one, in any specific situation, will be the one that a good equine dentist feels will enable him to do the best job on that particular horse.
Jessica
Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE is a free, subscriber-supported electronic Q&A email newsletter which deals with all aspects of horses, their management, riding, and training. For more information, please visit www.horse-sense.org
Please visit Jessica Jahiel: Holistic Horsemanship® [www.jessicajahiel.com] for more information on Jessica Jahiel's clinics, video lessons, phone consultations, books, articles, columns, and expert witness and litigation consultant services.