EOTRH operation

Carrying on from my last blog post (which you read by clicking HERE) you'll know that my mum's horse was going in to the clinic to have several teeth extracted after being confirmed to be suffering from EOTRH. But just a quick recap of what it actually is - EOTRH is Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis and is a syndrome in horses that results in resorptive lesions of the incisors and canine teeth. As the disease progresses, the roots of multiple teeth begin to resorb and the body tries to stabilise these teeth by laying down extra cementum, resulting in bulbous swellings around the roots of affected teeth. These teeth become infected, may loosen and can even fracture. It's still not a common procedure and as I couldn't find out much first hand experience of it online, I thought I would write a post about it, what they did and how Rama at the age of 22 has coped with it all!

So on June 4th Rama was taken to the Willesey clininc of B&W Equine Vets for his operation, which I'm so pleased to say went really well 🙌🏻 All in all, six teeth were extracted under infra-orbital and mental nerve blocks and sedation as well as morphine. All his teeth were chronically affected by EOTRH, with large cementomata formation and painful draining abscess tracts, and severe periodontitis . The sockets were debrided, lavaged and packed with dissolvable gelatamp sponges, and temporary polysiloxane dental putty.

Not only did he have six teeth removed, but he also had two fillings done and four diastema fixed. Infundibular restorations ('fillings') were performed because of  grade 3 infundibular caries, and the aim of these restorations is to try to prevent this ongoing decay process to reduce the risk of fracture or tooth root infection. These restorations will be re-examined and possibly improved in 6 months time at our next check up when his incisors are comfortable. There was also four grade 1 and 2 diastemata which were all widened , debrided of trapped food , lavaged and stented with dental cement. Any displaced cheek teeth or sharp enamel points and Exaggerated Transverse Ridges (ETR) which were causing this periodontal disease were fixed! There are also grade 2 peripheral caries throughout his mouth, so like the others  horses, he started on the Hexarinse mouthwashes every 3 days.

The end result of this a VERY happy horse, who straight away after his op was eating grass in his field and only five days after was so energetic that he needed lunging (no bit in his bridle!) and overall, has a tremendous amount of energy in his life again. At his 2 week check up the vet said that it's all healing really well, the gums are starting to fill up as they should and that Rama could start to be ridden with a bit in his bridle too! I don't even have the words to explain how pleased we all are that he's doing so incredibly well. So for anyone reading this and worrying about whether or not to go ahead with the EOTRH operation, I say 100% do it. Your horse will thank you for it!