This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Steven A White) Brian,
Very good report on the state of equine dentistry today. I'm glad you didn't bite your lip on this very important topic in horse health. I practice here in Nebraska which is one state that enforces it's practice act. A few years back we had an "equine dentist" here that not only did dentistry, but had a school in which he trained other people to be dentists. If you took his 3 DAY COURSE and then bought some of his tools, you were then "certified" and were sent out into the horse world to practice dentistry. The state eventually sued him for practicing veterinary medicine without a license and forced the closing of the school. Now, if any veterinarian sees one of these dentists practicing we can send their name to the state's attorney's office and they will prosecute. I have on many occasions been asked to examine a horses mouth for a second opinion after a "dentist" has told the client that it requires $200-$300 worth of work. I then examine the horse's mouth and find it requires only a routine floating. The decision to use a lay dentist or a veterinarian is yours, but you should always get a second opinion before allowing any extensive procedures on your horse. Horse owner's these days are knowledgeable and demand a high standard of care for their animals. The veterinary profession is responding to these demands. At almost every veterinary conference you can find topics of dentistry to attend. Also, there are advanced courses available to veterinarians to teach them special dental techniques. I believe that veterinarians for a while did drop the ball on dentistry, but they are quickly coming back to speed with the industry. Just because these people have the tools and the knowledge to float teeth gives them no right to do so. I could easily train a client to castrate their horse, but that in no way entitles them to start castrating other horses even though it seems to be a fairly easy procedure. There is a living animal attached to these teeth that needs to be attended to. What if complications arise; a fractured tooth or jaw, swelling that obstructs breathing or swallowing. Perhaps there is another reason the horse is having trouble chewing or loosing weight. Maybe that drooling horse has EPM or rabies! -Steve Steve & Amy White Waterloo, NE, USA
