# Do they sedate for teeth floating?



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

They sedate. Yes.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

Some horses need sedation, some don't - some practitioners have a blanket policy of sedating for all floats, some prefer to see if the horse requires it. Our TB is one that does best with sedation, my little paint mare had her's done w/out sedation and was just fine.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

It's a default option for most vets/horse dentists but you can opt your horse out of it. My horse doesn't need it with some vets.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

With the old way of floating teeth with just the file back and forth, some horses do not need sedation, but no sedation means a twitch. 
 The new science of Equine dentistry, with drills and bits, should only be done by a licensed Veterinarian, and this procedure is done with sedation. I would not have it done without sedation. If your equine dentist recommends no sedation he or she is most likely not a veterinarian, as administering sedation can only be done by a vet. While dentistry on a horse is expensive, a dental problem can be about 10x more.


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## patandjohnc1966 (Sep 10, 2010)

My horse has had it done both ways, and I much prefer w/o sedation. If you have the opportunity to do it w/o I suggest trying. My vet uses it, but the dentist does not, he is not licensed to sedate. As long as your horse will stand still I would definately do floating W/O sedation.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

If my horses get a manual float they do not get sedated, nor do any of them need a twitch. All four of them stand politely with just a halter and lead rope. They aren't happy but they don't offer to fight either.

I was fortunate in the early days of all their training, to have a vet willing to take the time to work with them, sans the twitch because I wasn't allowing it I also did a lot of fussing with their mouths in-between dental visits, and still do.

If the power tools have to come out, they get sedated. Sedation is the safest thing for everyone involved in case the horse would jerk.


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## IquitosARG10 (Aug 27, 2011)

My horse doesn't need it when they are just trimming with the file. But when they start getting out the motorized tools, he needs two doses of sedation, lol.


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## spirit88 (Jan 12, 2011)

my horse need sadation to float their teeth if just the hand file their fine. If the power float is used sadation is a for sure thing. My gelding flips out about the noise of it hes also horrible to clip his bridle path.


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## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

OMG my horse is dreadful, he has to sedated and pretty much held in place and he still fights the whole time....and he's a big boy 16.3 and over 1100 lbs. He is so well mannered for just about anything but I know the vet dreads it when it comes to doing his teeth. Some of the horses at my barn don't need sedation.


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## LuckyRVT (Nov 4, 2011)

My horse does not have to be sedated for her floats, although they use the "hand" floats and not the power float. Im not for sure how she would do or if it would even be a good idea to try w/o sedation with a power float, those things are well powerful and can cause damage if your not careful.


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## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

My horse gets sedated, and gets manual floats. I've only had this done once since I've owned her (almost a year - she was due for a float). Frankly, I don't know if I'd be comfortable getting my horse's teeth floated without it, but maybe there are some who do well without! My vet doesn't overly sedate,she was back to her normal self in about 45 min, and carried on with her day!


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## Patriot (Jan 28, 2012)

Mine get manual floats, w/o sedation. The guy doing it has got to be in his late 60's, done it all his life, he just has me back them against a corner in the stall. They don't care for it too much but they don't get stupid.


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## Newby32 (Dec 4, 2011)

There is a good chance that my horse has never had his teeth floated. He's fairly young and his previous owners did not trim, shoe, or feed him. Therefore, I sincerely doubt that they had his teeth floated. He's probably around 8. The vet might be able to give me a more accurate prediction when he takes a look.

I am thinking that it is a must to sedate him if they use power tools. If this vet does it manually, then he may be ok. Still, due to the fact that he may never have had his mouth "messed" with in this way, it's probably better to put him in another zone for a while.


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## Northernstar (Jul 23, 2011)

I would have a vet check his teeth as soon as possible then! Have a talk with him about sedation/floating method, etc., and of course he'll do the appropriate procedure based on the fact it's never been done - best of luck! Sounds like he's lucky to have you as his owner


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

My horse doesn't love it but she tolerates it unsedated. She had her teeth done on Thursday and the vet was impressed by how well she took it.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

IquitosARG10 said:


> he needs two doses of sedation, lol.


And then there's my Tennessee Walkers - all of whom are drug sensitive but my 24 yr old is really sensitive. It takes more to sedate my 13.3H Arab than any of the Walking Horses - lol

The little amount it takes to sedate my 24 yo TWH "wouldn't phase the whiskers on a Quarter Horse", as the vet likes to say:lol:

Duke can't even have Bute, as half tablet will nearly drop him to the ground:shock:

He needed the points ground off the two very back molars, so sedation was required to get the job done correctly.

He has metabolic issues and the vet informed me he brought a different kind of drug that is for metabolic horses and Duke only got a half dose.

What should have taken 40 minutes for him to come out of the effects, took an hour and 40 minutes. The vet stayed over for nearly half hour after the procedure to make sure Duke was coming out of the sedation like he should.

Duke had started quidding his hay so bad, filing with a grinder was necessary to get them done correctly. The hay was hanging up on the points of his back teeth to where he couldn't get it swallowed, so had to spit it out.

I had started feeding him well soaked hay pellets until the vet could get here. By now, he's gotten spoiled and I have to keep feeding them to him. They're low in NSC, so I cut his hay back a little and it all comes out equal except for my time in preparing the pellets:lol:


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## Newby32 (Dec 4, 2011)

Northernstar said:


> I would have a vet check his teeth as soon as possible then! Have a talk with him about sedation/floating method, etc., and of course he'll do the appropriate procedure based on the fact it's never been done - best of luck! Sounds like he's lucky to have you as his owner


Thank you! He is getting his teeth done on Monday. He had shoes done on Thursday and I was told by the farrier that they wished all their horses would stand so nicely. I get the impression that somewhere down the line, he was taken well care of, but the owner before me was financially unable to care for him. I'm really interested to see what the vet has to say about his teeth/health/age etc. I have had "seasoned" horse people tell me that they don't think he is quite 8 and another tell me that he is definitely around 12. I think the vet will be my best bet on determining this.


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## ridesapaintedpony (Apr 14, 2009)

My horse doesn't get sedated. She stands there like a pro.


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## ridesapaintedpony (Apr 14, 2009)

Here's a couple videos of my mare getting her teeth done.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Taffy Clayton said:


> ....The new science of Equine dentistry, with drills and bits, should only be done by a licensed Veterinarian, and this procedure is done with sedation. I would not have it done without sedation. If your equine dentist recommends no sedation he or she is most likely not a veterinarian, as administering sedation can only be done by a vet...


Strongly disagree. The equine dentists I've used are NOT vets, but they do a much better job than the vet - who sedated and did one horse, who now has crappy teeth because the VET with the power tools removed too much of a couple of teeth, resulting in uneven wear.

My spooky Arabian mare, who the vet refused to do because she was too afraid of her to try giving her a shot, stood quietly for both of the equine vets (a couple of years apart). The vet who specializes in horses around here was afraid to give her a shot for sedation, but the equine dentists both had her standing in the corral, with no restraint, getting her teeth done.

Just ask yourself - how many horses' teeth do vets do? Do you go to a medical doctor for a dental cleaning? I don't. And from the one time I used a vet to work on my horse's teeth, I don't have a lot of respect for their skill doing teeth.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Newby32 said:


> ...Still, due to the fact that he may never have had his mouth "messed" with in this way, it's probably better to put him in another zone for a while.


Not necessarily. Our BLM mustang is 14 years old, and the equine dentist who worked his teeth in December thought he had never been done - had 2 wolf teeth, one of which was so loose that she wiggled it with one finger and it fell out. But she worked him without sedation, and afterward offered to buy him - said he was so calm and relaxed that she would like to own him for her niece. It really depends on the horse.

I no longer own this horse, but it shows the other Arabian mare I've owned getting her teeth worked. The lead rope is draped over her back. My spooky mare is in the background, having already finished:


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I ADORE my equine dentist. He does not sedate, nor does he use a speculum, although he may well if something more complicated that a regular float is required. 

When Lucas was last done this summer, the barn was being rebuilt, so only some of the stalls were available. Lucas's float was completed in the pasture under the shade of a tree. No power tools, no sedation, no speculum - just a calm old man, and because of that a calm relaxed happy horse. Did I mention I LOVE my equine dentist? I'd be more than willing to pay him double the amount he charges but he just laughs at me when I say this to him.


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## ladybugsgirl (Aug 12, 2009)

I work with a equine dentist and my horse is a belgian/tb and really mellow and he took one dose of drugs (very small dose) and still wasn't asleep BUT he didn't fight the entire procedure. My previous horse a TB took three doses of drugs and fought the procedure. I helped with a few horses awhile ago and a mare took over 6 doses of drugs and fought the entire time. Its amazing to see how different horses respond to the dental procedure. But I have never seen a horse not be sedated even when the owner are like " you can do my horse without sedating" yah right...


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

More pictures:


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Usually they do. Casey has to have 2x the normal amount of sedation for her, she is a strong girl! Vet said it was because of the Arab in her :lol: 

Correction, usually the vets sedate and the equine dentists don't, at least around my area.


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## Newby32 (Dec 4, 2011)

The video that *ridesapaintedpony* put up and the pictures that *bsms* posted seem very calm. I think my horse would do ok with it done manually, but it's the power tools that would add in the fear factor. 

Monday is the big day and I hope it goes well. I believe that the vet I'm using does sedate the horses. How long does it take for the drugs to wear off? I'm guessing a few hours? 

How long until you can ride a horse that has had his teeth floated?


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## 2BigReds (Oct 7, 2011)

Newby32 said:


> Monday is the big day and I hope it goes well. I believe that the vet I'm using does sedate the horses. How long does it take for the drugs to wear off? I'm guessing a few hours?
> 
> How long until you can ride a horse that has had his teeth floated?


My boy had his teeth done for the first time Thursday and it took him a bit longer than an hour before he stopped being loopy lol :lol:

If he hadn't been shod the same day, I could've ridden him without issue. I just didn't want to work him with sore legs! The bit doesn't (or shouldn't) come in contact with their teeth so there's no reason you can't ride after normal dental work. I'm not sure about removal of wolf teeth, though.


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