‘Oreo’ is a 10-year-old Shetland Pony gelding who presented for examination of a firm lump on the right side of the mandible that his owner had noticed a few days earlier.
Oreo was known to have a ‘problem’ mouth but was up to date with dental work. He had not shown any changes in appetite, demeanor, or any sign of oral pain.
On examination, Oreo had a marble sized boney lump at the approximate site of the root of tooth 407 (second lower right cheek tooth). Radiographs were taken and a number of changes were present, including changes consistent with periapical abscessation secondary to periodontal disease. This periapical abscess is likely the cause of the boney reaction on the mandible that Oreo’s owner picked up on. To add to the complexity of this case, instead of having straight roots, Oreo had diverging tooth roots.
After consultation with Dr Paul Owens, a specialist veterinary dentist, it was decided to extract the number 407 tooth from Oreo. Dr Owens worked on Oreo for several hours, carefully extracting the problem tooth. On examination during the extraction, it was decided to remove the tooth behind 407 too. Oreo was a star patient and recovered very well from his procedure.
Oreo’s case highlights the importance of regular and thorough vet dental work. Oreo was not showing any overt signs of discomfort, was not dropping feed, or losing condition, but had significant dental issues that would have been causing him discomfort. Horses are stoic, especially where their mouths are concerned, and often subtle periodontal disease can be missed if mouths are not examined carefully with a mirror and a bright light. If periodontal disease is picked up early enough, we can form management plans to slow disease progression and help keep all those teeth healthy and avoid extractions.
