24 November 2023
911! It's an emergency!
911 ? it's an emergency!
How do you know if you're dealing with a dental emergency for your horse? In this article, we'll explain how to recognize an emergency from a case that can sometimes wait a little longer for an appointment. You'll then be able to know, on a case-by-case basis, who to call and how urgent the situation is.
The golden rule is this: if the problem your horse is experiencing has been going on for some time, the delay in making an appointment is not an emergency.
-Trauma
An accident has just occurred (e.g. my horse has fallen, hit his/her mouth on metal, etc.) and I think (s)he has broken an incisor or is bleeding from the mouth: Contact us immediately (013220220), 24/7.
-Pain
My horse seems to have a lot of pain in the mouth, it's different from usual, what can I do?
check his/her temperature (must be below 38.5°C, otherwise call your vet)
determine where the pain is coming from (external: on the head, or internal: inside the mouth)
Is (s)he still eating?
- *Hay+grains = OK: call your vet for a 1st check-up on pain management and localization.
- *Hay OK, grains no: check temperature (must be <38.5°C, otherwise call your vet) and make an appointment via our form. This may indicate a gastric problem if not dental.
- *Grain OK, hay not: indicative of a typical dental problem: make an appointment via our form and mention it.
- *No hay or grain: check temperature (must be <38.5°C otherwise call your vet) and contact us immediately (013220220), 24/7.
-Swelling
A swelling appears on my horse's head
My horse is young and the swelling is symmetrical on both sides and not painful: this is probably a false alarm, but you can make an appointment via our form by mentioning it.
The swelling is unilateral and has been present for some time now, but is getting bigger and bigger: Book an appointment via our form and mention it.
Swelling has just appeared, is hot and/or painful: contact us immediately (013220220), 24/7.
-Malodor
it happened all at once, her/his mouth smells really bad: make an appointment via our form and mention it.
his/her mouth has been smelly for a while but now it's too much: make an appointment via our form and mention it
(s)he has an opaque nasal discharge that smells bad: make an appointment via our form and mention it.
-Salivation
I found my horse salivating in large quantities: Contact us immediately (013220220), 24/7
-Quidding
my horse started quidding or dropping his/her food: make an appointment via our form and mention it
my horse has been quidding for a few weeks now, but it's getting worse and worse and (s)he's losing weight: make an appointment via our form, mentioning it.
-Riding
My horse has been more difficult to work lately: book an appointment via our form and mention it.
My horse really bleeds from the mouth after work: contact us immediately (013220220), 24/7
my horse no longer accepts to open his/her mouth to put the bit in: make an appointment via our form, mentioning it
-post-op
Your horse has recently been treated by us and is not feeling well: contact us immediately (013220220), 24/7.
In all cases where you notice something unusual or abnormal in your horse, don't hesitate to contact your own veterinarian, who will be able to help your horse initially with medication or first aid.