The speculum Dr. Means used looked
more like a tool for torture, but in fact
it loosely cups the horse’s incisors,
preventing the horse from closing
his mouth, not wrenching his mouth
open. This one was mini sized and fit
perfectly.
At first, I thought Leo’s problems were either a case of gas colic or maybe his ulcer
problem had returned. I fed him his regular
meals of steamed timothy hay, pellets, and
soaked beet pulp. After a few days of only
cleaning up beet pulp, I began concentrating
on his mouth. I noticed that when he ate,
he would make an odd movement with his
mouth; almost as if he was sucking his teeth.
I managed to get my fingers along the inside
of his cheeks. I felt no lodged food, but I
did run my fingers across some sharp edges.
My regular vet had just been out a few days
before. When I mentioned the horse’s teeth,
he was quick to say that their mouths were
very tight, he didn’t have the right tools, and
they were tricky to do. Three strikes, you’re
out. Thankfully a good friend told me about
a veterinarian that she had utilized in the past
for dental work on her Minis with great success, Dr. Elaine Means, DVM.
I was able to book an appointment with Dr.
Means and decided that it was best to take
all four horses so they could be checked out.
When we arrived, each horse was physically
examined and had their temperatures taken.
One at a time, she sedated each horse and was
able to clearly point out issues that needed
addressing. The process was quite interesting.
She fitted them with a dental speculum and
proceeded to work on their teeth. I was quite
impressed with her technique and expertise
28 Miniature Horse World
Au g u s t / S e p t e m b e r 2 0 16
Taz–After being sedated, Dr. Means used a power tool float for each of the
Miniatures unevenly worn teeth. All horses wear their teeth differently and in
Taz’s case his problem was located in the very back of his jaw. Bitting up to
drive for Taz will now be a far more comfortable experience. Taz will need to
visit Dr. Means again in six months for another correctional treatment and
then most likely return for a yearly float/checkup after that.
Kiwi–Not every veterinarian is willing to sit on the floor to work on a patient!
Fortunately Dr . Means was able to float even two year old 25” tall Kiwi, to be
sure his bite was maturing correctly and comfortably. It is very important to
watch your growing foal’s teeth very carefully. A lot of bite problems can be
corrected if caught early. In Kiwi’s case, he still has a fractured baby cap from
when he was a very young foal. Dr. Means is keeping a close eye on it to make
sure it sheds properly. He will be checked again in six months.