Chrome's Dental Work

Warning:  If you are squeamish about blood do not look at these pictures.  I didn't include any gruesome ones, but there is some blood.

The trip to the vet to get Chrome's teeth done was . . . eventful as usual.  I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I have a little trailer anxiety (okay a lot), so once I get him on the trailer I want to GO!  No waiting around.  It makes me crazy.  So while my husband hooked up to the trailer, checked the lights, checked the tires, etc. I brushed Chrome off.  Once my husband was ready we loaded up and left.  Not even ten minutes down the road a neighbor called and said Faran was out!!  I had considered putting him in the round pen because he gets upset when Chrome leaves, but so far he hasn't shown any inclination to get out.  So we turned around and went back home (way to waste half an hour!!!!) and he wasn't even out!!!!!!!  I don't know what our neighbor was thinking, but he was safely in the pasture so we locked him in the round pen just to be safe and left again.  Chrome was fine during all of this, even when Faran was neighing to him.

 

 

 When we got there the dentist wasn't there yet, but I was expecting that because I had been warned by a friend.  The receptionist called him and we waited while Chrome grazed.  He really didn't sweat a lot this time so hopefully he's getting more comfortable on the trailer.

 

 Chrome is such a chill boy.  :D

 Once the dentist arrived we went inside.  The receptionist who raised the garage door into the equine facilities was short I guess and didn't raise the door that high, so we both ducked (more than necessary lol) and my husband got a photo.  Our expressions are hilarious.  :D

 

 Then we spent some time exploring the facilities.

 

 So does he look Friesian or Arabian here?  I think he looks gorgeous!!  

The gray around his face accentuates his features (and makes him look old??).  

 He's so handsome.

 Checking out the drain.

 

 Waiting to go into the stocks.

Chrome was very reluctant to go into the stocks.  I guess considering the last time he was in one he had his swollen, painful hock probed (when he had a puncture wound) at the vet, so I can't really blame him.  I eventually backed him into them. 

 He kept his muzzle on my shoulder the whole time he was waiting on and getting his injection.

At this point my camera broke!!!  It said lens error or something so my husband used his cell phone to get the rest of the pictures.  Luckily once we got home and I messed with my camera, it is now working.  I have no idea what that was all about unless it just got bumped.  It's three years old and been through several falls (me falling or dropping it), so I guess I'm not really surprised.

All doped up and sleepy.

 Checking out the chompers.

 I helped put the speculum on (it was too small for him so he had to add leather to the headstall hehehe).

 And then he put the sling on to hold his head up.

 There is blood on his tongue because he had already pulled one of the front baby teeth/caps.

My husband couldn't really get a picture of his teeth with the cell phone and no light. I was surprised he actually had some really jagged points!  I didn't realize they could get that bad by the time a horse is three (everyone get your yearlings done!!!  It will save you having to get teeth pulled!).  Okay, they weren't that bad, just worse than I expected.  I got to feel them though which was cool.  :)  And they are all better now.  :D

This was after he rinsed his mouth out.  

It looks like Chrome is hung over and just puked (I'm joking of course I know horse's can't puke).  LOL!

 One of the vet tech's (who is not a horse person!) had a kitten and wanted her to meet Chrome.  I let her since he was sedated.  You can tell he was aware enough to look at it though.  Makes me wonder how much they are aware of when their teeth are being worked on . . . hopefully he will forget soon.

 Getting his gums injected so that his wolf teeth can be removed.  That was the only part that grossed me out.  He had to actually shove this tool up into the gums around the wolf tooth and then snapped it off.  Yuck!

 His two wolf teeth next to a quarter.  They are so tiny!

 After the extractions were done he floated his teeth.  Yeah he used a power drill.  I looked for months and just can not find someone in my area who uses a hand float.  :(  He did a good job though I think. 

 

Chrome's teeth.

I didn't get any pictures once we got home.  I was a little worried because Zeppelin was acting really weird toward him.  Every time he's been to the vet (especially after sedation) Zep has acted semi-aggressively toward him.  I didn't separate them this time, but watched them closely.  Zep chased Chrome (yes I was shocked too!!!) around a little and then they started grazing.  I think Zeppelin's hormones are kicking in . . . I really need to get him gelded (and get his hooves done while he's sedated), but money is so tight right now with my husband in school and only me working.  That's not even counting the $500 of work my dang car is getting done right now.  :(  We will figure it out though.

So anyway, Chrome did fantastic!! I'm happy with the job the dentist did.  I really had fun helping him.  It reminded me of working at the vet clinic a few years ago.  I miss that soooo much!!  Anyway I'll update tomorrow.  :D