Josie Summers Equine Dentistry BAEDT

28/08/2025

Bless her lovely to see her accepting some love and seeing people aren’t actually that scary after all

28/08/2025

I had my first cat distribution centre experience today. Found a tiny kitten on the side of a very busy main road, narrowly missed by a car infront of me. Of course I jumped to a halt and grabbed her off the road and safely into my car. A bit underweight and a runny eye I found a lovely place called CATS Rescue Gloucestershire - Swindon who will rehabilitate her, get her health checked and ready for adoption to a loving family.

25/06/2025

Travelled all the way to Norfolk on Tuesday to help treat some horses for fellow EDT Charlie Brown. Met some fabulous people and some very lovely horses, even had some welcomed foal cuddles whilst treating their Mammas.

23/06/2025

Interesting research

Can dental care put a pregnant mare at risk?

Traditionally, equine dental practitioners try to avoid practicing equilibration on pregnant mares. However, new research shows otherwise. This study set out to investigate whether dental floats are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes like abortion, stillbirth, or placentitis in Thoroughbred broodmares.

Researchers analyzed farm and veterinary records from 2013 to 2021 to explore any link between the timing of dental floats and pregnancy complications. They grouped floats based on whether they occurred during mares' open periods or in specific trimesters of pregnancy. Across nearly a decade of data, the timing of the float did not have a negative influence. Instead, the mare's age and farm location had more impact. The paper concluded that floating a mare during any stage of pregnancy appears safe and shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

Paper: A retrospective study of dental floating on pregnancy outcomes in Thoroughbred broodmares. https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.14130

19/06/2025

Donkey day 😁 also met this very cute little ram who wanted to say hello

24/04/2025

One day left of work and then off we are off for a well deserved holiday!

I won’t be taking any work bookings next week as I just need to shut down and unwind.

So please message me over the weekend for any appointments you are wanting for your horses! Thank you all 🙂

21/03/2025

Ellie Hall thank you for the great pictures today

14/03/2025

Hello all! I will be travelling up to Herefordshire on Monday 17th. If anyone wishes to book in for that day. Please drop me a message on here or mobile (not WhatsApp) 07490148008

07/02/2025

EOTRH stands for Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis. 🦷

This is a painful and progressive condition that predominantly affects horses aged 15 years and older. It mainly affects the incisors and occasionally the canine teeth, but there has been some very rare cases of affected molar teeth.

The condition involves two primary processes:

Resorption: this is where the calcified dental tissue starts to break down by the horse’s own odontoclast cells reabsorbing the dental structures. This process is believed to be immune-mediated.

Hypercementosis: this is the development of excess cementum which occurs as the dental structures are reabsorbed. The body compensates by over producing cementum in an attempt to stabilise the tooth. This results in bulbous or club-like shapes forming at the apex of the tooth.

The presentation of EOTRH can vary greatly between horses. Some horses exhibit more dominant with hypercementosis, others are more dominant with resorption.
The disease may progress rapidly in some cases but slowly in others.

Due to its progressive nature, early clinical signs may be subtle or go unnoticed until the disease reaches an advanced stage.

Common symptoms include:
•Tartar buildup due to reluctance to use the incisors
•Bulbous dental structures beneath the gumline (caused by hypercementosis)
•Diastemata (gaps between teeth), leading to food entrapment, gingival recession, and periodontal disease
•Red, inflamed gums with draining tracts due to infection
•Loose, fractured, or missing teeth
•Halitosis

Affected horses often struggle to bite into carrots or pull hay from a haynet. Some may develop headshaking, and severe cases can lead to weight loss.

Diagnosis of EOTRH is confirmed through X-rays, which will reveal the extent of resorption and hypercementosis. Currently, the only effective treatment is the extraction of affected teeth by a vet. Each case requires an individualised approach depending on the severity of the disease. Horses adapt very well following extraction, and their improvement highlights the level of pain they were experiencing before treatment.

The cause of EOTRH remains unknown, current studies are exploring periodontal ligament strains, bacterial causes, occlusal pressures, and genetics, however it’s likely to be multi factorial. As our understanding of the disease grows with ongoing research we hope to develop more effective management strategies.

Regular incisor checks are super important to identify signs of EOTRH early. If you suspect EOTRH, consult your EDT or Vet, early intervention can help minimise discomfort for your horse!

28/10/2024

Hi all, due to a rearrangement of days I am now in Hereford this Wednesday 30th October.
There are a couple of spaces left, so if anyone needs me please contact me directly ☺️
thank you

20/08/2024

Who can complain when you have an office with a view like this ☺️

09/07/2024

I do believe there should be a tooth here 😂