Vikki Fowler - Veterinary Equine Dental Technician

11/08/2025

Please don't lead your horse like this!!

Please don't lead your horse with the lead rope passed through one bit ring and clipped to the other as shown in the first photo. If you have to, then hold the loop in the centre. Never ever tie up like this! In fact never tie to the bit at all. The consequences are too severe to make it worth the risk.

This ex racer was being led to the field with a bit and the lead rope as shown. The bit was a simple single jointed eggbutt snaffle with no damage. I checked it myself. The horse reared up, the handler pulled the rope to bring her back down and the bit severed her tongue.

She was extremely lucky not to lose it. There was a very small section remaining intact, and luckily for her that small section contained the major blood vessels. I was very skeptical that she would retain sensation in the near-severed section which would have required amputation to avoid self injury if she hadn't. By this I mean she would have bitten her tongue and not known she had done it as she couldn't feel it. By some miracle she indeed retained sensation. I doubt it felt the same as before, but it was enough to prevent self-injury.

I used 4 layers of sutures to obtain a good closure and she healed within 3 weeks. She was still trying to eat with her tongue hanging out and showed no signs of difficulty at all after I had closed it. Thoroughbreds are made of tough stuff!

When you pass the rope through the bit rings, you are no longer giving a backward or downward pressure. You are squeezing the rings together. This is worst case scenario of course but there will always be trauma if the horse pulls.

Instead consider using a lunge line and passing it over the head behind the ears to clip on the other side. Or perhaps clip only on one side, or use bit couplers to avoid the rings being pulled together. When tying up, use a halter not a bridle.

05/08/2025

The Cheltenham gag or running gag is by far the most aggressive and damaging bit I come across.

All gag bits lift in the mouth. They are sold as pulling the poll down but this is not what happens in real life. The poll cannot move. Instead the bit is lifted in the mouth. This lifts the head.

This action is bad enough with a Dutch gag (3 ring gag), the Tom Thumb or indeed any curb bit used without a curb chain/strap. These bits all cause the bit to lift but to varying degrees, maybe half an inch to a full inch. The Cheltenham gag can lift 2+ inches meaning that even in the gentlest hands that lift will split the lips and cheeks open. It is not possible to maintain a safe contact in this bit.

In my opinion this bit should be outlawed and all Dutch gags and curb bits should be used with a curb strap to limit the lift.

It's worth noting that this damage is further back than you can see without a speculum and head torch. So peering in the mouth after riding and seeing nothing does not mean there isn't damage further back that you can't see.

Also worth noting this horse was fully up to date with dentistry, there was no dental cause for these injuries. The owner is mortified and is changing the bit immediately. This bit looks like a snaffle and can fool owners into thinking it is a gentle bit when that could not be further from the truth!!

15/07/2025

The first of what will hopefully be a series of videos about Equine dentistry and EDTs in the BAEDT.

03/07/2025

A few years ago I did a post about working on unsedated horses. Something I strongly feel DOES have a place. Not all horses can be worked on without sedation but many can.

This is my post from 2023 https://fb.watch/ACtVjq_YjL/?

And before anyone asks, yes you absolutely can get to the back of the mouth without sedation and yes you absolutely can pick up on small details and pathologies without sedation. It just takes an extra level of skill and horsemanship.

Obviously most/all pathologies (problems beyond the normal sharp points/small overgrowths) do then require sedation to treat or even just to get a closer look with an in-mouth camera. This is where specialist dental surgeons come in. If issues are found then the horse can be referred on to the surgeon for advanced treatment.

For me personally, I much prefer working on conscious well behaved and calm horses than sedated ones. But obviously I prefer sedated horses over those that are scared to death or determined to fight!

There is no shame in a horse needing sedation either. A lot of owners see it as a failing but it isn't, some horses simply don't tolerate it or have pain memory from previous problems. Exactly as some humans visiting the dentist do.

I treat individual horses as individuals. I have no hard rules other than everyone must be safe and calm, me, the horse and the handlers.

To sedate or not to sedate

The question of sedation for routine equine dental procedures is one that often sparks discussion, and for good reason. Every horse is an individual, and ensuring their safety, comfort, and welfare during dental work is always the priority.

With the advancements in modern equipment, routine equine dental care has become far more precise and thorough than ever before. Many horses are able to comfortably tolerate comprehensive dental examinations and treatment without sedation, particularly when handled by skilled and experienced practitioners. BAEDT members are highly proficient not only in their dental work but also in equine behaviour and handling, allowing them to work calmly and effectively in a wide range of situations. Our members work day in, day out with unsedated horses, where horsemanship, patience, and handling skills are fundamental to carrying out thorough and precise treatments.

It’s also important to understand that carrying out a routine dental on an unsedated horse requires a different set of skills compared to working on a sedated horse. The ability to assess, reassure, and work with a horse that is fully conscious is a testament to the horsemanship, experience, and sensitivity our members bring to their work.

That said, sedation absolutely has its place, and for some horses sedation is essential to ensure dental procedures are carried out safely and thoroughly. There are a number of reasons why horses may require sedation for dental treatments, including if the horse is in pain, if they are anxious and their behaviour. BAEDT members are able to recognise when sedation is in the horse’s best interest and will always discuss with the owner and their vet to determine the most appropriate course of action.

All BAEDT members undergo rigorous training and examinations to ensure they meet the highest standards of equine dental care. With dental mirrors, high-quality head lights, and dental picks and probes, our members can carry out detailed examinations. When issues are identified that require further investigation or referral, members hold strong working relationships with equine veterinary surgeons and dental referral specialists, ensuring your horse has access to the level of care they need.

We’re proud to have 21 veterinary surgeons among our membership who have completed the BEVA/BVDA examination, further expanding their knowledge, expertise and are dedicated to providing the highest standards of equine dental care.

Ultimately, whether a horse requires sedation should be a case-by-case decision, based on their individual temperament, comfort, and the dental work required. With BAEDT members, owners can feel confident they are in skilled, compassionate, and highly trained hands.

01/07/2025

My camera roll is 50% teeth and 50% my horses and dog 😅

24/06/2025

I hope one day a world will exist where owners realise a horse needs their teeth for eating, not just for riding or bitting. Then maybe Miniatures, donkeys and broodmares might get the dental care they desperately need.

This little chap has just been purchased from a dealer. Unfortunately the new owner is in a dispute with the dealer due to other issues (as well as his teeth) having paid a lot of money for him, so he may end up going back. For this reason I had to be very aggressive with my treatment. I may never get to see him again. And who knows if he will ever see a dentist again. Luckily for him I did actually manage to fully reduce these monstrous hooks in one sitting. The wounds in the gums opposite break my heart. The pain he must have been in 💔

He is such a sweet little man, I hope he finds the home he deserves. I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to get him out of pain, it's bad enough that he's had 5 homes in the last few months including ending up at Appleby being ridden and driven! 😫 Some days it's very hard to like the human race.

Remember routine dentistry is the most basic of care, not a luxury!

05/06/2025

A fabulous weekend of learning and socialising. It's so good to chat with other like minded people and talk about our experiences and cases. It's quite an isolated job, you don't often see colleagues so it's so good for mental health to come together, as well as learning about new advancements to keep us all up to date.

03/06/2025

Just a cap (baby tooth) removal video 😁

I had just extracted his wolf teeth so there is a little blood. You can see by how easily this cap popped off that it was ready to go. I had already established it was loose beforehand.

I always think newly erupted adult teeth look just so cool. You can see exactly how they are formed.

29/05/2025

Fabulous Congress 🥰

25/05/2025

Fabulous weekend of training with the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians at Wolverhampton Racecourse. Lots of learning/refreshing knowledge, along with catching up with colleagues from across the country.

There is comfort in the knowledge that having a qualified EDT from the BAEDT register treat your horse, they must prove they are keeping up with the ongoing changes in the profession by doing a set amount of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) each year. As well as the 3 yearly re-evaluation of their practical work.

Keeping up the high standard 💪💪

01/04/2025

🤣

✨ Exciting news! ✨

Are you tired of your horse’s teeth ruining your selfies? We’ve got you covered! We are excited to announce we are launching a brand-new Equine Whitening Toothpaste to revolutionise your horse’s smile 🦷✨

✅ Removes stubborn grass stains
✅ Leaves breath minty fresh (goodbye, carrot breath!)
✅ Approved by… well, no one… but your horse will love it!

Don’t let your horse be the only one at the yard without a Hollywood smile!

Available from your EDT… today only… 😉

01/04/2025

🤣

Finally we found it! The elusive tooth worm that causes dental disease seen for the first time on a CT scan! For hundreds of years tooth decay was thought to be caused by this elusive creature and only now has it been imaged - the wonders of modern technology!