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Symmetrical tooth root infections ... 4 months apart?; or something else entirely?
Topic Started: Jun 11 2009, 06:40 PM (364 Views)
Onelanerode
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Four-year-old Appendix mare presented with bony lump on lower right jaw in late January. First vet came out, palpated, said it was nothing to worry about. I wasn't satisfied with that answer and had my regular vet out, who did rads, said she wasn't sure what this was, and then took rads to the vet school. A tooth root infection of the first premolar was diagnosed, and 30 days of metronidazole/SMZs prescribed.

Mid-March, we did another set of rads to see how things were progressing, and there was some slight improvement. Regular vet consults with vet school once again, recommends another 30 days of antibiotics. I opted to send both sets of rads to dental expert for second opinion, he concurs with original diagnosis, says that doing another round of antibiotics may/may not be helpful, I could do it if I was so inclined but he didn't think it'd be a problem not to. Mare had developed diarrhea and gone off feed while on first round of antibiotics, so I decided against another round. Lump is still about the same size. Mare turns five in early April. Late April/early May, lump suddenly shrinks pretty drastically, continues to shrink.

I talk w/ regular vet about scheduling one more set of rads, she says wait another month. Early June I call, schedule appt. for 6/15.

Today after riding I palpate lump, compare to other side to see how close to "normal" we are, and WHOA. Mare has a very similar lump on the lower left jaw. WTF! This was not there a week ago when I last palpated. I'm hoping it's not another tooth root infection, but it looks very similar to what we saw four months ago. :lonely:

So now I'm calling my regular vet in the morning to give her this latest update.

Anyone seen anything like this?! I'm beginning to wonder if the first lump wasn't an infection at all, but something else entirely. Bone cysts? Bone cancer? Exostosis? Weird genetic thing? Some strange manifestation of the inadequate nutrition she had as a youngster, before I bought her? I just can't believe she's got another one on the opposite side, same premolar. :sigh:
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FlashGordon
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Onelanerode, no suggestions..... (wish I did have some for you...) but just wanted to send good vibes your way! Hope it turns out to be nothing at all. Hugs to you and maresy!
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Onelanerode
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Thanks Flash. I'm just feeling so discouraged right now! We were just getting back into work after 10 months off due to the feet and the first tooth root infection, and now we might be sidelined again. :( Hoping the vet has good news for us tomorrow ... :(
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FlashGordon
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Will cross my fingers for you!!! :luck: :luck: :luck:

Hopefully you will get good news. You've done a good job rehabbing her, you deserve some saddle time!! ;)
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Trialbyfire
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Did you ever figure this out? Our neighbors have horses pasture boarded behind us (one of which is my mare's 3 year old filly).....tonight I was petting her and she has symmetrical lumps on her lower jaw, two on each side. Very unlike what a mature horse's jaw feels like, but not ever having a 3 year old....I wondered if it was normal! Do 3 year olds normally have lumps under the jaw when mature teeth grow in? It made me think of your post, which I had seen and just shrugged.....but now I'm wondering too!
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Show Mom
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I've had both the tooth root abscess as well as the symmetrical lumps in a 3 year old. The symmetrical lumps are completely normal at that age when the mature teeth come in. It seemed like my filly had those lumps for a while until everything grew!
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Onelanerode
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TBF, those sound like eruption cysts ... normal in a young horse and generally symmetrical and not painful. My mare is too old for eruption cysts, and besides, all her permanent teeth are in (verified through x-rays).

The vet did diagnose another tooth rooth infection. :( So, another 30 days of antibiotics. At least mare is more polite about her meds this time. I think she's realized that resistance is futile ... the talented BM is going to get them in her somehow, lol!

An infection is not the same thing as an abscess, but an infection can lead to an abscess if it's not treated. Both times we've caught these infections early. The first one responded to antibiotics, and so far, at least, it looks like the second one is as well; the swelling is no longer painful. My vet has been unduly excited by these ... she said she hadn't seen an emergent tooth root infection before my mare. She only gets them when the infection has progressed, the tooth root has abscessed and the tooth needs to be extracted.

She did say that from the x-rays, it looks like this infection was caught even earlier than the first one, as the radiolucency around the tooth root isn't as vivid as the first set of x-rays on the first tooth, and the black "space" surrounding the root isn't as wide or pronounced. I'm hoping this second infection will also continue to respond to the antibiotics and we will not need to have that premolar extracted. :luck:
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Trialbyfire
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You are right - I did find a picture online and it confirmed that this young filly is normal....it looks really bizarre, though! Yikes!

I'm sorry to hear that you have more time with meds and your mare. :sigh: Too funny that your vet is all excited about it; it's one of those things that always makes you say "if this weren't my horse/dog/child it *would* be really fascinating!" Somehow not quite as fun on the other end, though.

Good luck and hopefully you will be off the sidelines very soon! :luck:
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