Rio Colorado Equine Veterinary Service, LLC

Dentistry/Floating Teeth

Floating the teeth is part of routine preventive care for horse beginning around 4 years of age and continuing thoughout its life. Be sure to have the veterinarian examine your horse's teeth at least once a year in order to identify problems. The hooks and points that form over time can interfere with the horses' ability to chew, can interfere with weight maintenance, and can cause pain and lesions in the mouth. Performance may then become an issue as well, in regard to tolerating the bit.

Click here for AAEP Dental Care Brochure 2009

For safety reasons and for the comfort of your horse, this service is performed at a private facility.

Oral Cavity Examination

(performed under sedation)  ..........................$55.00

Sedation (dependent upon age, condition and demeanor).................................................. $55.00-$75.00

Float Teeth (reduce enamel points,

caudal hooks, bit seats and canines).......................$110.00

Chute Fee*.............................................$15.00

*The Chute Fee is waived for subsequent horses of the same client.

Wolf Tooth extraction (when indicated)......$25.00

 Due to varying costs, the prices for sedation are subject to fluctuate without notice.

Here is a brief description of the dental procedure performed at Rio Colorado Equine. Steps are taken with to do the most thorough and effective job possible. Enjoy the advantage of having your horse's teeth floated by a licensed and highly skilled professional...

...Dr. Sandigo takes the time to calm the horse, then administers sedation to help him/her tolerate the position of the head. When the horse is ready, he performs a complete oral cavity examination to identify any problems that were not readily seen on the cursory examination. He then uses power floats to smooth the surfaces of the teeth. The specialized equipment and technique Dr. Sandigo uses allows for a float to be performed every 1 1/2 to 2 years, rather than annually.