Students get hands-on Experience of Equine Dentistry at The Horse Trust
Student Visit
The Horse Trust’s Home of Rest for Horses in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, got a helping hand from a group of veterinary students last week.
The four final-year students from the Bristol School of Veterinary Science carried out non-routine dentistry and orthodontic work on seven of the sanctuary's residents. The students also helped with sedating some of the horses - horses need to be sedated for intricate dental work to ensure the procedure is safe for both the horse and the vet.
The work was carried out under the supervision of a senior lecturer from Bristol University and Paul Jepson, Chief Executive and Veterinary Director of The Horse Trust. All the horses have since made a full recovery from the dental work.
"We are delighted to have been able to offer the veterinary students this experience - it is good for the horses, which needed the work; it is good for the students, who have not had the opportunity to carry out such work at their local veterinary clinic; and it is good for us, as they have helped with our workload," said Paul.
The students from Bristol University plan to help out at The Horse Trust again next month - next time they will focus on horses with orthopaedic conditions.
The Horse Trust's Home of Rest in Buckinghamshire shelters 120 elderly horses, donkeys and ponies. As older horses often develop medical issues, the sanctuary's residents offer good case studies for veterinary students.
"Out of the 114 horses here, probably about half have complex medical issues. This is a great resource for veterinary students - they can come here and can have a wealth of clinical experience under one roof," said Paul.
Earlier this year, The Horse Trust announced that it was closing its doors to new horses for the first time in its 123 year history. The charity is committed to the care of 114 horses, ponies and donkeys already retired at the sanctuary, but due to a fall in public donations it can no longer take in horses apart from emergency welfare cases.
The Horse Trust is urgently appealing for donations to enable it to re-open its doors to needy cases. Just £5 would enable the charity to feed a small horse for a week, while £17 would pay for all the costs of looking after a horse for a day, including feed, veterinary bills and farrier costs. To donate please click on the bucket of carrots.
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