UC Davis SCAAEP - EPDC Grant Award Winner

The student members of the Student Chapter of AAEP at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (Equine Medicine Clun) biannually participate in dental days for local rescue organizations.  This fall, October 6-7, 2013, the SCAAEP (Equine Medicine Club) at UC Davis went to the Glen Ellen Vocational Academy (GEVA foundation) in Santa Rosa, CA on Saturday and Sadie’s Bright Haven Horse Rescue and Sanctuary (Sadie’s Haven) in Sebastobol, CA on Sunday.  Each day fifteen students, ranging from first year to third year veterinary students, performed wellness exams and dental exams on these rescued and retired horses. 

For the past five years the SCAAEP has participated in dental wet labs to provide dental care to local horse rescue and sanctuary groups in northern California.  Every fall and spring EMC visits GEVA foundation in Santa Rosa, CA.  The tradition was established by former EMC officer Dr. Maureen Kelleher and has been continued through today with her assistance and teaching.    GEVA is a non-profit organization that provides homes for injured, retired, and abused horses or horses that just need a home.   This fall Dr. Maureen Kelleher joined EMC for a day full of dental exams and dental floats on 17 horses. Dr. Prutton demonstrating the proper technique for using power float to correct dental malocclusions at GEVA.

This fall, we had the opportunity to work with Sadie’s Bright Haven Horse Rescue and Sanctuary in Sebastobol, CA.  This is the first time EMC has worked with Sadie’s Haven and it was a wonderful opportunity to provide routine wellness exams, dental exams, and dental floats.  The purpose of Sadie’s Haven Horse Rescue and Sanctuary is to provide safe, loving and experienced care and shelter for equines that have been neglected, abused or abandoned. It also offers educational tours and provides day camp programs for the community, with special consideration for underprivileged children and teens.   The horses at Sadie’s Haven were between the ages of 20-35 years old, which provided an excellent opportunity to review geriatric equine dental care and see a wide range of dental abnormalities.  Also, several horses had heart murmurs, lameness and Equine Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (Cushing’s disease).   Students participated in discussion and review of principles of sedation and dental care for geriatric patients. 

 The purpose of the EMC Dental Days is two fold:  One, to provide an opportunity for Equine Medicine Club members to gain hands on experience with wellness exams, routine dental care and review dental anatomy.  Second, to provide wellness and dental services to equine rescue organizations within our area. We work with local veterinarians, UC Davis residents and rescue groups to foster relationships for students, residents andStudents using a power float to correct dental abnormalities on a rescued horse at Sadie's Bright Haven. referring veterinarians.  Dr. Tere Crocker from North Coast Equine Mobile veterinary service participated in the

dental day in addition to UC Davis Large Animal Medicine Resident Dr. Elsbeth Swain at Sadie’s Bright Haven.  Dr. James Prutton and Dr. Alison Harvey from the UC Davis Equine Medicine Service joined Dr. Kelleher at GEVA.  Students have the opportunity to work with local veterinarians as well as doctors from the veterinary school. 

For each dental each group of students had several goals.  One, to review dental anatomy and routine dental technique for dental examination and floats.  Prior to beginning each wet lab, dental pathology was reviewed such that students could think about the mechanism of how an abnormality occurred and how to correct it.  Each horse had a dental chart to describe the findings and treatment.  Each horse also had a complete physical exam sheet and any additional procedures such as sheath cleaning or deworming were also noted.  Each student was required to propose sedation plans for each horse and discuss the mechanism of action for the drugs used (Detomidine, Xylazine, Butorphanol), before sedation was dispensed for each horse.   Proper equine restraint, proper use of the speculum and appropriate technique for monitoring a sedated horse was emphasized for each case.   First, second and third year veterinary students participated in all of the above activities.

Following both days of dental wet labs SCAAEP was invited back for spring dental exams, floatations and wellness days at both GEVA and Sadie’s Bright Haven.  Sadie’s Bright Haven is very excited to work with UCD veterinary students and provide learning opportunities.   SCAAEP plans on working again with Sadie’s Bright Haven in the spring in addition to the Grace Foundation and GEVA.