Fast Back 2013 – a bay Thoroughbred filly

The above filly was admitted to the Valley Equine Hospital on 5^th June 2013 for placement of stainless steel wires to treat a parrot mouth conformation. Following identification of a heart murmur prior to a scheduled anaesthetic the foal was examined by Mark Patterson who diagnosed functional flow murmurs which would not be of any detriment to the foal. In light of this the foal was re-admitted and anaesthetised on the 6^th June for surgery. In this foal the severity of the over bite meant that a bite plate also needed to be fashioned which was completed with a small piece of aluminium which was secured on to the maxillary incisors and the wires with Imprint granules. The filly's overbite was 2.5 cm. Surgery entailed placing 18 gauge stainless steel wires via incisions through the cheek and holes drilled between the cheek teeth to show the growth of the maxilla. The skin incisions through the cheek were left to heal by secondary intention. The foal was discharged on June 7th with a course of oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Each day the wires should be examined to ensure they are intact. Any food which has become trapped in the wires should be removed daily. The length of time before failure of the wires is completely variable, but ultimately the wires will loosen or break and require changing. Correction from the wires is on the order of half a centimetre per month and a significant improvement in the oral conformation is anticipated.