Horse found with two 'teeth' in its ear seeks home

A horse which was rescued from the side of a road in Bradford was later found to have two 'teeth' growing in one of its ears.

King, a Welsh pony, was found tethered and abandoned by a field worker from the World Horse Welfare charity after concerns about his welfare were reported.

He was taken Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre near Blackpool where the rare condition, known medically as a dentigerous cyst, was discovered.

After surgery the three-year-old animal is now being put up for re-homing by the charity as the original owner failed to come forward.

Centre manager Adam Cummins said: "When we started to investigate the lump near the base of his ear, we found out that it wasn't an abscess at all.

"Instead, it was a rare developmental defect called a dentigerous cyst, also known as an 'ear tooth'.

"These are already uncommon but King's case was on another level, as he had two 'ear teeth' which is even more unusual."

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A dentigerous cyst in a horse is a congenital birth defect - often called an "ear tooth" - where misplaced tooth tissue develops near the base of the ear.

If left untreated, the cysts can cause life-long pain and result in challenging complications and abscesses, according to the charity.

Kai Cahun from Oakhill Vets, in Goosnargh, Lancashire, put King under general anaesthetic before he could be treated.

He said: "Our diplomat surgeon, Guy Hinnigan, worked for several hours to remove them, while navigating the many vital structures in the area and avoiding any damage to the nerves responsible for facial movement and ear function.

"In most cases, the abnormally developed tooth is relatively small compared to typical horse teeth.

"However, in King's case he had not one but two almost completely normal-sized teeth that had grown inside his skull."

He said the practice had seen several similar cases over the years but "none with two very large teeth involved".

"King's case was certainly one of the most bizarre we've experienced," he said.

King's rescuer Sarah Tucker said: "I found out that the emergency services had been called out to King multiple times.

"He'd needed rescuing after sliding down an embankment into a ditch, as well as getting loose and running onto a main road.

"With his owner nowhere to be found, it was clear King needed to be taken to safety."

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