A horse was found with two giant “ear teeth” growing inside its skull in what vets described as one of the most bizarre cases they had encountered.
The almost full-sized teeth were discovered after rescuers noticed a suspicious lump near the base of Welsh pony King’s ear.
Staff initially suspected the swelling was an abscess.
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But examinations revealed that the underweight pony had a rare developmental defect known as a dentigerous cyst.
The congenital condition occurs when dental tissue develops in an abnormal location, earning it the nickname “ear tooth”.
While the cysts are already uncommon, King had two teeth growing inside one – making his case exceptionally rare.
The two-year-old was found tethered near Bradford, West Yorkshire, after concerns about his welfare were reported to charity World Horse Welfare.
He was taken to its Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre near Blackpool, Lancs, where staff began nursing him back to health.
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 – he had two teeth in his, which is even more unusual.”
King was put under general anaesthetic while the growths were removed during a complex operation.
The surgeon spent several hours carefully navigating vital structures.
Oakhill Vets said it had encountered dentigerous cysts previously but had never seen a case involving two teeth of such a large size.
The practice described it as one of its “most bizarre” cases, according to Horse & Hound.
King recovered well following the operation and has since been transformed into a happy and healthy pony.
However, World Horse Welfare warned that the outcome could have been very different without treatment.
Malcolm Morley, a vet and the charity’s UK director, said: “If left untreated, dentigerous cysts can cause life-long pain and result in challenging complications and abscesses.
“So, what appeared like an unassuming lump could have had some very nasty consequences for King had he not come into our care.”
Field officer Sarah Tucker discovered King after receiving the welfare report in October last year.
She learned that emergency workers had already been called to help the pony several times.
Sarah said: “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.”
King was subsequently signed over to World Horse Welfare.
Now aged three, he is available for rehoming as a youngster with the potential to be brought into work when he is old enough.
The charity said the once-underweight pony had “blossomed” in its care and now had a bright future ahead of him.
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