Equine Dentistry

T. J. Barclay, DVM

Horses have teeth that are much different than those of most other domestic animals or humans. Horses’ teeth erupt, or grow, throughout their entire life, unlike our teeth which fully erupt when we are young and then stop growing. These teeth are ideally suited to the way a horse naturally eats – grazing plants almost constantly throughout the day. This constant grinding action would quickly wear down teeth like ours, but horses’ teeth grow to match the rate of wear.

However, problems can arise when we take our horses out of that natural setting and change the way they eat. We feed them a different diet, often partially made up of grain which is softer than roughage, and limit their time spent eating to just a few hours a day.

This causes the horse’s teeth to wear unevenly and develop sharp points which interfere with the grinding action of the teeth and can also cause ulcers on the cheeks and tongue. This, along with other dental abnormalities such as diseased or broken teeth, retained deciduous (baby) teeth, and gum disease can lead to several different symptoms in the horse. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), these include:

1. Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive salivation.
2. Loss of body condition.
3. Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure.
4. Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit, or resisting bridling.
5. Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking.
6. Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth.
7. Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw or mouth tissues.
   

If you see any of these symptoms in your horse, you should have an oral exam performed by your veterinarian. He or she can then diagnose the problem and provide the appropriate treatment. Many of these problems can be prevented by routine dental examinations by your vet. Mature horses should be examined yearly. Horses from 2-5 years of age should be examined twice yearly, as many problems arise in these young horses. During this time period the horse sheds its 24 deciduous (baby) teeth and up to 44 permanent teeth erupt.

One of the most common dental procedures performed is occlusal equilibration, often referred to as “floating.” This is where the veterinarian uses a rasp or, more commonly these days, a motorized instrument to smooth the points that have developed on the cheek teeth. Other procedures that may be performed if needed are extraction of retained deciduous teeth, extraction of wolf teeth (small vestigial teeth that often times interfere with the bit), correction of malocclusions, and extraction of broken or abscessed teeth.

Most veterinarians who practice equine medicine provide dental services. If your vet does not, he or she can refer you to another vet who does. Also, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association has provided an online list of veterinarians who practice equine dentistry. This list can be viewed at www.tvma.org. For more information about equine dentistry and other health issues, visit the American Association of Equine Practitioners website at www.aaep.org.