Regular check-ups and regular maintenance in horse dental care are necessary for a number of reasons. If it goes well, then proper horse dental care pays off. Your horse will be more comfortable, will use feed more efficiently, will work better, and will increase its life expectancy.
Mouth of the Horse
Horses evolved as grazing animals and their teeth are perfectly adapted to it. In the anterior portion of the horse’s mouth, we find the incisors. Their function is to grasp and cut fibrous foods. Such as hay. Cheek-level teeth (premolars and molars), with their large, flat, and irregular surfaces, can easily grind food into a “puree” before swallowing.
Like humans, horses have 2 dentitions throughout their lives: milk teeth, also called deciduous, which are temporary. And the permanent teeth, which will remain in the mouth for the rest of the horse’s life. By 5 years of age, the horse should have all permanent teeth in its mouth.
An adult horse has a maximum of 44 teeth, with some changes depending on whether or not the canine teeth and the first premolars or “wolf teeth” appear. We’ll discuss wolf teeth later.
Most frequent dental problems
Horses can suffer from many dental problems. The most common conditions include:
- Enamel points in the premolars and molars. They cause lacerations in the oral mucosa and tongue. Also, discomfort with the embouchure and inability to grind the food correctly. And redisposing to the appearance of pathologies at the level of the gastrointestinal system such as some Colic.
- Retained deciduous teeth(baby teeth that have not changed).
- Discomfort due to contact of the mouthpiece with wolf teeth
- Hooks, both in premolars and molars.
- Excessively long or sharp canines, interfering with both the placement and withdrawal of the bit and producing lacerations on the tongue.
- Loss and/or fractures of teeth.
- Asymmetry in the dental arches with consequent occlusion problems.Excessively worn teeth.
- Abnormal length of teeth.
- Dental and/or gingival infections.
- Misalignment/poor apposition (due to congenital causes or trauma).
- Periodontal disease.
Suspected Dental Problems
Some horses with dental problems may show some obvious signs such as pain or irritation, or they may not present any symptoms, simply due to the fact that there are horses that adapt to this discomfort in the oral cavity. For this reason, a regular dental exam is essential.
Indicators of dental problems include:
- Loss of food while eating, difficulty chewing, or excessive salivation.
- Loss of body condition and poor hair quality.
- Presence of food such as grain, not digested in the stool.
- Abnormal head movements (tilting, tilting, shaking), nibbling, fighting or resisting the bite, externalization of the tongue.
- The horse’s performance decreases, it resists contact with the embouchure and adopts abnormal positions at work.
- Bad odor, coming from the oral cavity or nostrils, even with bloody or purulent nasal and/or mouth discharges.
An examination of the oral cavity in the horse should be part of a physical examination performed by the veterinarian. Every dental exam provides preventive dental maintenance. The end result is a healthier and more comfortable horse.
Filing and Preventive Maintenance for Horse Dental Care
This is the most common veterinary procedure of dental treatments in the horse. Enamel tips are eliminated, allowing the occlusion plane to be improved, in addition to achieving a desired length in the incisors, premolars, and molars.
It is very important to note that it is not only about eliminating the “tips” but also about improving the occlusion planes that are going to allow the horse efficient and comfortable chewing. As well as an adequate posture of the animal’s head. during work, and your veterinarian is the only professional who must carry out these tasks due to the anatomical and physiological knowledge of the horse’s mouth, and the responsibility that a medical and/or surgical action entails at this level. The teeth of adult horses erupt throughout their lives and are worn away by chewing,
Filing is especially important in horses that have lost a tooth. Or have a poor apposition and do not occlude properly. Under normal conditions, when the tooth contacts its antagonist, the occlusal surface is even. When teeth are misaligned, hooks can form; a lack of control over them, they can grow to the point of penetrating the palate, hard or soft.
Wolf Tooth
The wolf’s tooth is a small tooth located cranially to the 2nd premolar. It lacks a long root, normally, that allows a firm anchoring in the maxilla or mandible; rarely appears on the jaw. A horse can have one to four wolf teeth. Although not all wolf teeth are problematic, the advice of veterinarians is usually extraction to avoid contact problems with the embouchure, these teeth can appear in many ways that require different extraction techniques(lingualized, broken, blind, etc.).
Age Factor
The age of a horse affects the degree of dental care. Having foals at birth can present dental pathologies due to genetic factors or postural factors during gestation. Many of which have a very limited time of correction. It’s important to make a simple observation of the oral cavity at birth.
On some occasions we can find horses with 1-2 years of age with enamel tips of sufficient size to cause wounds and lacerations in the mucosa and tongue, a correct and careful filing can improve the assimilation and efficiency of their feeding and greater comfort.
Horses that are going to work, especially between 2-3 years of age, need a thorough control of the oral cavity. The teeth must be filed to remove the enamel tips. And check the beginning of the process of change from the milk dentition to the permanent one. This should be done before starting horse work to prevent any tooth-related training problems
Horses between the ages of 2-5 require a higher frequency of dental examinations than older horses. Deciduous teeth are softer than permanent teeth and develop enamel tips more quickly. Also, during this period, there is a great deal of tooth maturation. 24 teeth will molt and be replaced by permanent pieces. Horses belonging to this group must be examined at least twice a year, and any necessary procedures must be performed.
The frequency for Adult and Geriatric Horses
Adult horses should have a thorough dental examination at least once a year. This depends on their activity. Even if there are no obvious clinical signs of dental problems.
Geriatric horses need dental care with the same frequency at least as adults. Although they tend to have specific problems associated with their age. This is a consequence on many occasions of the lack of dental care in previous years. It’s important to adapt the diets to this type of animal. Since the chewing capacity of these animals is diminished.
Conclusions in relation to Horse Dental Care
- If a horse starts with abnormal behavior, dental problems should be considered as a possible cause.
- The teeth should be filed and checked as indicated, with a routine examination by the veterinarian.
- Wolf teeth are normally extracted routinely to prevent interference with the bite and associated pain.
- Sedative drugs, local anesthetics, and analgesics should only be administered by veterinary professionals. And are used on many occasions for clinical actions in the horse’s mouth.
- Movable teeth are usually due to a diseased tooth. If the veterinarian finds it, and after a diagnosis that often requires methods such as radiology, it’ll be treated. Most likely by reducing the probability of infection and associated problems.
- Canines are generally present in adult horses, stallions, and sometimes in mares. They’re frequently cut and filed to avoid interference with the bite with extreme care. This is to reduce the possibility of damage to their dental pulp.
After reading this article, you may be curious about Dental Care for Dogs at Home as well!
