Inside Xena’s mouth Inspect the mouth prior to floating. Note the wolf tooth at the top and uneven wear of her teeth. Xena lives on grass and hay. She was just 2 years old.
Marigold is sedated but standing. This is usual for most dental procedures. The speculum enables Dr Green to work. The sling holding the head makes it easier to work. (Petra)
Does My Horse Really Need Her Teeth Done Every Year?
B. KInsey
Equine teeth. Ugh. Not a fun way to spend my money. But in the end, the welfare of the horse is most important so teeth get done annually. All the horses. I am lucky as my horses live outside and eat grass and hay.
Horses coming in for training, in particular, should have a recent dental exam (AAEP). Research and science have changed the techniques of doing teeth as well as the recommendations for frequency of having dental work. (Lane, 2016). Frequent tooth care will also enable the veterinarian to fix problems that are developing, rather than established (AAEP); If the problem has been established for years the veterinarian may not be able to correct the issue or it will take several sessions. (Easley, 2013; AAEP)
Checking Petra’s teeth by sliding jaw back and forth
Working inside Petra’s mouth. Her teeth had only a few problems. She wasn’t keen on the procedure but accepted it with good grace (which at this time was unusual for her).
I have since found it is better to have teeth checked annually or semi-annually. (Lane, 2016; Easley, 2013; AAEP; USDA, 2020; Fowler, 2021). Annually for a horse grazing and eating hay, semi-annually for a horse kept in a stable as the kept horse is not able to feed at will and is usually fed softer food eg grain. (AAEP)
In the old days, before power floats only the front molars were worked on. I had never seen incisors filed, either. I feel for my poor horse, especially the horse that pulled like a train. (AAEP; USDA, 2020) I thought it was my poor riding. Now I think he had teeth issues that were not being addressed because the problem was further back. (Easley, 2016; AAEP; USDA, 2020)) Pulling helps with pain, sometimes. Try it sometime. Frequently having his teeth floated helped to some extent. As he got older the pulling lessened. Was it my riding or was it his teeth issue was fixed? He did not have any of the indicators of needing his teeth done at any time, except the pulling.
Older horses tend not to need floating as often as younger horses.(Lane, 2016; AAEP; USDA, 2020) The horse has lived long enough that teeth issues are not a problem but older horses may lose teeth or develop periodontal disease. (Lane, 2016; AAEP; USDA, 2020) Older horses have different issues that need to be looked for. (AAEP; USDA, 2020). If the horse does have a problem with deformed teeth for caps not removed, broken tooth preventing wear on the opposite tooth, etc the veterinarian may not be able to fix the problem. ( Easley, 2013; AAEP; USDA, 2020)
Youngsters between 2 and 5 years of age have the greatest changes in their teeth. (Lane, 2016; Easley, 2013; AAEP; USDA, 2020, McFarland, 2020) Or even foals should be inspected that the teeth are coming in as they should. (AAEP; USDA, 2020) The AAEP website lists procedures for the horse according to age. This list should be useful for horse owners. Yearlings, as well, need to have teeth checked and corrections, if necessary, made. (AAEP, USDA, 2020). Caps that have not fallen off will affect the horse and the permanent teeth. (Easley, 2013; AAEP; USDA, 2020)
Breeders tend not to select for a good mouth. Horses with long faces have enough room for teeth, whereas short wedge faces do not, (McFarland, 2020; Fowler, 2021).
Use time rather than behaviour to decide whether a horse requires dental care. (AAEP; USDA, 2020; McFarland, 2020) Schedule your visit, or the veterinarian’s visit, well in advance so you know it will be done at about the same time every year. It needs to be done, so do not wait. The time will be good for you and for your veterinarian.
Stoic horses will not show discomfort but will suck it up. (McFarland, 2020, Fowler, 2021) Other horses that tend to be reactive will let you know there is a pain issue happening, Changes in the horse are important to note. Behaviour, temperament, habits may indicate a tooth issue. (Lane, 2016 ; Easley, 2016; AAEP; USDA, 2020) It is best not to wait for your horse to show a dental problem as it might have been happening for a while. (McFarland, 2020; Fowler, 2021). Horses cannot show pain. It is for survival. (Fowler, 2021)
Annual or semi-annual dental checks by a veterinarian are part of keeping a horse. (AAEP; USDA, 2020) If your veterinarian finds a problem so much the better as the issue is only 12 months old. Much better than dealing with something that has been going on for many years. (Easley, 2013, AAEP; USDA, 2020; McFarland, 2020)
It is good to know how the teeth are doing and a good preventative measure. The best way to know what is happening inside a mouth is by sedation to keep the horse steady rather than flinging her head around to avoid anyone having a look inside. (Lane, 2016).
A speculum will keep the horse’s mouth open wide enough for a good look. (Lane, 2016; Easley, 2016). It also enables the veterinarian to work easily. (Easley, 2016)
Water pack holds water for rinsing and keeping the teeth cool during the floating process
Indicators of Horse needing Dental Work
- Cuts on tongue and cheeks
- Won’t open mouth for a bit
- Slobbering
- Teeth grinding
- Crooked in the poll, head, neck (and maybe the rest of the body)
- Parrot mouthed (congenital) or undershot
- Resisting bit pressure (asking for bend or flexion, turning one direction, etc)
- Dropping half-chewed hay
- Hay dropped in balls (quidding)
- Losing weight
- Bad breath
- Sinus drainage
- One-sided nasal discharge
- Broken or cracked tooth
- Caps have not come off molars
- Poll tense (horse doesn’t let you touch it)
- Behaviour changes: teeth could be a reason
- Head shaking
- Blood tinged saliva
- Unchewed grain in manure
- Pulling
- Slow eating
- Reluctant to drink cold water
- Oral ulcers
- Broken phalanx from crooked teeth
- Skeletal deformities
- Bit chewing (chomping)
- Tongue hanging out
- Bucking
- Swelling on the face
- Storing food in the cheeks
- Slurping when eating
- Loss of teeth
- Loose teeth
- Not eating
- Holding head crooked
- Reluctant to eat hay
- Swollen or distorted lips
- Tooth displaced
- Food between teeth
- Head shy
- Bumps along the jaw
- Lives in a stall or paddock
- Fed grain
- Colic
(Lane, 2016, Easley, 2016; Easley, 2013; AAEP; USDA, 2020, McFarland, 2020; Fowler, 2021)
Fascinating to see inside the mouth. The horse did have some cuts on her cheeks.
Use time as an indicator of the necessity of getting teeth checked.
References
__________The Importance of Maintaining the Health of Your Horse's Mouth
https://aaep.org/horsehealth/importance-maintaining-health-your-horses-mouth
Easley, J., Abnormal Tooth Eruption in Large Animals, December 2o13, modified June 2016, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/dentistry/abnormal-tooth-eruption-in-large-animals
Easley, J., Congenital and Developmental Anomalies of the Mouth and Dentition in Large Animals, December 2013, Modified June 2016, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/dentistry/congenital-and-developmental-anomalies-of-the-mouth-and-dentition-in-large-animals
Easley, J., Irregular Wear of the Dentition in Large Animals, Reviewed/revised December 2013, modified June 2016, www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/dentistry/irregular-wear-of-the-dentition-in-large-animals
Easley, J., Overview of Dentistry in Large Animals, Review/revised December 2013, modified June 2016, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/dentistry/overview-of-dentistry-in-large-animals
Fowler, V., Why do Horses Need their Teeth Tending To? What about Those in the Wild? Eurodressage, Mon, 06/14/2021 - 16:58https://www.eurodressage.com/2021/06/14/why-do-horses-need-their-teeth-tending-what-about-those-wild
Lane, T. J., Dental Care of Horses, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/health-management-interaction-horses/dental-care-of-horses
McFarland, C., Proper Equine Dental Care: More Than Just "Floating" Teeth, July 28, 2020, https://www.farnam.com/stable-talk/proper-equine-dental-care
USDA, 2020, Basic Dental Care for Horses, January 20, 2020, https://horses.extension.org/basic-dental-care-for-horses/
More Interesting Reading
Check out this website: https://www.burwashequine.ca/blog/2017/1/11/what-happens-to-wild-horses-that-dont-get-dental-care
https://equusmagazine.com/blog-equus/straight-wild-horses-mouth-researchers-compare-captive-dental-53111
Fowler, V., Why do Horses Need their Teeth Tending To? What about Those in the Wild? Eurodressage, Mon, 06/14/2021 - 16:58https://www.eurodressage.com/2021/06/14/why-do-horses-need-their-teeth-tending-what-about-those-wild
