Chomping at the Bit: Why Your Horse Needs Routine Dental Care
Written by University of Florida veterinary student, Dariella Fonseca
Just like humans, regular dental care for horses is important for their overall health. Unlike humans, horses' teeth continue to erupt and wear down throughout their lives. It is important to begin checking their teeth when they’re young to make sure that the adult teeth are erupting normally. It is especially important for horses that will be using a bit, since we want to make sure that their teeth are in good alignment and reduce the risk of discomfort when fitting the bit-- discomfort can lead to behavioral issues such as refusing the bit, head tossing, or being difficult to train.
Diseases/health issues that can arise from oral disease include tooth root abscesses, sinusitis, periodontal disease, and osteomyelitis.
Signs of dental disease in horses can include quidding (dropping food), weight loss, excessive drooling, foul oral odor, head tossing, resistance wearing a bit, facial swelling, lacerations or ulcers in the mouth, nasal discharge, chewing on one side, and behavioral changes (i.e. irritability or lethargy).
As with most medicine, prevention is the best medicine!
What you should expect from a dental examination:
The veterinarian will begin by performing a physical examination to assess the overall health of the horse, including behavior and body condition score. A low body condition score can be a big sign that your horse is experiencing discomfort while eating. Another important visual component of the examination is looking at the horse’s face to check for asymmetry, swelling, or other abnormalities.
The veterinarian will then look inside the mouth and check the teeth for protuberances, sharp edges, loose teeth, etc. The vet will also look at the cheeks, gums, tongue (as well as under the tongue), and hard palate to ensure that there aren’t oral masses.
What you should know about a dental floating:
A dental floating is a procedure in which the veterinarian levels the teeth-- this means that any sharp edges on the teeth will be filed down to be symmetrical and allow for better chewing of the horse’s food.
Before the procedure, a speculum (holds the horse’s mouth open) is usually used to aid the veterinarian in the oral examination, as well as the procedure itself.
Horses are usually sedated before the exam and a dental floating.
The procedure itself usually takes about 20-30 minutes
In general, you should consider an oral examination annually and a dental float every 1-2 years. However, if you notice any of the signs of dental disease previously listed, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible!
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