Regular equine dental care is no laughing matter and a crucial aspect of a horse's overall health and well-being, yet it is often overlooked. Horses are adept at masking pain, meaning dental problems can go unnoticed until they become severe and impact their health, performance, or behaviour.

 

Why is it important?

Horses' teeth continuously erupt and are worn down by chewing fibrous forage. However, this wear is often uneven due to the unique structure of their jaws (upper jaw is wider than the lower), leading to various issues. Regular dental care ensures:

  • Pain prevention: It addresses sharp enamel points (which can cut cheeks and tongue), hooks, ramps, and other overgrowths that cause discomfort.
  • Efficient chewing and digestion: Proper dental alignment allows horses to grind food effectively, preventing undigested feed in manure, nutrient deficiencies, weight loss, and potentially colic or choke.
  • Improved performance and behavior: Dental pain can manifest as head tossing, resistance to the bit, reluctance to eat, or general grumpiness. Addressing these issues improves a horse's comfort and willingness to work.
  • Early detection and prevention of serious conditions: Regular checks can identify problems like gum disease (periodontal disease), tooth decay, fractures, or retained deciduous (baby) teeth early, preventing them from escalating into more complex and painful conditions.
  • Longevity: Good dental health contributes to a horse's overall vitality and extends their healthy lifespan, especially for older horses who are more prone to dental issues like tooth loss.

 

What does regular equine dental care involve?

  • Thorough oral examination: A qualified equine veterinarian will use a speculum, bright light, and often a mirror or endoscopic camera to carefully inspect every tooth and the surrounding soft tissues for abnormalities, decay, or disease. Please note that Canberra Mobile Vets will use sedation on your horse to ensure a safe and thorough examination for everyone involved.
  • Floating (odontoplasty): This is the most common procedure, involving the filing or rasping of sharp enamel points on the outer edges of upper molars and inner edges of lower molars. Both handheld and motorized instruments can be used.
  • Addressing specific issues: Depending on the horse's age and findings, other procedures may include:
    • Removal of retained "caps" (deciduous teeth): Common in young horses (2-5 years old) as adult teeth erupt.
    • Wolf tooth extraction: These small, vestigial teeth can interfere with bitting, especially in performance horses.
    • Correction of malocclusions: Addressing uneven wear patterns like "wave mouth" or "step mouth".
    • Treatment of periodontal disease: Cleaning out food impacted in gaps between teeth (diastemata) and managing gum inflammation
    • Extractions: For decayed or fractured teeth in severe cases.

 

Frequency of care

While individual needs vary, most adult horses benefit from a dental examination at least once a year. Young horses (2-5 years old), whose mouths are undergoing rapid changes, and older horses, who are more susceptible to dental problems, may require examinations every six months.

 

Canberra Mobile Vets regularly perform dental and can refer more complex cases to specialist dental veterinarians.