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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Dental Health: Part 2

3/22/2012

 
Picture
Along with his colleague, Laura Blanton, DVM, and their sponsor, Boehringer Ingelheim, John Tolley, DVM presented the following text at the Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital Client Seminar held on  March 15, 2012.  Each year, BVH hosts a seminar to focus on an aspect of equine health care.  This year’s topics were “Routine Dental Care is Essential to Your Horse’s Health” and "Care and Feeding of the Older Horse.”

Part 1

COMMON DENTAL PROBLEMS
Horses may suffer from many dental problems. The most common include:
  • Sharp enamel points forming on cheek teeth, causing lacerations of cheeks and tongue
  • Retained caps (deciduous teeth that are not shed)
  • Discomfort caused by bit contact with the wolf teeth
  • Hooks forming on the upper and lower cheek teeth
  • Long and/or sharp canine (bridle) teeth interfering with the insertion or removal of the bit
  • Lost and/or broken teeth
  • Abnormal or uneven bite planes
  • Excessively worn teeth
  • Abnormally long teeth
  • Infected teeth and/or gums
  • Misalignment/poor apposition (can be due to congenital defects or injury)
  • Periodontal (gum) disease

RECOGNIZING DENTAL PROBLEMS
Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. That is due to the fact that some horses simply adapt to their discomfort. For this reason, periodic dental examinations are essential. Indicators of dental problems include:
  • Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive salivation
  • Loss of body condition
  • Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure
  • Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit, or resisting bridling
  • Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking
  • Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth
  • Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw, or mouth tissues
Oral exams should be an essential part of an annual physical examination by a veterinarian. Every dental exam provides the opportunity to perform routine preventative dental maintenance. The end result is a healthier, more comfortable horse.

MORE SERIOUS DENTAL AILMENTS
Serious dental conditions can develop, such as infections of the teeth and gums, extremely long hooks or overgrowths on the cheek teeth, and lost or fractured teeth. These conditions may require advanced dental care and/or extraction by a qualified veterinarian. Your equine practitioner can recommend the best treatment or refer your horse to a dental specialist if indicated.

Click photos for larger views and caption.

Kelly RGF link
3/22/2012 04:09:13 am

YES! I was hoping we'd get to see the rest of the 'lack of dental care killed me' skull. Looks painful.

Did the dentist say how old he was? (For the record, I'm guessing mid to late teens.)

Karen
3/22/2012 11:31:13 am

I think that's what he said, late teens. He used the skull to point out every bad thing that can happen to a horse's mouth. This one even had hooks that had penetrated the roof of the mouth. Ouch.

Val
3/22/2012 08:47:34 pm

Oh man. Thanks for the photos.

Poor Harley had large hooks like those on both the upper front and rear back molars. Needless to say, he did not receive adequate dental care before me and his overbite made him prone to hook development. The hooks are long gone now and regularly maintained.

After reading about dental care, I learned what this skull is telling us. Proper dental care can save your horse's life!

Karen
3/24/2012 01:37:16 am

I'm a fan of dental health especially after feeling the sharp edges and points with own fingers. I can't imagine living with that for YEARS! So many horses never get their teeth done ...

orthodontists link
4/9/2012 05:11:42 pm

You made a number of fine points there. I did a search on the matter and found most persons will consent with your blog.

Karen
4/9/2012 11:01:31 pm

Orthodontists - thanks for the positive feedback, but the text isn't mine. :0) I actually borrowed the text from Dr. Tolley's presentation which came from AAEP. Even so, I did think the presentation was very well done and the information provided was easy to follow and understand - even for a lay person!

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8/22/2012 05:05:37 pm

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8/22/2012 05:37:19 pm

Your blog is really very good. Yes it is very true that dental care is very important for everyone because it directly effect the overall health of any person.

Dr Ben Christopherson link
9/24/2012 04:11:27 am

Good post. I will add bookmark on your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog psots. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon..

The dentists insurance company link
8/11/2013 08:31:02 pm

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Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

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  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
  • Home