SolveYourProblem.com Article Series: Horse Care
Teach Me Horse Care Tips
Your
Horse's Dental Care
Taking care of your horse’s teeth is as important
as taking care of your own. The importance of dental care in
horses is as important as taking good care of his feet. If
he can’t eat properly, he will not be able to maintain his
weight and energy.
Most people give no thought to their horse’s teeth until they
begin to lose weight. At that point desperation kicks in, and
they try every supplement under the sun to try to boost their
horse’s weight. When nothing else works, they call their vet,
who suggests checking the horse’s teeth. Teeth? Horses have
teeth?
As with anything else, proper care of your horse’s teeth will
make life a lot better for you and for him in the long run.
With age, a horse’s teeth will deteriorate or become uneven.
Even a young horse could have sharp points on his teeth, which
can make chewing difficult. It is imperative that you maintain
an even chewing and biting surface on your horse’s teeth so
his chewing is not compromised.
So
how do you know if your trusty steed has any mouth disorders? Has he been eating as normal? Does food fall out of the sides
of his mouth as he chews? Catching these signs and symptoms
early, and treating them in a timely manner will help prevent
premature tooth loss, allow for easier feeding and tooth replacement,
and may lower the incidence of colic and impaction in your
horse.
If your horse is losing weight, dropping food from the sides
of his mouth, or is emitting a foul odor from his mouth, he
may have an abscessed tooth. You will need to consult your
vet immediately if you notice an odor.
It’s kind of hard to miss a golf or softball sized swelling
on the side of your horse’s face. If you see something of this
nature, you can almost bet your horse has an abscessed tooth.
Your vet will have to make an accurate diagnosis and take the
appropriate treatment measures.
How
do poorly cared for teeth cause colic and impaction? This
is part of the importance of dental care in horses. If a horse
cannot properly chew his food, and is swallowing large amounts
of improperly chewed food, it can get stuck in his intestines,
which becomes a blockage, or impaction. When he cannot eliminate,
he will be more prone to colic. Trust me, taking care of his
teeth once or twice a year is by far the easier route.
Another sign your horse has poor teeth is to notice large
chunks of undigested food in his manure. Not all cases of poor
teeth are attributed to abscessed teeth. Some of the problems
with teeth go much deeper.
Dental disease is more common in horses than one would think.
With dental disease, the horse may not want to be bitted up,
and may shake his head often when he is being ridden. In more
advanced cases of dental disease, your horse may have broken
or cracked teeth or an abscess, or all three afflictions. As
in people, infected teeth are painful. These teeth are more
sensitive to hot and cold, so is the same for your horse.
Diagnosing a dental problem includes a thorough exam of your
horse’s mouth, and just like you would get at the dentist,
your vet will test each tooth for soft spots and decay. Some
vets will go so far as to x-ray your horse’s teeth. This is
not uncommon anymore.
Preventive
maintenance is essential. Routine yearly examinations
by your vet or equine dentist should be part of every horse
owner’s routine. It is especially important to make a dental
exam part of any pre-purchase examination for your protection.
When your vet comes to your farm to do a dental exam, he may
find your horse needs to have his teeth floated. This simply
involves rasping your horse’s teeth to a point of being level
and without sharp points. Some horses will tolerate this procedure
without sedation, some will need to be sedated to complete,
or even attempt such a procedure. It is a painless procedure,
much like filing your fingernail with an emery board. Most
horses require floating only once a year. Many get by with
a good rasping every two to three years. It’s up to you to
make sure your horse is taken care of. #
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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