Oral health is important to help keep our equine athletes performing. Equine teeth continually erupt as the horse gets older. As the horse masticates the teeth slowly wear down. As the teeth are not in perfect alignment, this wearing creates sharp points on the inside of the lower archade and the outside of the upper archades. In addition to these sharp points, horses can form hooks in the front and back of the mouth further decreasing their ability to masticate food appropriately. Other common dental problems include wave mouths and steps in the mouth where one tooth has erupted faster than others.
Horses commonly do not show any signs of a problem until it is severe, and likely has caused irrepreble damage. For this reason, dental examinations under sedation are recommended yearly for older horses, and twice yearly for horses 2 to 5 years of age.
The following behavior changes can indicate a dental problem is present.
- Loss of feed from the mouth while eating, excessive salivation, difficulty chewing.
- Weight loss.
- Undigested or large feed particles in the stool.
- Increase in the length of time it takes your horse to eat his food.
- Poor performance including failing to turn or stop, pulling on the bridle, head tossing, and even bucking.
- Foul odor from the mouth or nostrils, or even small amount of blood in the saliva.
- Nasal discharge, or swelling of the face, mouth, or jaw.
Equine Health Options’ goal is to prevent severe dental disease by providing the following services:
- Oral examination under sedation with a speculum, and dental charting.
- Teeth equilibration or odontoplasty (floating), when needed.
- Deciduous (caps) teeth removal when mobile
- Wolf tooth extraction
- Mobile geriatric tooth removal
*Advanced cheek tooth removal or disease will be referred to surgical facility for radiographs and surgical extraction.
If you are interested in any other additional services, please call (801) 598-3110.