Frequently Asked Questions
What is a comprehensive equine oral exam? |
|
Why does my horse need routine dentistry? |
Routine dentistry will help your horse perform better due to a more comfortable mouth, and have a longer healthier life by prolonging the effectiveness of the chewing surface and preventing infections.
Horses chew in a figure-eight motion and have a narrower lower jaw, which causes them to unevenly wear their molars and form sharp points on the edges. If left untreated, the sharp points can eventually cause lacerations and abrasions in the horse’s cheeks and tongue, and then pain. “Floating” is when a veterinarian grinds down the sharp points, and any overly long or unbalanced teeth. Routine dentistry isn’t just grinding down the sharp points. A complete oral exam is always performed first to determine the need for floating and diagnose many other problems, including sinus and tooth infections, periodontal disease, fractured teeth, and oral cancer, to name a few. |
Why do I need a veterinarian to provide my horse’s dental care?
|
Many dental problems are invisible to the untrained eye and there are often no noticeable signs of disease until a condition has considerably progressed. Only a veterinarian is trained and licensed to perform an exam and any related dental procedures, including floating. In the state of New Jersey, non-veterinarians – or “horse dentists” – performing dentistry (including floating) are breaking the law (see page 9) by practicing veterinary medicine without a license.
|
Why does my horse need to be sedated during an oral exam and/or floating?
|
Sedation, a mirror and a bright light are essential to getting a good view of a horse’s mouth to accurately identify problems. Without sedation, a thorough exam cannot be performed.
|
How often does my horse need routine dental care? |
It depends. If your horse has any problems chewing food, then it won’t digest well, leading to a number of maladies including colic, weight loss, and choke. A comprehensive oral exam should be conducted by a veterinarian at least once a year to determine – among other things – how often your horse requires routine dental care. The goal is to extend the life of your horse by diagnosing and treating oral abnormalities before they become a problem.
|
If I suspect my horse has an oral problem, what should I look for? |
For many oral issues, there are no visible signs. However, problem indicators can include weight loss or decreased appetite, chewing abnormally, balling up feed, dropping feed (quidding), fussing with the bit, tail or head shaking, resisting turning or stopping, running backward, bad breath, nasal discharge, swelling on the head, bucking, rearing or other unexplained poor behavior.
|