HORSES REQUIRE ANNUAL DENTISTRY CHECK-UPS.
Regular dental examinations are a very important part of your horses’ management and should be carried out with sedation by your veterinary surgeon every 6-12 months for routine care and early diagnosis and treatment of any dental problems.
Lay dentists are not qualified veterinarians and are not legally allowed to sedate your horse or perform surgical teeth extractions.
Sedation by your veterinarian enables a thorough examination of your horse’s teeth to be performed by your veterinarian and reduces stress and pain to your horse.
If your horse show any of the following symptoms, then we recommend to arrange for your horse to have a dental examination.
- Weight loss
- Unsteadiness in the rein contact or avoiding the contact
- Tossing of the head
- Opening the mouth
- Grinding teeth
- Stiffness to one side
- Rearing, bolting or buckling
- Resistance to have the bridle put on
- Subtle changes in peformance
Other signs that can be seen with dental problems are:
- Quidding (balling up partially chewed hay and spitting it out)
- Dropping hard feed, slow to eat up, holding head to one side whilst eating
- Food packing into cheeks
- Excessive salivation
- Loss of condition
- Nasal discharge
- Lymph node enlargement
- Head shyness or shaking
- Foul-smelling breath
- Facial swellings
- Presence of whole grain or long fibers in the manure
Some horses with severe dental disease may show none of the above signs so annual check-ups are advised.