About a month ago the vet came out to give Basil
and Tommy their annual injections and to check and rasp their teeth. Tommy's teeth were fine but he noticed that
Basil had a big chunk of food stuck between 2 of his lower molars, which could
only be seen once he had his mouth held open with the Speculum.
This has happened because as Basil has got older
the gap (Diastema) between his teeth has become wider. The food had caused his gum to recede which
could ultimately lead to loosening of his tooth! I had to then rebook the vet for another day
to come out to see Basil again. The food
was cleared out and the hope was that his gum would heal. Tomorrow the vet is coming out to see if it
has healed, if not Basil will need some more dental work. I will keep you updated!!
As you might remember Basil had a similar problem 4
years ago and ended up having to have his tooth out - see my blog
here. The problem with horses is
that they are so good at hiding any discomfort.
Although in 2015 Basil developed a lump, both then and now he showed none
of the signs detailed below.
I thought it was worth revisiting a blog I wrote a
few years ago - which explains how important it is to have your horse's teeth
checked. Mine have always been checked
annually but I may now need Basil to be seen more often, I will take the vet's
advice.
Without nutrition no living thing can survive, for a
herbivore's it is vital that they chew their food properly before
digestion! A horse's teeth are precious
and vulnerable but most horse owners know little about them. To allow a horse to benefit fully from the
food we give them their teeth need to be in the best possible condition.
Horses have 12 incisors at the front and 24 molars
at the back. Incisors are for biting and
molars are for grinding/chewing. All
male (and some female) horses have 4 tushes (canines) and some horses also
develop wolf teeth. As the wolf teeth
erupt they can cause discomfort and the position of the bit should be monitored
carefully. Wolf teeth are often removed.
A young horse will lose his milk teeth at between
ages 2 and 4 years when they will be replaced by a permanent set. Teeth are not a reliable way of ageing a horse
but can give a guide.
·
At birth - 3 cheek teeth,
temporary premolars
·
7 - 10 days - 2 central incisors,
temporary
·
4 - 10 weeks - lateral incisors
·
6 - 9 months - corner incisors
·
1 year - 4 cheek teeth (3
premolars and the 1st permanent molar), full complement of temporary incisors
·
2 years - incisors show signs of
wear and another permanent molar is present
·
2 - 3 years - permanent central incisors appear
·
3 years - central incisors are in
wear. 1st and 2nd molars are pushed out
by the permanent molars. Wolf teeth
often appear.
·
3 - 4 years - lateral incisors
appear. Tushes may appear.
·
4 years - lateral incisors are up
and in wear.
·
4 - 5 years - corner incisors
appear.
·
6 years - corner incisors in full
wear.
·
7 years - 'hook' may appear on
top corner incisor
·
8 years - hook levels out
·
9 - 10 years - Galvayne's groove
begins
·
11/13 years - hook reappears,
teeth become rounded with central pulp mark
·
15 years - Galvayne' s groove is
half way down the tooth
Their teeth continue to erupt throughout their
lives (hence older horses have longer teeth)
until they have worn out.
Horse's eat for approximately 18 hours a day and
will continue to eat even if they have oral discomfort. However, as horses grind the food their
molars can wear unevenly. The outside of
the top molar teeth and the insides of the bottom ones can develop sharp
projections. These sharp edges can cut
into the horses cheeks causing pain. The
uneven wear can also lead to a horse 'quidding' which is when the horse chews
the food but instead of swallowing drops large amounts out of his mouth.
You will know your horse's normal behaviour so if
there are any changes make sure to consider that it may be his teeth!
Signs of your horse having trouble with his teeth:
·
obvious signs of pain
·
not wanting to open his mouth for
the bit
·
head shaking
·
head throwing/head tilting whilst
being ridden
·
lack of condition or winter
weight loss
·
longer than normal particles in
droppings
·
bleeding from mouth
·
bad breath
·
inability to shift jaw laterally
·
cheeks sensitive to pressure
against teeth
·
bolting and quidding of feed
·
slow eating
·
eating hay before grain
·
dunking hay in water
·
hard to bit
·
dribbling of feed from mouth
·
excessive salivation or drooling
·
troubled expression and bad
general attitude
·
irregular movement of the
mandible
·
dental cysts or enlargements of
the skull (bumps on jaw)
·
fistulous discharge from the jaw
or face
·
discharge from the eye or nose
·
sores of the lips, gums or palate
and lacerations
·
riding problems - rearing,
non-contact and lack of concentration
·
taking hold of the bit and lack
of control
Get your horses teeth checked 6 monthly or annually
by a vet or qualified dental technician.
They will check the health of all
the teeth and remove tartar as well as rasping the sharp edges away.
Dental Terms
·
Caps are the deciduous/ milk
teeth.
·
Caudal hooks are the overgrowths
to the rear of the mouth. They occur
when the upper cheek teeth are further forward than the lower ones.
·
Diastema - this is the gap
between the teeth that often become bigger as the horse ages. If food gets
trapped in the gap it can cause infection and gum disease. This can lead to loosening of the tooth!
·
Overjet this is when the upper
incisors are slightly further forward than the lower incisors.
·
Overshot jaw - also called
'parrot mouth' the upper incisors are so far forward of the lower ones that the
upper jaw can develop caudal hooks and the lower jaw 'caudal ramps'.
·
Rostral hooks are overgrowths to
the front of the mouth.
·
Steps occur if a horse is missing
a tooth the opposite one will continue to erupt but not be worn away - a step! This will affect the ability of the jaw to
move and impair the ability to chew.
·
Tartar is light brown, organic
substance that builds up most often around the canines.
Ventral curve is when the lower
incisors are higher on the corners which gives the appearance of a smile. A Dorsal curve is the opposite.
Have you seen my latest vlog 'October Sunshine' on my You Tube channel, Horse Life and Love? Please
check it out and SUBSCRIBE.
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Until
next time!
Jo
