Dental Care

     Just as in humans, routine dental care is important to the overall health of your horse.  Horses' teeth are a bit different from ours in that they continue to grow. In addition to this, the upper and lower arcades are offset. As the horse eats, he wears the teeth down, leaving sharp edges called "points." These "points" need to be filed down. This is commonly referred to as "floating" a horse's teeth. 

     Routine dental checks should be performed at least once per year to check for excessive length, sharp edges, wear and tear, diseased teeth and/or gums.  As a horse ages, the frequency in which the horses' teeth require floating may increase.

     The mouth of a younger horse also has some special concerns. Young horses have the equine equivalent of baby teeth call "caps." These "caps" exist over what will be their permanent teeth. Also, younger horses may have small teeth, similar in structure to ours (in that they do not grow constantly like ours), called wolf teeth.  These teeth, typically one on each side of the upper arcades, are located just in front of the molar in the area where the bit lies. These teeth are not essential to the horse's eating habits and will often interfere with the bit when being ridden. It is usually recommended that they be removed. This is done as a standing routine procedure, and typically causes little follow-up care.

     If your horse is showing any of the following: difficulty chewing its food,  dropping grain, weight loss, difficulty keeping weight on, abnormal head position while riding, behavioral issues involving accepting a bit,  call us to set up an appointment for a dental exam.