Dental Care

Routine dental care for your horse is a vital component of his or her overall health. Your horse should have an oral examination done at least once a year, primarily to examine their dentition. 

As part of this regular exam we check for sharp edges along the chewing surfaces of the premolars and molars that could injure gum, tongue, or cheek tissue. We will also examine the incisors, canines, and wolf teeth for damage or irregular growth. Finally, we will review your horse’s soft and hard palates, tongue, and mucus membranes.

Horses, like most animals that depend on their teeth to eat fibrous material, have teeth that continuously grow. Unfortunately, this makes horses prone to a large number of tooth and mouth issues. These include:

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  • Horses have an upper jaw that is wider than their lower jaw. As the teeth on the bottom grow they are not ground down at the same rate across the surface creating sharp ridges that damage multiple structures inside the mouth.

  • If the root of a horse’s tooth is damaged by rot or other injury the entire tooth will need to be removed creating a less uniform chewing surface that can impact digestive health.

  • Horses get overbites and underbites just like humans, but the teeth that aren’t aligned will continue growing until large hooks develop that will damage multiple mouth structures.

  • Uneven chewing will result a horse’s teeth wearing down in a wave pattern that eventually impacts digestive health.

  • Wolf teeth (the first premolar) can interfere with the bit and training and may need to be removed.

  • Older horses will also eventually lose their teeth so they need frequent examinations and care to keep them chewing effectively as long as possible

In addition to these conditions, there are many others that impact horse oral health. A regular, detailed dental exam catches these issues early and helps your horse lead a happier, healthier life. For our clients with miniature horses and donkeys, rest assured that we have specialized equipment for your “small” animals, just let us know that you have a mini when scheduling your appointment.

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