by Dr. Eric Witherspoon, DVM
Comparing your trusty horse to your automobile might seem like a crude analogy at first. “A guy thing” you might sigh. But bear with me; there are some uncanny similarities. I’m talking about sophisticated maintenance procedures… those we entrust to the skills of reliable mechanics to perform on today’s expensive automobiles.While some of us consider checking the oil and tire pressure as complicated maintenance procedures, our limited ‘expertise’ does acknowledge the importance of routine maintenance. We may never in our lifetime attempt a major mechanical miracle on our car or truck, but we know that maintaining proper fluid levels and tire condition will ensure a longer and safer ride. Here’s my point: those same routine, owner-performed, check-ups can be applied to your horse as well.
When thinking about maintenance checks that every horse owner can ‘perform’ to help keep his or her horse in good form, three things come to mind. Vaccinations: they should be as routine and timely as changing your oil every 3, 000 miles. Protect your horse just like you would (should) protect your engine. Deworming: just like a gasoline additive cleans your car’s carburetor, wormers sluice your horse’s GI tract. Tooth care: some equine dentistry once or twice a year is akin to changing or cleaning your spark plugs so your vehicle doesn’t sputter or lose power when you need it most.
(Still with me?)
Let’s talk teeth. Wintertime, when most of us do less with our horses because of the inclement weather, is a perfect time to have your veterinarian check for any dental or mouth problems. We used to use the term ‘floating’ to cover just about all aspects of horse tooth care with the exception of wolf teeth extraction and cap removal from permanent teeth. But in the past decade or so, advances in equine dentistry have moved far beyond those rather simple procedures.
For years, most practitioners basically treated all chewing problems or quidding (the dropping of food while eating) and gum, tongue or mouth abrasions by simply floating the sharp edges of the cheek teeth. We relied on manual float blades, not unlike heavy metal sandpaper, to smooth down the calcium points that would commonly grow on the outside edges of the upper teeth and the insides of the lower ones.
Not only are more modern and efficient blades, made of tungsten carbide, in use today, equine dentistry now utilizes a plethora of tools, both mechanical and manually-operated. Our new tool set enables us to treat a vast range of tooth issues, from changing the shape of the surface of the front incisors, to removing ridges on the molars for more efficient grinding of feed. Removing dangerous hooks on the farthest rear teeth is now more easily done, as is rounding and smoothing teeth for better bit seating. It’s no longer your father’s dentistry, to use a rather trite expression!
I’m old enough to remember when human dentistry meant sitting up straight in an uncomfortable chair, with the drill as the dentist’s only assistant and its shriek periodically interrupted by his commanding, “Now, spit!” Today, of course, we all experience ‘four-handed dentistry’ with a dentist and technician quietly performing their tasks while we comfortably recline in an ergonomically-designed chair, mouth suction in place, drifting into La-La Land through the miracles of nitrous oxide!, Likewise, equine dentistry can be performed under sedation, with adequate padded support for the horse’s head. A full mouth speculum can be used for a better view of the entire mouth and dental arcades, and to hold the horse’s jaw apart to prevent any risk of tongue and mouth damage.
But back to your automobile and why it’s so important to have regular checkups. Simply said, letting problems go just makes things go from bad to worse. Again, same goes for your horse. Oral and dental problems can lead to bad habits like head shaking, resisting the bridle, and sensitivity over the poll. Even minor hooks and points that cut into the gums, tongue, or cheeks can cause personality and performance changes, not to mention the more common problem of weight loss due to improper grinding of hay and grain. Loose or fractured teeth can stop the horse dead in its tracks if they’re preventing proper chewing or come in contact with the bit while riding. Think about how a toothache, broken filling, or chipped tooth is not only a pain in the mouth, but makes your head and whole body ache too.
So the next time you’re asked “Check the oil, ma’am?” think about your horse’s gears too, which includes dental care. Semi-annual or annual exams and prophylactic dental procedures can not only correct a myriad of problems and keep your horse well-tuned, but might also expose more serious problems such as dental decay, abnormal wear or oral tumors or disease that likely go unnoticed if not for routine dental care.
If you’re noticing a reluctance to take the bit, dropped wads of hay, difficulty in chewing, head tossing, or oral sores, it could be time to call your veterinarian for a dental tune-up. Even in the absence of these symptoms, be sure to make maintenance on your horse’s mouth part of her routine check-up.
