CEPS/Veterinary Extension
2938 Vet. Med. Basic Sciences Bldg.
2001 S. Lincoln Ave.
Urbana, Illinois 61802
Phone: 217/333-2907

By Joseph Hahn
Information Specialist
University of Illinois
College of Veterinary Medicine

As with humans, regular dental care is the key to a healthy mouth. The same goes for your horse. But donít show up at your human dentistís clinic with your horse in tow. A licensed veterinarian is the person to maintain your equineís choppers.

"Horses can have dental problems from birth to old age," says Dr. R.D. Scoggins, equine Extension veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at Urbana. "Horsesí teeth continually erupt from their mouth until the day they die."

He stresses that doing dentistry on a horse is a veterinary procedure and should only be done by a licensed veterinarian. While the procedure is very safe, it often requires the horse to be sedated and should only be done by someone with the proper training and experience. Dr. Scoggins recommends the following schedule for regular dental care:

From birth to 1 ‡ years of age -- as needed
From 1 ‡ to 6 years of age ñ twice a year
From age six to approximately 13 -- once a year
From age 13 and older ñ twice a year

"Removal of retained deciduous (temporary) teeth, caps, wolf teeth extraction, and floating sharp pointed teeth to enhance comfort are some of the more common dental problems in young horses," states Dr. Scoggins. "While gingivitis and loose teeth are common for geriatric horses."

To help determine if your horse is having problems, he recommends watching how the horse eats. The things to watch out for include a head tilt, excessive food dribbling while eating, and whole grain in the manure.

"Feed your horses as close to nature as possible to help prevent dental problems," explains Dr. Scoggins. "Grazing is ideal, but primarily a forage diet with enough long stem grass hay will also work. Having a mixed feed diet will diminish the chewing time and the amount of wear on the teeth."

Dr. Scoggins recommends that owners have dental work performed on a horse before it begins training. This will diminish training problems associated with pain due to teeth problems. He also suggests performing dental work at least two weeks prior to a major event so the horse can get used to the new feel in its mouth plus allow injuries to heal.

"After fixing a dental problem, a horse that is not eating well may have a tendency to overeat," says Dr. Scoggins. "Because eating is more comfortable and it is using what it eats more efficiently, a horse can get too fat or even develop colic after dental work. Reduce the grain portion of the diet by ‡ and gradually reintroduce it as needed."

For more information about horse dentistry, contact your local equine veterinarian.