How do you know if your horse has a dental problem?

As an owner you will often simply not realise that your horse has a dental problem as things have usually reached a severe stage before the horse starts to drop food or to lose weight.   Most horses will undergo considerable pain in order to eat and so it is essential to the welfare of the horse that regular dental checks are made by a qualified Equine Dental Technician so that these problems can be resolved.

There are a few obvious signs of dental problems however, which I will discuss below:

Quidding

This is when the horse chews its food partially and then instead of swallowing the food, drops it out of its mouth, and balls of hay will be seen on the stable floor.   This is a sign of quite severe oral pain and the horse drops the food because it is unable to chew it sufficiently to swallow.   There are numerous reasons for this.

• In young horses, between the ages of about 2 ½ to 4, the molar caps (baby teeth) are shedding, and this can cause the mouth to be quite sore for a few days.     The caps usually shed naturally, but can occasionally become trapped and may need to removed.

•   Most horses over time will suffer from dental overgrowths caused by a part of the chewing surface of the teeth not being correctly worn.   The most common of these is sharp edges along the outside edge of the upper rows of molars, which can cut the cheeks and cause ulcers.  

• The horse may have a diastema, which is a gap between adjacent teeth.   Food packs into the gap and often forces itself between the tooth and the periodontal ligaments that hold the tooth in the socket, an extremely painful condition.

•   The horse may perhaps have a loose tooth; a common condition in older horses, and an extraction will often be required.    

• The older horse may also have smooth teeth, which is where the teeth have worn down almost to the roots or it may have several missing teeth.   In these cases, a change of diet may be required

'Hamster Cheeks'

This is usually seen in miniatures or ponies with very small heads and is the result of the outside edges of the upper rows of molars being extremely sharp.   The cheeks in these breeds are very tight fitting against the teeth and so the food can become trapped between these edges and the cheeks.   It is also possible that the pony may deliberately pack the food between the teeth and the cheeks to prevent the edges of the teeth rubbing against the mouth ulcers that will be present with this condition.

Problems When Ridden

Clearly if the horse is uncomfortable in its mouth then these problems will manifest themselves when it is ridden.  

Wolf teeth are situated just in front of the first premolar and can cause a great deal of pain if sharp.   When contact it taken on the reins, the bit pushes back the soft tissue and this can become trapped between the bit and the wolf tooth.   In severe cases, the horse may have a violent reaction   to this pain, throwing its head or even rearing.

When the horse is wearing a bridle, there is pressure on the cheeks, and more so when the horse is asked to turn,   Any sharp areas on the front of the first premolars or along the outside edge of the upper rows of molars will cause discomfort.   This can result in an unsteady head carriage or the horse being very one-sided.

It is important that the forward and backward movement of the lower jaw is not restricted by protuberant teeth, as this will make it very difficult for the horse to work on the bit.   As with ourselves, if the head is lowered, the lower jaw will naturally slide forwards, and when the head is raised, the lower jaw will slide back.   If you try this, and bite your teeth together whilst tucking your chin against your chest you will feel tightness in your temperomandibular joint.   It is exactly the same for the horse, and this extremely common problem can translate itself into problems elsewhere in the horse's body.   Any problems such as: hooks; ramps; waves; step mouth, large ridges opposite diastemas and protuberant teeth will cause this problem.

Long Particles or Undigested Food   in Droppings

Most of the digestion in the horse happens in the hind gut (Colon and Caecum) and the food must be broken down into very small pieces so that the microbes in this area can extract the nutrients from it.   If the horse is unable to chew its food properly, less benefit will be gained from the food and it will need to be fed in greater quantities as much of this food is wasted.

Loss of Condition

This is often the indicator that leads owners to contact   an Equine Dental Technician and sadly, this condition usually occurs   after the horse has suffered severe dental problems for a long time.