Many horse owners have heard of “hooks”. These overgrowths most commonly occur in the upper second premolars and lower last molars when a horse’s mandible is positioned slightly further back than the maxilla/upper jaw due to its conformation. What are hooks on teeth? A hook is a sharp edge that Read more…
Dental caries in your horse refers to tooth decay. The cause is an imbalance of the pH of your horse’s mouth resulting in plaque buildup. This condition can create secondary problems for your horse if left unchecked. What causes tooth decay in horses? The definitive cause for tooth decay is Read more…
In general, slow hay feeders are not bad for horses’ teeth, as long as the slow feeder design doesn’t include a steel/metal grate. Feeders that do seem to have a higher risk of causing equine dental damage are those which include steel grates or other metal elements between horses’ mouths Read more…
Horses grazing on pastures with certain soil types may develop mineral staining of the incisor teeth, which can appear as a dark brown or almost black color. In most cases this is not harmful. Why are my horses teeth turning black? Over time, as the horse ages, its teeth will Read more…
Horses may chew on wood in their stable, fencing, or trees. Hay and pasture may vary in the content of fiber and it is shown that if horses are not getting enough fiber in your diet they may choose to chew wood. Is wood chewing good for horses? Like many Read more…
We perform our dental fillings and routine equine dental care with your horse under standing sedation. After removing any diseased or dead pulp, our horse dentists fill the gap with restorative material, preventing the likelihood of food entering and more damage being caused. Can horses get cavities? Horse’s can get Read more…
The color of a horse’s gums can reveal a lot about his health. Yellow to yellowish brown hues typically result from a high concentration of a pigment called bilirubin, released when red blood cells break down. Yellowed gums can indicate liver problems when the organ is unable to filter the Read more…
A gap at the gum line allows food to pack between the teeth. Why do horses have gaps in their teeth? However, horses are occasionally encountered with gaps between some of the teeth, either due to the loss of a tooth or to poor eruption. Food may become trapped in Read more…
Bright gums could be a sign of toxicity whereas very pale gums can indicate that the capillaries aren’t carrying blood effectively and can be a sign of blood loss, fever or anaemia. Why are my horses gums pale? Very pale pink, almost white, gums may be the result of decreased Read more…
The process of removing potentially harmful sharp points and edges from the cheek teeth is called rasping or ‘floating’. This is undertaken on a regular basis depending on the age of the horse and the health of the mouth. What do you call a horse dentist? Equine dental technicians (also Read more…