Dewey's Dental Day

Because I have one of the very best veterinarians available, Dewey and Highboy had their teeth checked and dental work done despite the bitter cold temperature.  Dr. Landes with Equine Medical Services came out and prepared the two geldings for the horse expo with vaccinations and dental work.  In addition to performing regular sports medicine and preventative care, Dr. Landes has specialized in equine dentistry.  We are fortunate to have his knowledge and expertise, especially with horses as nice as Dewey.

Dewey is only three years old, he'll turn four in May, so he still has quite a few baby teeth.  We really don't do too much to a horse's mouth at this age.  However, it is really important to have young horses' teeth checked, because if there are any abnormalities in the eruption of the baby teeth or the adult teeth you want to know about it early so you have the best chance at correcting any issues.

Horse teeth are continually erupting, meaning that they seem to grow into the horse's mouth throughout his life.  As a horse eats, he wears down his teeth because of the grinding against each other and the food.  At Dewey's age the different teeth are emerging from the gums at different times, and since the top ones grind against the bottom ones you want to make sure that they are appearing at the correct times and making contact correctly with the opposing teeth.  If Dewey had a tooth that was coming in a little late, there wouldn't be an opposing tooth to grind against and that can cause all kinds of problems in the developing horse's mouth.

Additionally, because the teeth grind against each other, some sharp edges can occur if they don't meet precisely.  This simple dental for Dewey today was to check to make sure all his teeth are coming in like they should (and they are), as well as to gently file off the sharp points so his cheeks and tongue stay uninjured.

Dental work is important for all horses, but there are some particulars that are significant to horses who are being ridden.  In addition to keeping the mouth comfortable, the horse actually gets some neurological input from how his teeth meet.  Lameness, hind end weakness, and balance problems can all be caused by dental problems.  Keeping the horse's teeth meeting correctly helps him to be a better riding horse by making him better coordinated, balanced, and accepting of a bit.   To lift his back he must be able to lower his head as his jaw slides smoothly with no teeth getting caught on each other. 

As usual, my dogs were present for the appointment.  Miles the border collie takes his supervisory position very seriously, and since he was a puppy he has been enthralled with veterinary care.  Perhaps he was a doctor in a past life.  As a puppy he would carefully sniff each file, or float, and then peer curiously into the horse's mouth as Dr. Landes performed the dental.  Mahzi our new dog has followed in Miles' footprints, and she too observed with an intense gaze.

Highboy also needed a dental.  As a nearly six year old he needs to be checked for correctly erupting teeth as well, and to make sure that his jaw is comfortable and teeth meeting the way they should.  Miles also assisted with Highboy's dental and was his usual very soothing influence as the horses wake up from their sedation.  Mahzi is certainly learning from the best.