Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dental disease in older horses - how to manage it
By Nicholls, Victoria M & Townsend, NeilĀ·Published in The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practiceĀ·2016Ā·University of Liverpool, United KingdomĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Dental Disease in Aged Horses and Its Management.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
As horses get older, they often develop dental problems that can affect their comfort and ability to chew food properly. It's important to catch these issues early so that they can be managed effectively, which can help your horse feel better and eat more comfortably. Since horses have a limited amount of tooth that can grow, worn teeth may require changes in their diet to ensure they can still eat well. Older horses may also need special care when being treated, especially if they have other health issues. Overall, recognizing and managing dental disease in older horses can significantly improve their quality of life.
Abstract
Improved recognition of equine geriatric conditions has resulted in a surge in our aged population with a concurrent escalation of many age-related dental pathologies. Prevention of these disorder is the ultimate aim but early identification and appropriate management can increase an animal's oral comfort and maximise its masticatory ability. There is only a finite amount of tooth available for eruption in the horse and therefore as the teeth become worn and less efficient as a grinding unit, dietary modification becomes a paramount consideration to accommodate this. Geriatric animals have differing requirements for restraint and sedation with treatment of coexisting disorders also an important requirement.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27449389/