Horse’s teeth continually erupt throughout their lives. Every horse wears their teeth differently while grinding their feed. Horses develop sharp enamel points during this wear process. These points can cause pain and even ulceration of the cheeks and tongue. “Floating” is the process of filing the points of the teeth down. The tools we use are called “floats” which are rasps designed to file teeth. We have been able to improve our ability to float teeth with the recent advancement of motorized dental equipment. The floating process is only one part of a complete dental examination. We recommend that horse owners have a complete dental examination performed at least once yearly. Some horses need to be examined and/or have their teeth floated more frequently. Timely dentals will help balance your horse's mouth improving health, performance and efficiency.
What are signs that your horse may be having dental problems?
• Head tossing, head tilting or other performance problems • Bitting problems • Poll Soreness • TMJ Soreness • Weight loss • Dropping feed when eating • Foul odor • Excessive salivation • Nasal discharge • Facial swelling
Your horse’s dental care is essential to its health. Regular dental examinations and maintenance are important to maintaining or improving feed efficiency, performance and comfort of the horse. Beadle Lake Large Animal Clinic is here to ensure that your horse’s teeth are properly cared for. Dental care can be provided in our clinic or at your farm. We are able to provide a level of dental expertise and veterinary care that non-specialists cannot. Our clinic is equipped to handle routine dentistry and more complicated dental cases. Our training and experience in equine dentistry are what allow us to provide the best in equine dental care.
Why should your veterinarian be maintaining your horse’s teeth?
The veterinarians here at Beadle Lake Large Animal Clinic are trained and experienced in equine dentistry. We can use medications to ensure safety and comfort for your horse during the examination and dental care. We use a speculum to allow us to visualize every tooth in your horse’s mouth. We have advanced motorized dental equipment. We are equipped with digital radiography if x-rays of your horse’s teeth are needed. We are prepared to treat horses with more complicated oral problems.
