Page 45 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

• difficulty in turning

• reluctance to take the correct lead
VetBooks.ir • stiffness and pain in the horse’s back and neck

•
rearing
• unexplained change in performance or behaviour.

Routine dental inspection

Routine dental inspection every 6–12 months is recommended so that problems can be

identified and dealt with before they cause discomfort and suffering. This can be done by
your vet or a qualified and experienced equine dental technician (EDT).

PREPARING FOR THE INSPECTION
• Put the horse in a stable with plenty of head room. The roof should not be too low or

supported by low beams in case the horse throws his head up during the examination.

• Use a headcollar with a loose or adjustable noseband. If the noseband is too tight it
prevents the horse’s mouth opening fully.

• Have a bucket of clean water and a towel ready.

• If possible, do not feed the horse just before the procedure or the mouth will need to be
flushed out to remove the food material.

THE DENTAL EXAMINATION

The examination begins with assessment of the horse’s body condition and facial symmetry.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the cheeks are palpated for any tenderness and the

owner will be asked if the horse has experienced any problems. The vet or EDT will then part
the horse’s lips to check the incisors for abnormal wear. The soft tissues of the mouth
including the tongue, cheeks, bars and corners of the mouth will be checked for injury caused

by the bit or sharp teeth (Figure 2.2). A full-mouth speculum or Haussman’s gag, dental
mirrors and a powerful light source are necessary for detailed evaluation of the cheek teeth

(Figures 2.3 and 2.4). If sharp edges are present, the outside edges of the upper teeth are
lightly rasped to remove the sharp points before the gag is opened fully. This is because when
the gag is open, the cheeks of the horse are stretched over the sharp points and this is

extremely uncomfortable. Both the teeth and the adjacent cheek tissues are inspected visually
and palpated. The range of motion of the jaw and the grind of the teeth is checked.