Page 763 - Equine Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Reproduction, 2nd Edition

738 CHAPTER 4

VetBooks.ir Management extraction of these teeth to improve performance is
frequently not justified. The recent practice of exces-
In symptomatic cases surgical excision of the
lesion including its entire cystic lining is effective.
and 206 to create ‘bit seats’ is said to be impaired
Recurrence is rare following complete removal of sive rasping of the buccorostral aspects of the 106
the cyst lining, but if remnants remain, redevelop- by the presence of wolf teeth and this has also been
ment of a secretory and discharging epithelial-lined cited as a reason for their removal. Since the scien-
sinus tract can occur. tific merit of this practice is unclear it remains to be
seen whether this justifies extraction of the teeth.
RUDIMENTARY TEETH (‘WOLF TEETH’) Where the teeth are mandibular, are prominent,
erupting in a rostral or buccal position, and when
Definition/overview there is clear indication of pain over an unerupted
The presence of vestigial brachydont 1 premolars tooth or there is bit impingement, it is appropriate
st
(Fig. 4.34). to extract the whole vestigial tooth under standing
chemical restraint with local analgesia. Entrapment
Aetiology/pathophysiology of the buccal mucosa between the bit and the wolf
The 1 upper premolar (Triadan 105, 205) is com- tooth or rostrolateral aspect of the 2 premolar can
st
nd
monly present in both male and female horses. These result in discomfort; consequently a lack of respon-
vestigial ‘wolf teeth’ are present in an estimated siveness on the bridle is attributed to the presence of
20–60% of horses according to different studies. the wolf tooth whether implicated or not.
They are usually in contact with 106 and 206 and
are rarely in occlusion. More occasionally, molarised Clinical presentation/diagnosis
105s and 205s are present (Fig. 4.35). Traditional Palpation of the rostral arcade will reveal the presence
practice has been to remove the wolf teeth under of erupted or subgingival wolf teeth. Radiography is
standing chemical restraint and local analgesia. advised in abnormally situated or extremely large
Historically, reduced performance and bit sensitivity teeth.
have been attributed to discomfort associated with
the impingement of the bit over the wolf teeth, with Management
little or no supportive data in most cases. Evidence Wolf tooth removal is easily accomplished in the
for the role of most normally situated vestigial field. Sedation of the horse using an alpha-2 ago-
wolf teeth is consistently elusive, suggesting that nist such as detomidine, romifidine or xylazine

4.34 4.35

Fig. 4.34 Specimen showing a normally positioned Fig. 4.35 Wolf teeth occasionally can be large and
wolf tooth (Triadan 205, arrow). molarised with multiple pulp horns.