Does my horse need dental treatment?
Absolutely! All domesticated horses require a routine dental treatment at least every 12 months. Prior to domestication, wild horses would feed on a broad variety of grasses of varying degrees of length and coarseness over hundreds of hectares. Today, domesticated horses feed on more selective grasses and hay which tend to be softer and shorter and more often than not, in small paddocks. We're also feeding our horses pelleted feeds which require little effort to chew and grind. This results in dental abnormalities like sharp points which prevent efficient mastication and can cause painful ulcerations. During a routine dental treatment, I will assess the oral health of your horse, checking and correcting dental abnormalities like sharp points and removing plaque and calculus which can lead to periodontal disease and premature tooth loss.
How often should my horse see a dentist?
Horses under 6 years should see an equine dentist every 6 months. This is due to the eruption of permanent teeth from the time they are born to full wear of permanent teeth at about 5 years. Horses older than 6 should be seen at least every 12 months. Horses with good dentition and nutrition will likely only need routine treatment once a year however some horses will have dental abnormalities which require monitoring and correction over more frequent treatments.