Horse dental care

A horse's teeth do a huge amount of work grinding forage, and problems in the mouth affect everything from body condition to how a horse goes under saddle. New Zealand's Code of Welfare explains that horses with worn, sharp or abnormal teeth often have discomfort or pain and can't chew properly, which can lead to poor digestion or malnutrition (MPI Code of Welfare).

Dental care is a welfare requirement, not an optional extra. New Zealand's Code sets a minimum standard that teeth must be maintained so the horse can graze and chew normally. Victoria's Code of Practice sets minimum standards for who can do dental work and how (Code of Practice).

This guide is general information. Your vet or a qualified dental provider should examine your horse's mouth and decide what treatment it needs.

How often should teeth be checked?

• Victoria's Code recommends teeth are checked at least once a year by someone suitably skilled and experienced in equine dentistry, and more often for young horses, stable-fed horses and aged horses (Code of Practice). It also recommends aged and geriatric horses have a full dental examination and treatment every 12 months, and counts a horse as aged from 20 years.
• New Zealand's Code recommends teeth are examined and treated as needed, but at least annually, for conditions that may cause pain or interfere with feeding, digestion or work. It notes horses over 16 may need more dental care than younger horses (MPI Code of Welfare).

Your provider may suggest a shorter interval for a particular horse, for example one with a known problem.

Why horses need regular dental care

New Zealand's Code explains that sharp and uneven points can develop on a horse's teeth, and that these edges need regular filing so the horse can chew more effectively (MPI Code of Welfare). The BHS Stage 2 syllabus lists teeth among the routine health procedures every groom should understand, alongside worming, vaccinations and hoof care (BHS Stage 2 Care).

Signs of dental problems

New Zealand's Code lists these as signs a horse may have dental abnormalities (MPI Code of Welfare):

• Losing condition
• Resisting the bridle
• Packing feed in the cheeks
• Dropping hard feed while eating (often called "quidding")

Agriculture Victoria notes that poor body condition isn't always caused by lack of feed – poor dental health is one of the possible causes, along with worms, chronic injury or illness (Agriculture Victoria – condition scoring). See body condition scoring.

These signs can have other causes too, so get the horse examined rather than assume it's the teeth. See signs of a healthy horse.

New Zealand's Code also points out that pain can show up as behaviour that looks like disobedience, and recommends a vet checks for pain before behaviour is treated as a training problem (MPI Code of Welfare).

What a good dental exam includes

Victoria's Code describes good-practice equine dental service as including (Code of Practice):

• Asking about the horse's general and dental history
• A full mouth examination using palpation (feeling), a light, a mirror and a probe
• Diagnosis of, and advice on, everything found
• Advice on treatment options and any further investigations
• Doing the treatment, or referring to another practitioner where agreed

Vet or equine dental technician?

In both countries, some dental work is restricted to vets.

Australia

The Australian Veterinary Association's position is that (AVA – restricted acts of veterinary science):

• Manual rasping and hand filing can be done by a person with an appropriate Certificate IV qualification.
• Any dental procedure using a power tool should be done only by a vet.
• Procedures involving an incision, going below the gum line, or extracting a tooth by repulsion should be done only by a vet.
• Sedation is vet work. The AVA recommends a vet directly supervises and provides sedation when a Certificate IV lay provider rasps a horse's teeth.

The AVA notes that the law on restricted procedures varies between states and territories.

Victoria's Code adds minimum standards that (Code of Practice):

• No one may give dental treatment that damages the horse or harms its welfare.
• No one may attempt a dental procedure they aren't competent to perform.
• The need for pain relief or anaesthesia must be considered before any dental procedure, and procedures likely to cause unreasonable pain must be done with suitable pain relief or anaesthesia.

New Zealand

New Zealand's animal welfare regulations, summarised in the Code, say only a vet (or a vet student under direct vet supervision) may extract teeth other than wolf teeth and finger-loose baby teeth, and pain relief must be given. Wolf teeth may only be removed while the horse is under pain relief authorised by a vet (MPI Code of Welfare).

Choosing a provider

• Ask about qualifications and training.
• Ask how they handle sedation – do they work with a vet?
• Expect a full examination and a written record of findings and treatment.
• Be wary of anyone who wants to do major work without sedation, a full exam or a clear explanation.

See equine professionals. Find an equine dentist near you on horse.work.

Specific procedures and cautions

Victoria's Code includes detailed guidance for dental providers (Code of Practice). Key points for owners:

• Wolf teeth (the small first premolars) should be removed only when there's a reason – for example if they are abnormally large or displaced, loose or diseased, or the horse needs the front of the next tooth shaped (a "bit seat"). Shearing or filing wolf teeth off isn't recommended.
• Dental shears, molar cutters and inertia hammers should be avoided because of the risk of fracturing teeth and exposing the pulp (the living centre of the tooth).
• Power tools need great care because of the risks of heat damage, pulp exposure and tooth damage.
• Large overgrowths should be removed only by someone trained and competent to monitor the cheek teeth with sedation, light and a mirror.
• After treatment, the horse should be able to eat within a reasonable time, and treatment shouldn't create an abnormal bite.

Hendra precautions for dental work (Australia)

NSW DPI lists dental work among higher-risk activities for Hendra virus exposure, and recommends personal protective equipment when working with suspect horses or doing high-risk activities such as dental work. It describes vaccination as the most efficient way to reduce the risk of transmission to people (NSW DPI – Hendra virus). See horse vaccinations.

Teeth and age

Teeth change as horses age, which is why they're used to estimate age. See aging a horse by its teeth for how that works – and why it's never precise.

Keep a dental record

Record each visit, who did it, what was found and done, and when the next check is due, in your horse health records. It helps the next provider, and shows changes over time.

FAQ

How often should a horse's teeth be checked?

At least once a year, and more often for young, stable-fed and aged horses (Code of Practice; MPI Code of Welfare).

What are the signs my horse needs its teeth done?

Losing condition, resisting the bridle, packing feed in its cheeks or dropping feed while eating (MPI Code of Welfare).

Should I use a vet or an equine dental technician?

In Australia, the AVA says a Certificate IV-qualified technician can do hand rasping, but power tools, extractions and sedation are vet work (AVA).

Do wolf teeth need to come out?

Only if there's a reason, such as being large, displaced, loose or diseased, or interfering with a bit seat (Code of Practice). In NZ, removal must be under vet-authorised pain relief (MPI Code of Welfare).