All horses should have their teeth cared for by an equine dentist at least once a year – more often if the horse is very young or very old. Routine care ensures that the horse can chew well, maximizing his nutrient intake and minimizing the possibility of choking.
While horses can have “common” dental ailments like cavities and uneven wear, a recently recognized dental disease is significantly more complicated. Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH) can cause significant changes to the roots of teeth and the gums in horses, reports The Horse.
This disease typically affects incisor and canine teeth, but it can affect a horse's premolars and molars as well. EOTRH is very painful; it's a chronic infection of the oral tissues. In severe cases, EOTRH can cause teeth to fall out. The pain can become so significant that the horse's teeth must be removed to allow him to eat comfortably.
Though the exact cause of EOTRH isn't known, it seems to be correlated with:
- pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) or Cushing's disease
- horses that aren't allowed to graze (those that are kept in a stall or dry lot)
- a history of overly aggressive dentistry
- the presence of bacteria in the mouth
Additionally, geldings seem to be predisposed to the condition.
Some veterinarians feel that saliva may act as a protective coating for the teeth; horses that graze with their heads down have teeth that are constantly bathed in saliva.
The first signs of EOTRH are inflammation of the horse's gums or tiny red dots on the gums. The dots are draining tracts for bacteria from the roots of the teeth. If either inflammation or red spots are found, dental radiographs should be performed. These might show the beginning of lesions in tooth roots or increased cementum around tooth roots as the body tries to stabilize the teeth.
There is no treatment for the disease, but early identification can prevent a horse from having chronic infection and pain. If the teeth become painful and loose, extraction is recommended; horses that have their teeth removed recover rapidly and can graze effectively.
Read more at The Horse.
The post More Than Cavities: No Known Treatment For Equine Dental Disease EOTRH appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
