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Horses Often Adept At Hiding Dental Pain

Though most horse owners and caretakers will investigate a horse's mouth for pain if he's refusing to eat his feed entirely, equines often offer other clues that their mouths may hurt, reports EQUUS magazine.

Scientists from the University of Helsinki surveyed the owners of 47 horses that had cheek teeth surgically removed because of root infections. Tooth root infections can be caused by several things, but most of these removals were the result of dental fractures.

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The survey asked 23 questions of these owners regarding horse behavior. Respondents noted that the behaviors that were eliminated after the surgical tooth extraction included dropping hay, eating slowly and adjusting hay in the mouth while chewing.

Before surgery, horses with dental pain often avoided the bit, raising their heads or getting “behind” the bit to avoid contact. Painful horses also behaved more antisocially toward people and horses. All of these behaviors dissipated when the painful tooth was removed.

Dr. Jaana Pehkonen, lead researcher, said that avoiding the bit was the most common indicator that something was amiss. She notes that this may be because this behavior is easiest to notice.

In half the study horses, tooth infections were not discovered until a routine dental exam took place, indicating that many owners miss behaviors that can be linked to dental pain. Only six of the 47 horses had obvious signs of tooth issues like external swellings or sinus drainage. Nearly all the owners said that their horses were more comfortable after the teeth were removed.

Pehkonen concluded that some equine behaviors, like self-mutilation, aggressive behavior or withdrawnness aren't regarded as pain behaviors by horse owners. However, once the pain is removed and the horse returns to acting “normal,” it's easier to see that the behaviors indicated discomfort. Pehkonen recommends horses have annual dental exams so that any problems can be identified.

More Than Ulcers? Girthiness May Be Coming From More Than One Cause

Even the most pleasant horse may act cranky when his girth is tightened, and it's not because you're telling him he's chubby. Some horses will gnash their teeth, snake their heads, swish their tails and try to move away when their girth is being tightened, telling their owners and riders that something is amiss.

Veterinarians often become involved in the issue when a normally stoic horse becomes opposed to being girthed. Drs. Esther Millares-Ramirez and Sarah Le Jeune completed a retrospective study of 37 horses who had been referred to the University of California-Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital for girth aversion.

The horses in the study were of various breeds and ridden in a range of disciplines. Upon referral, each horse had a physical exam that included recording of vital signs and a musculoskeletal exam that included palpation and flexion tests. The horses worked in straight lines and circled on hard and soft ground and were also lunged. Thirteen horses had a gastroscopy, seven had their saddles examined, and three had abdominal radiographs performed.

Of the 13 horses that were scoped, 12 had gastric ulcers. The horses were prescribed omeprazole and the owners said the girthiness resolved with the ulcer treatment. Ten of the horses had orthopedic issues. All 10 horses became less girthy when their musculoskeletal issues were addressed. Three horses had poorly-fitted saddles; once this was addressed and the horses received chiropractic and acupuncture treatments, the angst at being girthed resolved.

The other study horses with aversions to being girthed had a variety of issues, including ovarian tumor, urinary tract infection, girth mass, sand impaction and more.

The team determined that the primary reasons horses exhibit an unwillingness to be girthed include gastric ulcers, orthopedic issues and poor saddle fit.

Don’t Hold Your Breath: Horses Can’t Phsyically ‘Blow Up’ To Prevent Girth Tightening

When budding equestrians are fist taught how to tack up, one of the first things they learn is to always check their horse's girth before mounting; some horses hold their breath to keep the girth or cinch a bit loose. This lack of security could invite a saddle to slip.

That belief has recently been debunked: while horses may resist a girth being tightened, they don't hold their breath to do it, reports EQUUS magazine. The ribs that lie directly beneath the saddle area are relatively immobile, making it nearly impossible for a horse to expand his girth area through his lung power.

However, a determined horse might tighten his abdominal muscles enough to expand his chest and prevent the girth from being completely tightened. A horse may tighten his muscles for a variety of reasons, including the anticipation of discomfort, but many horses tighten their muscles naturally because something is being wrapped around his abdomen.

The key to preventing a horse from tightening his muscles and keeping the girth from being tightened is relaxation. First, ensure that his tack fits well and isn't causing him pain. When beginning to tack, keep the horse's girth or cinch loose, tightening it gradually throughout the tacking-up process. Once the horse has been led to the mounting block, the girth should be checked again. One final check once the rider is mounted may also be necessary.

New Colic Pain Scale Assesses Discomfort Quickly

Two equine hospitals have trialed a pain scale to assess the level of discomfort of 237 horses referred to the clinics for colic. The veterinarians concluded that the sale was reliable, easy to use and fast.

Drs. Yamit Maskato, Alexandra Dugdale, Ellen Singer, Gal Kelmer and Gila Sutton created the Equine Acute Abdominal Pain Scale (EAAPS) in 2013. The scientists report that the scale requires no training, can be used easily in hospital settings and can improve equine welfare.

They suggest that the EAAPS now be tested in the field by veterinarians, as well as by horse owners and farm caretakers who lack medical training. Colic is the most common cause of equine deaths in the United States. Severity of pain is an important parameter for decision making regarding a horse that is colicking; it can also assist in evaluating pain-relieving measures, patient status and surgical or euthanasia decisions.

The EAAP gives typical colic behaviors a one-digit score to grade the severity of pain, with 1 being the most mild (flank watching or lip curling) to 5 being the most severe (rolling). Participants at the two clinics where the EAAP was trialed reported that the EAAP was quick and easy to use, even with no training on the scale.

The creators determined that the EAAPS is feasible to use in an equine clinical setting to determine the severity of colic cases.

Read the full article here.