Handle Senior Horse Dental Care With Diligence

With an estimated 88% of horses over 20 years of age diagnosed with dental disease, veterinarians must be sure to maintain these patients differently than their younger counterparts.
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Senior Horse Dental Care
With an estimated 88% of horses over 20 years of age diagnosed with dental disease, veterinarians must be sure to maintain these patients differently than their younger counter parts. | Photo: Stephanie L. Church/The Horse

Despite widely held beliefs that horses’ teeth grow throughout their entire lives, the truth is they do “expire.” With an estimated 88% of horses over 20 years of age diagnosed with dental disease, veterinarians must be sure to maintain these patients differently than their younger counterparts.

During the 2018 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in San Francisco, California, Apryle A. Horbal, VMD, MRCVS, from University Veterinary Equine, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, described challenges associated with managing older horses’ teeth.

Horbal said the main dental goal for any horse, especially geriatric ones, is to preserve oral health and any remaining teeth–particularly by avoiding overfloating. This helps preserve  dentition the horse can chew (masticate) adequately to support his energy demands and maintain condition

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Stacey Oke, MSc, DVM, is a practicing veterinarian and freelance medical writer and editor. She is interested in both large and small animals, as well as complementary and alternative medicine. Since 2005, she’s worked as a research consultant for nutritional supplement companies, assisted physicians and veterinarians in publishing research articles and textbooks, and written for a number of educational magazines and websites.

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