b'HORSES OVER 304.Cardiac abnormalities, including mur-murs, in 25-43%; 5.Nasal discharge or breathing abnor-malities in 7-22%; 6. Lameness in up to 50%, although up to 80% had hoof abnormalities; and 7.Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in 21.2%.In a separate study Ireland performed exams on horses 30-plus years old to identify leading morbidities in this popu-lation. She found that: 100% of the horses had dental and ocular abnormalities;More than three quarters (77%) were lame; and Horses experienced an increased preva-lence of dermatological, cardiac, and respiratory abnormalities. Upon comparing the horses in the LAURA PALAZZOLO15-plus and over-30 groups, Ireland found that only 10% of the very old horses were overweight, versus 26% of the 15-plus. Fifteen percent were underweight, com- Things some owners consider to be normal signs of aging, such as this 30-year-old Appaloosas pared to only 4% of the 15-plus horses. sway back, might actually indicate an underlying problem that needs to be addressed.Researchers have shown that owners tend to underreport medical conditions,that his incisors dont meet as snugly asXandria and Xander:particularly chronic ones, in their horses.they once did, potentially making it moreCreaky but not CrippledTo be fair, many conditions in olderchallenging to grasp forage. His canineIs your horse having trouble with his horses are difficult to detect without ateeth have a notable amount of calculusget up and go, no longer loping up to the veterinary exam, particularly dental, oph- (plaque), with a small fracture begin- gate when you deliver supplementary thalmic, cardiac, and respiratory i ssues.ning to form on one. Farther back, hisfeed and hay? Then its time to heed actor Further, in her research McGowancheek teeth have sharp points. Some areJohn Wagners advice: Dont let aging get recognized that what owners identify asunstable due to lack of reserve crown you down, its too hard to get back up.major medical concerns in older horsesthis means hes essentially running out ofIn a study of 69 horses 30 years and does not necessarily match what vet- tooth (equine teeth erupt gradually overolder, a staggering 77% was found to be erinarians find on their examinations.time but are a finite length).lame at clinical examination, and almost For example, owners report weight loss/ During routine dental treatments,100% of those horses had a reduced maintaining condition, arthritis and otherthose sharp points on cheek teeth mustrange of motion in at least one joint, says causes of lameness, and dental care as thestill be removed to avoid traumatizingPaul Ren van Weeren, DVM, PhD, Dipl. most common issues, which only scratchsoft tissues in the horses oral cavity, andECVS, head of the Department of Clinical the surface of old horse morbidities. the large array of age-related cheek teethSciences in Utrecht Universitys Faculty of Now that we know what commonly ailsabnormalities must also be addressed,Veterinary Medicine, in the Netherlands. aged equids, lets meet five super-seniorssays Townsend.Musculoskeletal diseases such as and learn about the issues they face.Other examples of senior horse cheekchronic joint disorders and the debili-teeth abnormalities include smoothtating hoof disease laminitis were the Doug: Battling Dental Disease mouth (the teeth are worn down to rootprincipal reasons cited for euthanasia Indeed, Doug, a gray 32-year-old Appa- level), step mouth (overgrowth of the teethin approximately one-quarter of these loosa, does not walk alone when it comesopposite a lost or worn tooth), and sheargeriatric horses.to dental disorders. Neil Townsend, MSc,mouth (the jaws and teeth dont align).Lets take a look at our stately pair Xan-BVSc, MRCVS, of Three Counties EquinePractitioners managing older mouthsder and Xandria, pasturemates in their Hospital, in Gloucestershire, U.K., sayslike Dougs with multiple problems typi- early 30s. Xandria is an off-track Thor-most of the dental issues we see in aboutcally tackle the issues in a stepwise fash- oughbred who, like many retired athletes, 95% of geriatric horses stem from normalion. This means more frequent visits thansuffers from osteoarthritisthe painful age-related changes. But they can be ag- what younger animals generally need.joint disease characterized by degenera-gravated by dietary management and evenThe ultimate goal is to ensure oraltion of the articular cartilage lining the excessive dental treatment early in life.comfort and to maximize masticatoryends of long bones. It often develops as Dougs recent dental exam revealed(chewing) ability, says Townsend.a result of repeated microtrauma to the 20May 2020The Horse|TheHorse.com'