Topic:Oral Health
Oral health in horses encompasses the study and management of the dental and oral structures, including teeth, gums, and the oral cavity. It is an important aspect of equine veterinary care, as oral health can affect a horse's ability to chew and digest food properly. Common issues include dental malocclusions, periodontal disease, and the presence of sharp enamel points, which can lead to discomfort and reduced feed efficiency. Regular dental examinations and treatments, such as floating, are employed to maintain proper oral function. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the anatomy, pathology, and management strategies related to oral health in horses.
Mouth ulcers in horses. No abstract available
Specific immune response of mares and their newborn foals to Actinobacillus spp. present in the oral cavity. Oral swab samples, serum and colostrum was taken from 15 mares and 14 of their foals, within 24 h of birth. The presence of antibody against Actinobacillus spp. isolated from the oral cavity was investigated using agar gel immunodiffusion. Antibodies against 48 out of the 77 Actinobacillus isolates from all horses in the study were present in the respective sera of 13 mares and 9 foals. In 11 mother-foal pairs, the antibody content of the foal serum was similar to that of the mare, and in 9 cases this was reflected in the antibody content of colostrum from the mare. The results indicate that a...
A combined frontal and maxillary sinus approach for repulsion of the third maxillary molar in a horse. The 3rd maxillary molar is a difficult tooth to remove by extraction or repulsion. A combined frontal and maxillary approach provides good exposure for repulsion of this tooth, debridement of the sinuses, and placement of an alveolar seal. The improved exposure should minimize operative difficulties and postoperative complications.
Understanding equine stereotypies. It is frequently asserted that equine stereotypies, such as crib-biting, wind-sucking and weaving, are caused by boredom. However, this explanation is too general to be of practical use in discerning the causes of each stereotypy or in devising management practices to prevent their occurrence. The majority of equine stereotypes start within one month of weaning when both the nutritional and social environment of the foal are substantially altered. Epidemiological research has revealed that the provision of low quantities of forage and minimal opportunities for social contact are associated wit...
ACVR 2000 oral certification examination: large animal elective. No abstract available
Equine dental disease part 4: a long-term study of 400 cases: apical infections of cheek teeth. Of 400 horses referred because of equine dental disease, 162 suffered from primary apical infections of their cheek teeth (CT), including 92 with maxillary CT infections and 70 with mandibular CT infections. Maxillary swellings and sinus tracts were more common (82 and 26% incidence, respectively) with infections of the rostral 3 maxillary CT, than with infections of the caudal 3 maxillary CT (39 and 5% incidence, respectively). Nasal discharge was more commonly present with caudal (95%) than rostral (23%) maxillary CT infections. Mandibular CT apical infections commonly had mandibular swellin...
Equine dental disease. Part 3: A long-term study of 400 cases: disorders of wear, traumatic damage and idiopathic fractures, tumours and miscellaneous disorders of the cheek teeth. Of 400 horses referred because of dental disorders, 349 cases were diagnosed as suffering from primary disorders of their cheek teeth. Details of 104 of these cases are presented, including 44 cases with abnormalities of wear, 26 cases with traumatic damage, 24 cases with idiopathic fractures and 10 cases with miscellaneous cheek teeth disorders including oral tumours. The long-term response to treatment was excellent in most cases, even in cases with residual secondary periodontal disease.
Prevention of crib-biting: a review. Crib-biting is a common oral stereotype. Because of perceived deleterious effects on the health and appearance of subjects the prevention of crib-biting is regularly attempted. The resourcefulness of horses in satisfying their motivation to perform this behaviour often frustrates owners' efforts at prevention. This paper reviews the efficacy and observable consequences of attempting to prevent crib-biting by a variety of methods. These include attempts to prevent the grasping of objects, to interfere with air-engulfing and to introduce punishment for grasping and neck-flexion. Other approaches...
Oral metastasis of renal cell carcinoma in a horse. A 14-year-old hunter gelding presented with an ulcerated mass on the left premaxilla. Biopsy of the mass revealed a poorly differentiated carcinoma. Surgical excision was attempted, but local regrowth followed several months later, at which point radiotherapy was carried out. An initial improvement was followed by marked deterioration and the animal was humanely killed. Post-mortem examination revealed a massively enlarged right kidney and associated widespread metastases. A metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma was identified by histological examination.
Pathophysiology of acquired dental diseases of the horse. Periodontitis, infundibular necrosis, and periapical infection are dental diseases commonly affecting adult horses. Routine dental examinations and care may help to prevent these diseases. Further investigation of the treatment of horses with these diseases using local antimicrobial therapy, restorative dentistry, and endodontic therapy is needed. An understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases aids in diagnosis and treatment. Gingival hyperplasia and odontogenic tumors are uncommon but should remain in a list of differential diagnoses when examining a horse with pertinent clinical sign...
Dental physical examination. The objectives of the equine dental physical examination are to detect and quantify oral and dental disorders, to propose and carry out their treatment, and to implement management programs. The veterinarian should be able to offer a prognosis and to detail any future treatment or management plans that may be required. These objectives should take into account the cost of these procedures, and the veterinarian should be prepared to offer a cost-benefit analysis of the problem and the proposed cures.
Dental corrective procedures. This article explains what is needed for successful extraction of diseased cheek teeth and how to realign the occlusal surface. Incisor teeth procedures and correcting abnormalities of cheek tooth crown wear are also discussed along with wolf and floating teeth.
Traumatic dental disease and soft tissue injuries of the oral cavity. Trauma to the oral cavity can result in an array of injuries affecting teeth, bone, and soft tissue. A thorough examination of the oral cavity is often facilitated by employing a full-mouth speculum after the horse has been tranquilized. Identification of broken, loose, or split teeth; fractures of the premaxilla or mandible; and avulsion or laceration of soft tissue structures such as the lips or tongue is usually straightforward. Treatment options vary depending on the structure involved; however, appropriate treatment generally results in a functional and cosmetically acceptable end result....
[Halicephalobus (Syn. Micronema) deletrix as a cause of granulomatous gingivitis and osteomyelitis in a horse]. Therapy resistant swellings of the maxillary region and unilateral nasal discharge in older horses are mainly thought to be consequences of neoplasias of the oral cavity, especially of the gingiva and the teeth, or to develop from tumours of the nasal cavity. We report an unilateral swelling of the left nasal and buccal region in a 13-year-old gelding, which was accompanied by an aggressive destruction of involved osseous tissue due to a severe proliferative granulomatous inflammation. The granuloma was caused by the nematode Halicephalobus (syn. Micronema) deletrix. This nematode infection is...
Isolation of Actinobacillus equuli from the oral cavity of healthy horses and comparison of isolates by restriction enzyme digestion and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Swab samples were collected from the oral cavity of 174 horses in 10 farms and cultured selectively for Actinobacillus equuli. A. equuli could be isolated from 37% of all samples, varying between 12 and 88% in the different farms. Eight horses were sampled repeatedly for several days, with a variation in isolation frequency between 50 and 88%. Isolates were compared by restriction enzyme digestion and Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis. A high degree of strain variability was found within each horse population as well as some variability over time between strains isolated from the same horse.
Endodontic therapy and surgical excision of a chronic suppurative osteomyelitic lesion in a horse: a case report. A 22-year-old thoroughbred gelding was presented for evaluation and treatment of chronic dental disease. The horse had a history of quidding and abnormal bite behavior. Intraoral examination revealed signs of chronic generalized gingival inflammation and severe dental caries affecting the maxillary and mandibular incisor teeth. Treatment was provided on two separate visits over an interval of four months. The first visit consisted of the surgical extraction of three unrestorable incisor teeth and restoration of six carious maxillary incisor teeth. The second visit consisted of conventional end...
Paraneoplastic bullous stomatitis in a horse. An adult horse with a 2-month history of anorexia, ataxia, and oral blisters had developed these clinical signs just prior to the appearance and growth of a cervical mass. Bullous stomatitis was characterized histologically as subepidermal clefting. Clinical signs were unresponsive to treatment with antibiotics or corticosteroids; however, surgical removal of the mass coincided with remission of all signs. Histologic findings of the mass were consistent with hemangiosarcoma. Results of indirect immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation on frozen serum from the horse were characteristic of par...
Oral protection for equestrians. Facial injuries are common among those who ride horses. However, the use of custom-made mouth guards is not promoted by those in the equestrian industry.
Rhabdomyosarcoma of the tongue in a horse. A 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare was examined because of a 6-month history of quidding and nasal discharge that contained feed material. Physical examination revealed weight loss and dorsal displacement of the soft palate, caused by a soft tissue mass located at the dorsal aspect of the base of the tongue. Surgical resection of the mass was successfully performed through an oral approach. The histopathologic diagnosis was rhabdomyosarcoma.
Focal gingival hyperplasia in a horse. A diagnosis of gingival hyperplasia in a 22-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was confirmed by histologic examination. Clinical signs included difficulty eating hay, and a large, intraoral soft tissue mass measuring 13 x 8 x 4.5 cm. The mass was located in the mucosa on the lingual aspect of the caudal left portion of the mandible, ventral to the base of the tongue, and covered the second and third lower molars, extending rostrally along the buccal mucosa to the premolars. The left maxillary second and third molars were overgrown with sharp edges. Lateral radiography of the mandible revealed abse...
Dental surgery. Anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the teeth are presented. Signs of dental disease and techniques for oral and radiographic examination of the teeth are discussed. Surgical procedures described include extraction, repulsion, and endodontic therapy.
Examination of the oral cavity and routine dental care. Techniques and equipment used to examine the oral cavity thoroughly are explained. Common routine dental procedures described include removal of enamel points, wolf teeth, and retained caps. Abnormalities of the incisors are discussed.