High Prevalence of Orodental Disorders in South Brazilian Cart Horses: Walking a Tightrope Between Animal Welfare and Socioeconomic Inevitability.

The research focuses on the prevalence of oral and dental disorders in cart horses in South Brazil. It shows that most of these horses, which are an economic necessity for waste pickers in the area, suffer from severe dental issues that affect both their health and welfare, suggesting a strong correlation between the animals’ health and socioeconomic factors.

Context and Scope of the Study

• The study is framed under the context of developing and emerging countries, particularly in South Brazil, where horse-drawn carts are a prevalent mode of transport for waste pickers who sell municipal solid waste for reuse or recycling.
• The work showcases how the health of these horses plays a pivotal role in sustaining the economic activities of the waste pickers and is, therefore, an animal welfare issue.
• Specifically, the research focuses on orodental (oral and dental) disorders, which directly impact the animal’s health and performance, and hence the income of the waste pickers.
• Although few studies have delved into this subject, this cross-sectional investigation surveyed 70 South Brazilian mixed-breed urban cart horses, none of which had received prior dental treatment.

Key Findings

• Major findings include the prevalence of excessively sharp enamel points (98.6%), cheek tooth diastema (65.7%), and mucosal ulcers (65.7%) among the examined horses.
• The research found a gender-based difference in the distribution of these disorders, with male horses showing a higher individual count of orodental changes compared to females.
• Age was also a criterion determining the conditions, as incisors were often worn down and endodontically affected, mostly in horses aged over 18 years.
• The results indicate a concerning prevalence of orodental changes among South Brazilian cart horses, rendering it a key animal welfare issue.

Socioeconomic and Animal Welfare Implications

• Orodental disorders in working horses can directly curtail their health and productivity, affecting the income of waste pickers. This health problem, therefore, becomes both an animal welfare dispute and a socioeconomic predicament.
• The research urges attention to this concern, implying the potential influence of socioeconomic circumstances on the health and wellbeing of working horses, an area which needs further investigation and intervention.