The gold standard of dental care: the geriatric horse.

This research article focuses on the changes in the dental anatomy of aged horses that leads to specific dental diseases and how their treatment needs to be adjusted accordingly. The goal is to maintain oral comfort, optimize chewing ability, recognize common dental diseases, and provide long-term management changes such as dietary modifications.

Dental Anatomy Changes and Disease in Geriatric Horses

• As horses grow older, their dental anatomy changes, leading to specific dental diseases unique to their age group. These changes, coupled with the accumulation of dental disease throughout a horse’s life, often lead to advanced dental conditions in elder horses.
• These advanced dental conditions require specialized care and attention to manage effectively. The focus should be on recognizing the symptoms of these diseases for timely intervention and treatment.

Treatment Adaptations for Older Horses

• The treatment strategies or procedures for these dental diseases need to be adapted to the age and condition of the horse. With older horses, there is a reduction in reserve crown and the enamel used for grinding (occlusal enamel), which requires a different approach to treatment compared to what’s used in younger horses.
• The main focus of treating dental conditions in geriatric horses is ensuring their oral comfort and maximizing their masticatory capability (ability to chew). This is important because a horse’s age and dental condition can significantly affect its ability to chew and digest food, leading to nutritional deficiencies and weight loss.

Long-Term Management and Dietary Modifications

• Older horses require more than just adaptive treatment plans; they need long-term management changes, specifically in their diet, to manage their dental disease effectively.
• Dietary modifications could include providing softer foods that are easier to chew and digest or adding supplements to compensate for any nutritional deficiencies.
• By incorporating these long-term changes, healthcare providers can ensure the maintenance of the geriatric horse’s oral health, and by extension, their overall wellbeing and quality of life.