Texas - Oklahoma - Louisiana
Equine Dentistry

Dr. J.D. Norris of Equine Dentistry writes a monthly column in Cowboy Times magazine. Here is the November 2008  column:

As each year goes by, I’m continually amazed at the new discoveries in animal health. In the last month I have attended two equine dental seminars, one sponsored by Pfizer at Los Colinas in Irving, Texas, and one sponsored by Florida Equine Practioner’s Association at the University of Florida’s School of Veterinary Medicine. The presenters were some of the top Equine Dental Veterinarians from Vet school and private practitioners. We covered such topics as molar occlusion, incisor alignment, X-rays, anesthesia, correction procedures, new equipment and tools, anatomy, and surgery.

All of this is excellent education. But, in my opinion, we are missing a big part of the puzzle. We are not addressing the total affect a problem mouth and dental condition has on the performance horse. We understand the common physical symptoms in chewing and cutting, but what about the TMJ (temporal mandibular joint), sensitivity at the poll, stiff neck, sore back, weak hindquarter, stifle problems, stomach ulcers, etc. All of these at times can be related to dental problems. If you are having some of these problems, ask your veterinarian. Until the last few years, very little of this was taught in the colleges. My interest in equine dentistry was stimulated in part by an older veterinarian, whose grandfather was in the Calvary, and told the story about the Calvary horse with a “sore back” being sent to the Calvary dentist. What did they know then that we don’t know today?

If your veterinarian needs to understand more about these physical problems that may be caused by dental pathology, he or she can contact a member of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. If they practice equine acupuncture, they should be able to explain the dental affects on the body.

One last note: with the value of good horses today, start early (2-3 years of age or earlier) with dental care. It could mean a lot in their lifetime.

JD Norris, DVM