Indications and Common Dental Problems
Horses and Ponies that display unwanted behaviour and/or personality may be suffering from one or several problems…
Browse the two sections below:
- Sharp enamel points forming on cheek teeth causing
lacerations of cheeks and tongue. - Retained caps (baby teeth not shed)
- Discomfort caused by bit contact with wolf teeth.
- Long and/or canine teeth pinching tongue when bridled
and/or interfering with insertion or removal of bit. - Hooks forming on the upper and lower cheek teeth.
- Incorrect incisor angles.
- Lost and/or broken teeth.
- Abnormal or uneven bite planes.
- Excessively worn teeth.
- Infected teeth and/or gums.
- Misalignment/poor opposition (can be due to
congenital defects or injury) - Periodontal (gum) disease.
- Loss of feed from mouth when eating.
- Difficulty with chewing.
- Excessive salivation.
- Large or undigested feed particles (long stems
or whole grain) in manure. - Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing,
tongue lolling, fighting the bit. - Resisting bridle.
- Poor performance – stiffness, bucking, rearing,
hanging on the rein. - Foul odour from the mouth or nostrils, or traces
of blood from the mouth. - Nasal discharge or swelling of the face,
jaw or mouth tissues. - Sudden tiring during exercise.