D.O Equine- Dentistry and Farrier Services

08/01/2024

How many baby teeth do you think an average horse loses in between 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 years old???

The answer is 24!

A baby horse sheds a total of 12 molars and 12 incisors (front teeth). That’s a lot of teeth in two years! Below are some pictures of what happens when those baby teeth don’t fall out like they are supposed to. In our field we call these a trapped cap. We can normally avoid issues like this with routine dental work every 6 months. Although this is not a normal occurrence it still can happen and if left untreated can sometimes cause some serious issues.

02/21/2024

What is anterior/posterior movement in a horses mouth?

📍When you collect a horse in the saddle their lower jaw pulls back towards the pole (posterior)

📍When a horse is grazing in the pasture their lower jaw slides forward (anterior)

Overall forward and back of the lower is very important! It affects eating, riding, tmj pain/discomfort, comfort in the bit and overall quality of life!
Signs to look for is throwing head when riding, gaping mouth when chewing, pain in tmj when pressing on it and sticking out their nose or pushing through the bit.
What can cause a lack of movement is hooks, ramps, waves, protuberant molars and steep incisors. All of which can be taken care of in an average float by an equine dentist. With yearly maintenance this will never be an issue.

01/03/2024

One of the MOST asked questions I get daily is “When should and how often should you have your horses teeth done??”

▶️Horses should have their teeth done yearly no matter if they are dropping feed or not. When done yearly a horses teeth will last longer without wearing out. The 3rd and 4th picture shows teeth that are worn out and missing teeth from improper maintenance.

▶️ Another reason for having your horses teeth done is sharp edges and bit seats! Sharp edges like in the last picture can cause a world of problems for the horse along with pain! Along with bit seats horses almost always respond better in the bit, and no longer respond off bit pain only pressure.

12/08/2023

10/06/2023

‼️ATTENTION‼️ I will be stopping in Moreland/Woodward Oklahoma the 11th through the 14. I have limited availability for the time I’m there!

If your horse is
📌Dropping feed
📌Loosing weight
📌Fighting the bit
📌Has bad breath
Contact me to schedule today

09/24/2023

Hey Minnesota! Falls almost here time to make sure your horses are fat for winter with a good set of teeth!
‼️I will be in the area October 1st-10th with limited availability left‼️ private message or leave a comment for me to contact you and set up your appointment before my schedule is full!

08/24/2023

‼️BACK TO SCHOOL DISCOUNT‼️

College students get those dentals done before the first rodeo, show or event! $50 OFF your first horse with proof of current student ID!

Through September 22 schedule to get your spot before they are all filled!

08/22/2023

⁉️Let’s talk damage and trauma in equine dentition!

💡The idea that most people have is that loosing a tooth or damaging teeth are a severe health risk.

In reality most damages are superficial, and the horse will continue on with life without issue. For example the horse in the last picture is missing 2 teeth, but the teeth actually MIGRATED back together! With a proper alignment of the incisors the horse will never notice the missing teeth.
This also applies to molars and baby teeth as well.

‼️with proper maintenance and checkups horses teeth can in some cases last longer than the horse itself!

07/17/2023

⁉️When should be the first time you have your horses teeth done?

I get asked this question quite often and my answer is always the same. Get them done before the first ride or when they are about 2 years old. Although the horse may eat good and put on weight they may still be uncomfortable with sharp points and wolf teeth!

Wolf teeth are normally pulled on horses when they are gelded, but where does that leave mares? These teeth are EXTREMELY uncomfortable when a bit is being used. If you are thinking about putting on that first ride or sending a horse to training this is definitely something to take into consideration. Talk to your local equine dentist, consultations are usually free!

07/03/2023

💡How often in your day to day life does the thought you could be doing more in your life pop into your head?

This podcast by Erin Olson helps me with that very thought, by maximizing my day to accomplish the most that I can by only taking SMALL ACTIONS! These hacks of life make succeeding in life way more within reach.

Below is the website and podcast if you want to unlock the 🔑🔑 to living a fuller healthier life. The one I just listened to she talks about self talk and how to conquer the inner beast! Like everyone on this planet we all have self talk, and with a few steps these inner thoughts can lead us in a better direction.

I highly recommend you check this out and give her a follow!

‼️Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quality-of-life-podcast/id1674361594?i=1000614119418

‼️Website: https://theerinolson.com

06/16/2023

Overbites and ventral curves aka a “smile” is a common issue that we see on a day to day basis as equine dentists. These bite alignments can cause issues in the horses chewing, riding and overall comfort. Horses have natural caudal/rostral (back and forwards) movements in their mandible, but these movements are limited by the condition of their front teeth. In changing the angle of these front teeth we can allow for that movement which can sometimes help with collecting in the bit and overall comfort while eating.

04/15/2023

Spring has sprung! With green grass and horse shows around the corner help your horses DO their best they can with a new set of chompers! 🦷🦷🦷
Performance floats including bit seats/caps/wolf teeth extractions included.
❗️$150 for 3 or less horses and $125 for 4 or more❗️
The Minnesota/Wisconsin trip (may 10th-16th) is filling up quick so schedule now!

04/09/2023

One of the most important parts to dental care for horses is to ensure a comfortable mouth that a horse can chew with. With this comes sharp points that can cut the tongue or cheek like the picture below. As dental practitioners we remove these points to alleviate any pain or discomfort. The second picture is an after dental on another horse showing soft round edges.

03/22/2023

02/22/2023

Let’s talk about the health of your horses teeth!!

Periodontal disease (gingivitis) is as serious in horses as it is in people. This is a case I had not long ago with gingivitis on the incisors. It can affect the molars as well. All this can be caused by a few different things such as but not limited to hard water, immunodeficiency, vitamin/mineral deficiency, external damage such as rough forage and in some cases an allergic reaction. With blood work and a nutrition expert these cases can usually be dealt with.

02/22/2023

Great information from a great source

: You shouldn’t give a hot horse cold water.

It’s commonly believed that it isn’t safe to give a hot horse cold water to drink, that it’s better to give them lukewarm water when they’re hot.

This is not true.

A recent study found water temperature (ambient vs. chilled) to have no effect on horses, or their consumption during hot summer weather.

The conclusion? There’s no need to restrain your horse from water after a workout, or to warm up water before they are allowed to drink.

02/07/2023

Had a great time at the convention for the IAED (international association of equine dentistry). I loved learning from the great presenters and learning about the future of our industry. Can’t wait till next year!

01/16/2023

Great information from the best nutritionist out there

Myth: I can't feed beet pulp due to the sugar content.

Fact: The name "sugar beet" can be a bit misleading. Sugar beets are grown and harvested to make sucrose and sugar, and beet pulp is the plant material left over once the sugar has been removed. Therefore, beet pulp contains minimal sugar. Dried beet pulp is available with or without molasses. When molasses is added, it is at a very small level (about 3%) to help reduce dust and improve taste. That amount doesn't make much difference in the total sugar content of the diet, so unless you have a horse with insulin resistance or another metabolic disease, it is completely safe to feed beet pulp with or without molasses.

12/24/2022

Almost like a Christmas card

Fonzy wishes everyone a Merry Christmas!

12/23/2022

Yes, we’ve seen this viral post and we are here to shine some light on the argumentative side. 🐴🌱

Beet pulp is one of the best tools in a horse owner’s arsenal of feed choices. An easily digestible byproduct of sugar beets, beet pulp is dehydrated and sold in pellets or shredded in bags. However, beet pulp is dry and expands when water is added. These tendencies have led to rumors that it causes choke (esophageal obstruction) or even makes a horse’s stomach explode if it isn’t soaked before feeding. Numerous studies and posts from veterinarians around the world demonstrate that these rumors are false.

Don’t believe us? We’ve provided links to some excellent and reputable articles by equine veterinarians and nutritionists regarding the choking myth.

Nobody wants to choke a horse - especially us. But some horses are prone to choking. Generally this is a problem that starts with a horse’s eating behavior — such as bolting his/her food — not due to the feed itself.

The benefits of beet pulp to a horse - excellent digestion, same energy as oats, low sugar, ulcer and colic prevention and cheap cost just to name a few - are enormous. Please don’t let one noisy voice detract from what multiple other experts are saying - that beet pulp is one of the healthiest, most cost-effective and safest feeds there is.

Midwest Agri, providing quality food and resources you can trust since day 1. 🐴🌱

👉🏼 https://aaep.org/horsehealth/feeding-beet-pulp

👉🏼 https://equimed.com/health-centers/nutrition/articles/debunking-4-popular-myths-about-beet-pulp-for-horses

👉🏼 https://thehorse.com/1112522/feeding-beet-pulp-does-not-add-choke-risk/

👉🏼 https://ker.com/equinews/answer/horses-bolting-and-choking-feed/

12/21/2022

Horse owners: Please check if you are feeding alfalfa cubes. There has been a recall of Top of the Rockies alfalfa cubes due to concerns of botulism. Please check you bags of feed for these codes: 111222, 111322, 111422, 111522 and 111622. The code can be found on the front of the bag, towards the top of the bag. It is usually in the white portion of the bag but can sometimes be found in the brown portion of the bag. The code represents the month, day, and year the cubes were manufactured. There have been 45 horse deaths associated with this issue, to date. Please call if you have any questions or concerns!

12/11/2022

As the new year rolls around let your horse start it out right with a new mouth!

✨Now through the end of the year anyone who schedules before January 2nd will receive $50 OFF per horse!

✨No travel or any other fees.🛻
✨Travel to you so no trailering needed

12/02/2022

Did you know that in between 2.5 years and 4.5 a horse will shed 24 baby teeth. Along with these teeth we also have wolf teeth (picture 2) and these cause issues in the bit and are usually pulled when a horse is gelded. Below I will put the ages in which they lose their caps.

Incisors
~First incisor set (picture one) sheds at 2.5 and are in contact by 3
~Second set of four shed at 3.5 and are coming into contact at 4
~The third set of four incisors shed at 4.5 and are contacting by 5

Molars
~The first set of 4 molars closest to the nose sheds at 2.5 and is in wear by 3
~ The second set shed at 3 and are in contact by 3.5
~The last set shed at 3.5 and in contact by 4

11/28/2022

Incisors otherwise know as the front teeth are also prone to issues like the molars, some of these problems we call a DGL (diagonal bite), ventral/dorsal curve (smile/frown) and over/under bites.

Although some horses may never need their incisors worked on most will need them done. What that entails is correcting the angle or the issue, this is done with power rotary instruments that can remove the spot of the tooth where needed. In the pictures are a dorsal curve and two DGL’s one more severe than the other.

To some the correction process may look and sound like it can cause issues, but if done correctly it frees up movement of the lower jaw allow the horse to eat properly.

11/13/2022

One of the struggles in the horse industry is finding a bit that your horse likes. Be it a snaffle, port, roller or the many other choices that are out there. For some horses gaping their mouth is a way to avoid pain or discomfort. Some sources of this pain can be bar/gum damage, sharp points within the mouth or improper bit seats. With proper dental care this can sometimes be avoided allowing the horse to be comfortable with any but that you use.

11/04/2022

For people buying a grade horse are taking a gamble on the age. For horses age we can go of the galvaynes groove for a rough estimate.
~9 years old and below there is no groove
~10 the groove would just be starting to be visible (picture 1)
~15 the groove would be halfway down the tooth (picture 2)
~20 the groove would just be reaching the bottom of the tooth (picture 3)
~25 the top of the groove (wings) would be halfway down the tooth (picture 4 horse would be roughly 23)
~30+ the top of the groove would be at the bottom of the tooth about to be gone (not pictured)