b"Arizona Ask the VetREAL COUNTRY SOMETHING TO the magazine CHEW ONMike BarnaPublisherArizonaRealCountryMagazine@gmail.com YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD VARIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT TEETH FLOATING. Everything from I never float my Erika Smith Royal horses teeth to it needs to be done for optimum performance and health to every six months for Editor horses less than five years of age and over 17. So what erika963realcountry@gmail.com is it? Never? Every six months? The lives and diets of horses have changed dramatically Misty Voitovski but the one thing that is still the same is the teeth of the Creative Director horse still have an incredibly long root that allows the tooth to continue to erupt throughout the horses life. Because tooth biology has not changed but we have Contributing Writers removed some of the normal conditions of the horse, Lee AndersonSam Buchert the result is that abnormalities occur. The trouble with blanket recommendations is that they do not take into Oz JohnsonJustin Legleraccount each individual horse.Emilio MartinezBetsy NunnIt is the recommendation of the American Association Jim & Bobbi Jeen Olsonof Equine Practitioners (a group whose commitment Bill RobertsAlan Rockmanis to improve the health and welfare of the horse) thatChoose the person working on your horses teeth horses receive routine dental care. The role of routinecarefully. Before you have anyone do any procedure, Bob RoloffJohn Samsill dental care is to improve chewing, relieve pain, to treatask them to show you the problem and explain why it Hank ShefferMichele Wilson and cure infection and to promote the general health,needs to be addressed. Then you may question what productivity and longevity of the horse. It is importantis really needed. Veterinarians are trained in equine to remember that dentistry includes not only the teethmedicine, surgery and dentistry. They are licensed to 801 W. Wickenburg Way and mouth but the sinuses, bones of the jaw and thepractice on your entire horse and are equipped with Wickenburg, AZ 85390 temporomandibular joint.proper equipment for diagnosis and treatment. They are not only licensed but insured. Finally, they are (602) 254-6644 So what is routine dental care? Specifically, it isprepared to refer your horse if indicated. examination of the structures mentioned at intervals ArizonaRealCountry.com based on the biology of the horse. If abnormalitiesAn adult horse may have between 36-44 permanent are found especially if they result in clinical signs,teeth. And just like humans, your horse gets two sets then they should be addressed. Recommendationsof teeth in her lifetime. Your horse starts out with for routine dental examination include examinationtemporary baby teeth and by age five, will most likely at foaling, three months, and every six months untilhave her full set of permanent teeth.a full complement of permanent teeth are present at around 5 years. Yearly examinations after this untilThe horse's front teeth cut hay and grass, while the horses are 20 years old, and then they should betop and bottom cheek teeth grind the forage between examined twice yearly again.the flat surfaces in a sideways motion. This grinding Follow Arizona Realaction breaks down the food into a pulp before Country for news, events,Some owners do opt to have their horses teethswallowing which helps it to be digested better. If your checked annually by a veterinarian. Others, however,horse is unable to grind down food all the way due to giveaways and more! dont consider a dental check-up unless their horseuneven teeth surfaces, the unchewed food will not be appears to have an issuelike difficulty chewing ordigested as well.resistance to the bit. As is often noted, horses are very stoic, which means they tolerate and disguise painThough it may seem tedious and like a burden, you Arizona Real Country is owned andquite expertly. A horse could be suffering from anyknow having routine dentist check-ups contribute published by Barna Broadcastingnumber of common teeth troubles, and you mightto the overall good health of your own teeth. Well, a LLC. No person, organization or partynever know it. A dental exam will reveal issues likehorse is no different and deserves some of the same can copy or reproduce the contentmisalignment, unshed caps (baby teeth), the presenceattention to their teeth as you give to yours. Taking on our website and/or magazine orof wolf teeth, fractured molars, loose or rotting teethcare of a horse's teeth is part of maintaining the any part of this publication withoutand, most commonly, sharp enamel points.horse's health. Confined horses or those that do not have the ability to graze all day are more prone to a written consent from the editorsImportantly examination is indicated any time ifteeth overgrowth, as they are not naturally grinding panel and the author of the content, asthere are changes in attitude, changes in appetite, antheir teeth all day to keep them smooth. Also, just like applicable. The publisher, authors andincrease in the time it takes to eat, a change in manureyou, your horse can have other dental problems. contributors reserve their rights withconsistency, odor from the mouth or nostrils, nasal regards to copyright of their work. discharge, facial swelling or postural abnormalitiesAt the time of examination, it may be noted that there including head tilt or head shaking. are abnormalities that, in conjunction with clinical continued on page 7ArizonaRealCountry.com March 2021 5"