Teeth of Horses

Cromwell Argus, Volume LXX, Issue 3627, 3 July 1939, Page 2

Teeth of Horses

How to Treat Irregularities The horse has two dentitions —■ a milk dentition and a permanent dentition. The Incisors are premolars are milk teeth, and are replaced in dtfecourse by permanent teeth. The centre permanent Incisors appear from two and a half to three years old, the lateral from three and a half to four years old, and the corner ones from four and a half to five years old, when the animal is said to have a full mouth. The tushes seldom appear before the age of four years, are well up at four and a half years, and are level with the corner incisors at five years. In mares, these canines seldom appear. Occasionally the milk teeth are not shed before the appearance of the permanent ones, and they may interfere with their normal growth, pushing them out of position. Removal of these milk teeth sometimes is necessary, and this is done with small forceps, or even by levering them sideways with a strong knife blade. Never break them off. After their removal the permanent tooth soon straightens up. Many horses, particularly aged horses, lose condition because of pinnacles and sharp edges on the molars, and which may prevent the proper mastication of food. These irregular projections are found on the outside of the upper and the inside of the lower molars, sometimes cutting into the cheeks and tongue, causing painful sores; or, one molar may be found to have grown too long, through decay of the opposite one, and consequent lack of wear, that it prevents the other molars from meeting, and the horse is unable to grind its food. An affected animal shows distress in chewing by holding its head on one side to chew, and eventually dropping the half-masticated bolus from its mouth. Other evidences of distress are an objection to the bit being put into its mouth by tossing the head, or by ‘ running away from the bit” when pressure is applied to the reins. Indigestion and colic are usually the consequence of this condition. , “ The remedy lies in the careful and patient use of the tooth rasp, which is used in conjunction with a mouth gag, care being taken not to destroy the natural bevel of the teeth, for it must be remembered that mastication is performed by movement of the bottom jaw, the bevel of the teeth providing the resistance, so that food may be properly ground. After the teeth have been levelled, the mouth should be swabbed out with a solution of borax and water, and a suitable tonic given with feed —such as gentian root powdered, four parts sulphate of iron, powdered, two parts nux vomica, tablespoonfuls of the mixture should be given twice daily in a small quantity of dry feed.