Equine dental treatment

Dental care for horses – right in your stable

Healthy teeth are essential for your horse to properly digest its food and accept its teeth properly. Horse teeth wear out over a lifetime and wear down unevenly. This results in sharp edges, hooks, and ridges, often unnoticed for a long time.

Our veterinary team examines and treats your horse’s teeth in its home stable – using equipment from the company Dentalvet and, if necessary, digital X-rays on-site. You do not need to transport your horse for this.

How to recognize dental problems

Many horses develop dental problems only late in life or not at all. Be on the lookout for these signs or have your horse's teeth regularly checked by us:

• Feed falls out of the mouth when chewed; chewed hay is left as pellets („wicking“)
• slow or one-sided chewing, head held crooked when eating
• Weight loss despite adequate feeding
• long fibrous pieces or whole grains in the stool
• Problems with riding: head shaking, resistance to the jaw, one-sided attachment
• Unpleasant smell from the mouth
• unilateral, foul-smelling nasal discharge or swelling in the jaw

If your horse suddenly gets very excitable, this can also be the case. Slobber syndrome It is important to get behind the teeth. Because tooth problems often remain inconspicuous for a long time, regular check-ups are also advisable even when everything seems fine.

This is how dental treatment works here

1. Preliminary consultation and general examination: We ask about feeding, eating behavior, and problems with riding.
2. Sedation: Dental treatments are generally performed under sedation. Before starting, we examine your horse, especially its heart and circulation, and administer a dose that is individually adjusted to ensure the least possible discomfort. This keeps your horse relaxed, and we can also thoroughly assess the back teeth.
3. Examination of the oral cavity: Using a dental microscope, a special light, a dental mirror, and if necessary an endoscope, we examine each tooth, the gums, and the tongue.
4. Treatment: With the electric device, we carefully abrade sharp edges, hooks, and steps. The goal is to achieve a uniform grinding surface, not a smooth finish.
5. Findings and recommendations: We explain the findings to you, document them in your horse’s dental record, and recommend the appointment for the next checkup.

How to prepare the treatment area (power supply, mounting options, assistance personnel) is described in Information leaflet on dental treatment.

Treatment usually takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on the horse's dental condition. After that, your horse should only eat again when the sedation has worn off, usually after a maximum of 2 hours.

X-rays of the teeth – when looking into the mouth isn’t enough

Some problems cannot be seen in the mouth: inflammation of the tooth roots, fractures below the gumline, or changes in the incisors of older horses. With our mobile digital X-ray device We X-ray the teeth directly in the stable; we can see the images immediately.

For example, we do X-rays:

• after head injuries, e.g. from blows
• with unilateral nasal discharge
• in case of suspected dental abscess or jaw fracture
• in the case of teeth that stand out during dental check-ups
• in case of sudden head tilting or sudden resistance to the bite
• in cases of malocclusion or suspected EOTRH

Young horses, sports horses, seniors

Depending on age and use, we pay attention to different things:

• Young horses (approx. 2–5 years old): Tooth replacement – milk teeth that do not fall out on their own; adult teeth if they interfere with chewing before the eruption
• Horse and sports horses: Sharp edges on the back teeth, which injure the cheek and tongue; good bite alignment
• Seniors (from about 15 years old): loose teeth, gaps with trapped food, changes in the incisors (EOTRH); advice on feeding

How often for dental check-ups?

We recommend that adult horses undergo a dental checkup once a year. We recommend that young horses undergo a dental checkup every six months because things change more quickly in them.

Practical: Dental checkups are easy to arrange with the annual Vaccination or connect to other dates.

Veterinarian or equine dentist?

In addition to veterinarians, our dental clinic also employs equine dentists. Our clinic is always staffed by a female veterinarian, which has three advantages:

• Sedation: Sedatives for horses are prescription-only; sedation can only be administered by a veterinarian. He/she must also have the necessary antidotes on hand in case of any possible intolerances.
• Diagnosis and Therapy If necessary, we can perform X-rays, treat inflammation, and administer painkillers.
• An appointment for more: Dental checkups, vaccinations, or a health check-up can all be done during a visit.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the treatment take?
Usually 30 to 60 minutes, with removal of loose teeth significantly longer. In addition, there is the time it takes for the sedation to wear off.

Does my horse need to be sedated?
Yes, we generally perform the procedure under sedation. It makes the treatment stress-free for the horse and allows for a thorough examination of the entire mouth, including the very back teeth.

Can tooth plaque be removed?
Yes. Cavities form in horses primarily on the incisors, which are usually only found in stallions and mares. We remove them during treatment.

When can my horse eat again after the treatment?
As soon as the sedation wears off, usually after 1.5 to 2 hours. Until then, please do not feed your horse, so that he does not choke while in semi-sleep. On the day of the dental treatment, it is best not to feed him with grain or biscuits: some horses need time to get used to the new tooth position and may then swallow this food without thoroughly chewing it. This can lead to a blockage in the gullet.

Will you come to me too?
We serve the Greater Düsseldorf area – from Duisburg, Krefeld and Kempen to Neuss, Mönchengladbach, Viersen and Willich as well as Mettmann, Ratingen and Dormagen.