Each owner is responsible for the health of the animals. It must be remembered that the teeth and oral cavity of a horse are the most important organs. It is necessary to constantly monitor their condition and promptly treat diseases or injuries. Thoroughbred horses are thought to have harder bone mass than normal horses. However, nutrition and care for any horses must be appropriate.
Horse teeth: structure and features
Horses of any breed have the same number of teeth: an adult stallion has 40, and a mare has 36.Experienced horse breeders determine the age of the animal based on the condition of the oral cavity. As a rule, horses have literally all their teeth ground down by the age of 12. This process is influenced by several factors: quality of nutrition, defects in the location of the upper and lower jaws.
Incisors
There are 12 upper and lower incisors in total; they can be permanent or primary. They can be distinguished by their shade and size: the permanent ones are larger and stand out in a yellowish color. Incisors are divided into three types:
- the hooks are located in the center;
- the middle ones sprout on both sides of the hooks;
- edges.
The animal cuts off greens with its incisors, grabs food and partially crushes the food. It is with the incisors that horses can bite painfully.
Fangs
This species is considered a vestigial because these teeth are not involved in chewing food. All animals have deciduous canines, but most adult mares (approximately 96%) do not have canines. Animals' fangs most often erupt at the age of 4-5 years. However, there are exceptions when eruption occurs earlier - at 2 years, or later - at 7-8 years.
The fangs grow in a sharp shape, with a rough inner surface and a smooth outer surface. As a rule, the canines erupt close to the incisors, and as the horse matures, they move away from the front teeth and turn around a little. At the same time, the inner surface loses its roughness and becomes smoother.
The upper canines in adult animals wear down to the gums, and the lower ones become blunt and become a little longer. The presence of stones on the tusks indicates the considerable age of the horse.
Permanent teeth
Each horse has 12 molars, 6 in the upper and lower jaws. An empty area of gums separates the molars from the incisors and canines.Molar teeth are divided into milk teeth - premolars (changed in an animal at the age of 2-3 years) and permanent teeth.
Constants grow at horses at different ages. The first ones appear in 10-month-old foals. They then germinate at the age of 20 months. And the last molars appear in three-year-old horses. Since eruption lasts for several years, this feature makes it possible to approximately determine the age of the animal. It is the molars that are involved in chewing large and rough food.
Defects and anomalies
The main flaw is the appearance of an extra tooth (called a “top” or “profitable”). This defect can occur in horses at different ages. The “top” can cause discomfort and pain to the animal. This is due to the fact that the “tops” have a cone-shaped shape with a sharp apex, sprout haphazardly and lead to traumatic inflammation of the jaws, which contributes to changes in the animal’s behavior. The horse begins to chew slowly and carefully, the way it eats changes, and sometimes the animal loses its appetite. Usually the “tops” fall out naturally after some time.
Important! If the “top” does not fall out for a long time, and the animal begins to experience pain and suffer, it is recommended to seek help from a veterinarian.
A much less common defect is the absence of incisors on the upper jaw. Naturally, such defects cannot be cured. Such horses are able to fully grow and develop, adapting to chew food like cows. An anomaly is considered to be the simultaneous germination of milk and root. In this case, the erupting molar changes its natural position relative to the gum. As a rule, shift delay problems are solved by removing the milk.
Change and eruption of teeth in horses
Stallions usually have no teeth at birth. During the first 6-7 days of life, primary incisors and hooks appear. The middle ones grow later, the edges sprout at 8-9 months. As a rule, animals undergo milk production before the age of five. At the age of 2-3 years, the permanent incisors are replaced by the falling out deciduous ones.
How to properly care for your horse's teeth
Horses use their teeth to tear off grass, grab and chew food, defend themselves and attack. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure proper care of the vital organ. The horse breeder should inspect the oral cavity of horses regularly so as not to miss signs of emerging diseases. The incisors should hold tightly, close evenly, forming one line. The enamel must be free of cracks.
A properly equipped feeding area is an important aspect of raising an animal. It is not recommended to hang the feeder high. Under natural conditions, a horse nibbles grass and chews it with its head bowed low. Under other conditions, tooth wear occurs faster. Sugary treats cause rot. Therefore, it is not recommended to give treats with sugar to horses. A healthy and healthy treat would be a regular carrot.
Advice! It is not advisable to hit the teeth with the bit, as this can damage the incisors.
Diseases and their treatment
The most common is caries - a pathological process, damage to the enamel. Signs of the disease: small gray or brown spots appear on the tooth surface, gradually turning black, chewing movements become difficult, and an unpleasant odor appears. The hard part of the tooth disintegrates, and other tissues are destroyed. Deep carious cavities can cause teeth to split. The upper molars are more often affected, less often the lower molars.Treatment is prescribed depending on the extent of caries spread. If there is significant damage, the tooth is removed.
Violation of uniform wear of teeth provokes the appearance of sharp edges. A similar disorder occurs in animals with a small amount of roughage. Since the inner cheek surface and tongue are constantly injured while chewing food, the horse’s appetite decreases. You can get rid of the problem using a hand rasp; you should also review the horse’s diet.
Cracks in the enamel appear due to mechanical damage (foreign elements are found in the feed - pebbles, chips, metal parts).
Injured teeth cause inflammation of the tongue and gums. Animals begin to eat less food or refuse to eat altogether. Damage can be repaired with a rasp; debris is removed under local anesthesia.
Horses' oral health should be monitored throughout their life. Diseases and organ damage cause loss of appetite and physical fitness of the animal. In order for an animal to fully grow and develop, you need to regularly examine the animal’s teeth yourself, prepare a proper diet and arrange the place where it is kept.
