Dental Problems

Signs of Trouble

• Quidding

• Dropping food

• Weight loss

• Nasal Discharge

• Head tilting while chewing

• Dunking

• Colic

• Performance issues

• Excess salivation

• Halitosis

• difficulty w/the bit while riding

• Undigested feed in manure

• Swelling with or without fistula formation

• Pocketing of food in the cheeks

• Head shaking

Congenital Dental disorders

Malocclusions

• Brachygnathia

• Prognathism

• Wry nose

• Supernumerary teeth

• Dentigerous cysts

Acquired Dental disease

-Tooth eruption issues

Uneven ear or overgrowth

Decay

Periodontal disease

Supernumerary teeth

• Occaisionly occur with incisors

• If it wears evenly → leave it

• If it continues to erupt or causes problems → cut, remove, float

Dentigerous Cyst

Caused by one or more rudimentary teeth that have developed in a weird location

• usually at the base of the ear

• Typically non painful, fluid swelling

• Surgical removal is recommended

Acquired dental disease

Tooth eruption issues, decay, tooth loss, overgrowth

Tooth eruption disorders

• Retained deciduous (baby) teeth

• Caps

• Removal to allow permanent teeth to grow into position

• Displacement→ wrong spot

Uneven Wear

• Injury

• Feed

• Conformation

• Overgrowth

• Slope mouth

• Wear

• Terrace/step

• Shear mouth

Overgrowth

Continuous growth w/ uneven wear

• Ulcers form in the cheek

• Often only detectable through oral exam

  • do preventative care rather than intervention