Quality Equine Care

Many problems associated with lowered performance and perceived behavioral issues may actually be signs of pain in the feet. Refusing jumps, difficulty in executing leads, loss of performance and more can indicate foot pain. Hock, stifle, caudal heels, knees back and even bitting problems may simply be pain and damage as the result of hoof imbalances. Taking preemptive action can optimize long term health and welfare of the performance horse and reduce or avoid down time, withdrawing from competition, and costly rehabilitation programs. Before considering joint injections, it is prudent to take a balance radiographic series of the hooves to make certain that hoof imbalance is not the root of the problem. If this is corrected, the injections will be repeated less often or not at all. Some horses improve without the injection entirely.

Consider hoof health as an integral portion of routine annual herd health protocol. “No hoof, no horse” holds true even today. Annual balance radiographs with Metron analysis can assist the farrier in keeping your horse sound and fit for performance. Deepwood utilizes digital systems with a specialty platform to assure optimal positioning both ambulatory and in-house. Minor performance loss (small deviations) can be identified early on comparing a timeline of routine podiatry images for analysis. Acute on-set of lameness can reference baseline radiographs to rule out new from existing pathology for accurate diagnostic and focus on the right treatment protocol. Routine balance radiograph checks can help fine-tweak the horse’s individual needs for peak performance output as well as provide long term hoof maintenance support.

Diagnostics

• Radiography – Analysis of soft and hard tissue parameters and distal limb biomechanics is accomplished through digital systems. Both DR and CR systems are available.

• Venography – Deepwood is the only clinic in Northern Virginia offering the Venogram procedure with Dr. Myers’ extensive experience in interpretation. This diagnostic technique yields detailed information about the health of the blood supply to the hoof and attendant structures to direct prognosis and treatment of laminitis and other hoof related issues.

• Biomechanics – Deepwood Veterinary Clinic is the only clinic in the area offering extensive experience in interpretation of biomechanics through balance radiography to create customized farrier prescription. Dr. Myers utilizes years of veterinary and farrier expertise, combined with the Metron measuring system.

• Ultrasound – Ultrasonography is utilized to image soft tissue lesions (tendons and ligaments) to formulate therapeutic plans.

• Thermography – Comprehensive thermography services are available through EquineIR services. A complete body imaging scan can be done at very reasonable cost.

Treatments

• Medical – Deepwood uses state-of-the-art healing modalities including stem cell stimulation, unique anti-inflammatory products without side effects, acupuncture and cold laser therapy.

• Surgical – Dr. Myers has extensive experience in surgery of the hoof and distal limb. Hoof wall resections and tenotomy are just two of the procedures that can be performed either in the clinic or on-site, dependent on the circumstances. However, we do not have a full surgical suite, and can perform only podiatry surgeries that can be performed on the standing patient.

• Podiatry – Dr. Myers offers his expertise as a farrier to perform the initial correction of the hoof and apply an appropriate prosthesis to set up the hoof healing environment. He will then direct your farrier how to maintain the corrections. We work directly with your farrier to keep your horse’s hooves at their best.

Common Dental Problems

Horses may suffer from many dental problems. The most common include:

• Sharp enamel points forming on cheek teeth, causing lacerations of cheeks and tongue

• Retained caps (deciduous teeth that are not shed)

• Discomfort caused by bit contact with the wolf teeth

• Hooks forming on the upper and lower cheek teeth

• Long and/or sharp canine (bridle) teeth interfering with the insertion or removal of the bit

• Lost and/or broken teeth

• Abnormal or uneven bite planes

• Excessively worn teeth

• Abnormally long teeth

• Infected teeth and/or gums

• Misalignment/poor apposition (can be due to congenital defects or injury)

• Periodontal (gum) disease

Recognizing Dental Problems

Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. That is due to the fact that some horses simply adapt to their discomfort. For this reason, periodic dental examinations are essential. Indicators of dental problems include:

• Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive salivation

• Loss of body condition

• Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure

• Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit, or resisting bridling

• Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking

• Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth

• Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw, or mouth tissues

Oral exams should be an essential part of an annual physical examination by a veterinarian. Every dental exam provides the opportunity to perform routine preventative dental maintenance. The end result is a healthier, more comfortable horse.

Floating & Preventative Maintenance

An oral examination should be an essential part of an annual physical examination by a veterinarian. Every dental exam provides the opportunity to perform routine preventative dental maintenance. The end result is a healthier, more comfortable horse. 

Routine maintenance of a horse’s teeth has been historically referred to as “floating.” Floating removes the sharp enamel points. Occlusal equilibration is the term now used to describe smoothing enamel points, correcting malocclusion, balancing the dental arcades and correcting other dental problems listed under “Common Dental Problems.” A complete oral examination should precede any dental procedures. 

When turned out on pasture, horses graze almost continuously, picking up dirt and grit in the process. This, plus the silicate in grass, wears down the teeth. Stabled horses, however, may not give their teeth the same workout. Feedings are more apt to be scheduled, not continuous, and include processed grains and hays. Softer feeds require less chewing. This may allow the horse’s teeth to become excessively long or to wear unevenly. Adult teeth erupt throughout life and are worn down by chewing.

Because the horse’s lower rows of cheek teeth are closer together than the upper rows of cheek teeth and the horse chews with a sideways motion, sharp points form along the edges of the cheek teeth. Points form on the outside (cheek side) of the upper teeth and tongue side of the lower teeth. These points should be smoothed to prevent damage and ulceration of the cheeks and tongue.

Routine examination and correction is especially important in horses that are missing teeth or whose teeth are not wearing properly becasue of misalignment. For example, if the front or last cheek teeth are out of alignment, hooks can form.

Untreated, these hooks can become long or sharp enough to damage soft tissue. Short hooks or other malocclusions may be corrected with hand instruments. Tall malocclusions may be corrected with motorized instruments. Motorized instruments have replaced molar cutters and chisels because there is less chance of tooth damage. Tall malocclusions may require several treatments spread over 12 to 18 months.

The Age Factor

The age of a horse affects the degree of attention and frequency of dental care required. Consider these points:

• Foals should be examined shortly after birth and periodically during the first year to diagnose and correct congenital dental abnormalities (existing from birth).

• Yearlings have been found to have enamel points sharp enough to damage cheek and tongue tissue. Floating will make them more comfortable.

• Horses going into training for the first time, especially 2- and 3-year-olds, need a comprehensive dental check-up. Teeth should be floated to remove any sharp points and checked for retained caps. Caps should be removed if they have not been shed. This should be done before training begins to prevent training problems related to sharp teeth.

• Horses aged 2 to 5 years may require more frequent dental exams than older horses. Deciduous teeth tend to be softer than permanent teeth and may develop sharp enamel points more quickly Also, there is an extraordinary amount of dental maturation during this period. Twenty-four teeth will be shed and replaced by 36 to 40 adult teeth. To prevent maleruption problems, twice-a-year examinations are appropriate for young horses from birth to 5 years of age.

• Mature horses should get a thorough dental examination at least annually to maintain correct dental alignment and to diagnose dental problems as early as possible.

• Senior horses (17 years old or older) are at increased risk for developing periodontal disease. This painful disease must be diagnosed early for a successful treatment. Also, it is important to maintain a correct bite plane during a horse’s teens in order to ensure a functional grinding surface beyond 20 years of age. Beyond the age of 20, the tooth surfaces may be worn excessively and/or unevenly, and dental alignment correction may be impossible.

• Horses over 20 years of age should receive a dental evaluation and nutritional counseling at least annually to maintain their conditioning and quality of life. With routine dental care, many horses will maintain a functional dentition into their third and fourth decades of life.

Developing Greater Awareness

If a horse starts behaving abnormally, dental problems should be considered as a potential cause.

Abnormalities should be corrected and teeth should be floated and maintained as indicated.

Wolf teeth are routinely extracted from performance horses to prevent interference with the bit and its associated pain.

Sedatives, local anesthetics, and analgesics can relax the horse and keep it more comfortable during floating and other dental procedures. Such drugs should be administered only by a veterinarian.

Most equine dental procedures, including basic floating, irreversibly change the horse’s teeth and therefore are most appropriately performed by a veterinarian.

If your equine practitioner finds a loose tooth, he or she may extract it. This may reduce the chance of infection or other problems.

Canine teeth, usually present in mature geldings and stallions, may be rounded and smoothed. This procedure is performed to prevent interference with the bit and to reduce the possibility of injury to the horse, the handler and other horses pastured or stabled with the horse.

Depending upon the condition of your horse’s teeth, more than one visit from your equine practitioner may be required to get the mouth in prime working order.

It is important to catch dental problems early. Waiting too long may increase the difficulty of correcting certain conditions or may even make correction impossible.

More Serious Dental Ailments

Serious dental conditions can develop, such as infections of the teeth and gums, extremely long hooks or overgrowths on the cheek teeth, and lost or fractured teeth. These conditions may require advanced dental care and/or extraction by a qualified veterinarian. Your equine practitioner can recommend the best treatment or refer your horse to a dental specialist if indicated.