Horse_Illustrated_-_October_2019

[ 48 horseillustrated.com | october 2019 ]

PHYsIOlOGY

Horses and most other grazing species have

what are called “hypsodont” teeth. This means

the teeth have a large crown (the part above

the gum line) that continues to grow up from

the gum over the animal’s lifetime. This con-

tinual tooth growth is necessary due to the

constant wear and tear on the molars during

grazing.

If you look at an X-ray of a young horse’s

head, you’ll see enormously long molars

embedded in the jaw. These teeth will slowly

continue to push through the gums during

the horse’s entire life. A senior horse’s jaw will

have hardly any molars left below the gum.

This makes them more prone to losing teeth,

which becomes a problem as the molar oppo-

site the missing tooth is likely to overgrow,

resulting in uneven wear or the formation of

sharp points on the remaining tooth.

A common expression for an older horse

with missing or severely worn teeth is that he’s

“run out of tooth.” Missing teeth and the gaps

they create in the mouth can also impinge on

a horse’s natural jaw movement, resulting in

pain and ineffi cient chewing.

Additionally, a horse’s upper jaw is wider

than the lower jaw. If you watch a horse chew,

you’ll notice his mouth moves side to side, not

up and down, to thoroughly grind down fi brous

plant material.

WeaR anD teaR

Over the course of a horse’s life, uneven tooth

wear can gradually cause problems. In some

cases, this produces a condition called wave

mouth, where some molars are taller than oth-

ers, creating what looks like a rollercoaster on

the grinding surface of the horse’s back teeth.

More typically, uneven wear creates sharp

points on the edges of some molars. Although

these points can and do develop in younger

horses’ mouths, they are seen more frequently

in our older equines, usually because mild

dental issues have been missed or ignored and

are compounded as the horse ages.

As you might imagine, a sharp point in the

mouth can be extremely painful, with the end

result producing a red ulcer either on the side

of the tongue or along the inside of the cheek.

These sores can make eating diffi cult.

In younger horses, the molars are tightly

packed together with no room in between. This

means they don’t typically get cavities or gum

disease like humans do. However, as a horse

ages and his teeth are progressively worn, gaps

are created between the teeth. This allows feed

to accumulate and sometimes get impacted

between molars.

This can irritate and infl ame the gums

and even result in infections, leading to an

abscessed tooth. If not addressed, this infection

can progress into the sinus or the jaw. Occa-

Uneven wear creates sharp points on

the edges of some molars. They are seen

more frequently in our older equines,

usually because mild dental issues have

been missed or ignored and are

compounded as the horse ages.

FEEDING THE SENIOR HORSE

As your beloved partner ages,
his nutrition needs change as
tooth growth slows or stops.
Eating slower, quidding, weight
or muscle loss, and even choke
may be caused by dental issues
or discomfort.
If your horse starts show-
ing signs of dental problems,
consult your veterinarian and
consider making adjustments to
your feeding program.
■ BUILT-IN FORAGE: Horses
need at least 1.5 to 2 percent of

their body weight in forage (hay

or pasture) daily to maintain

proper gut health. As horses age

and lose the ability to effectively

chew and salivate, eating and

digesting long-stemmed forage

becomes more diffi cult.

Complete feeds are formu-

lated with high-quality fi ber,

and they are designed to supply

all or part of the daily forage a

horse needs in an easy-to-chew

and digest pellet. Alternatively,

you can add chopped hay or

other pelleted forages to your

horse’s diet.

■ PALATABILITY: Senior

horses can become fi nicky

eaters, making it diffi cult for

you to maintain their weight.

When choosing a senior feed,

look for a highly palatable feed,

but watch out for feeds with

excessive sugar and starch

content.

Consider a feed that includes

a blend of molasses and oil

to improve palatability and

boost fat content (compared to

straight cane molasses, which

is higher in sugar). A molasses/

oil blend can help entice a picky

horse to keep eating while keep-

ing the sugar and starch content

at the right levels for horses with

carbohydrate sensitivities.

■ EASILY DIGESTIBLE:

Saliva production can start

to decrease in aging horses.

Saliva helps horses swallow

and digest hay and feed. A

highly digestible and easy-