BTB: Bite me: Harv's dental dilemma |  |
| Bite me: Harv's dental dilemma Posted: 15 Sep 2010 12:38 PM PDT  Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, 1605 This quote (one of my favorites from Cervantes' Don Quixote) is more true of horses than of people. They live by their molars and their health depends on their ability to grind. So it alarmed me to note that Harv, who used to tear into hay with great gusto, has not been eating well. He takes tiny pieces, slowly, and with modest success. I had a dentist out. Unfortunately he came during Bob's emergency hospitalization, and I couldn't speak to him directly. I heard second-hand that Harv's teeth were worn down and that he would likely have trouble eating coarse hay. What? He's only 23. I started to think back to his past dental care -- he's gotten regular care, but.... There are a number of dentists used at my barn. I confess that I've signed up with whoever happens to be coming out, so in the last five years he's had about 3-4 dentists. Last week, when my vet came to give Riley his shots for Devon, I had her take a look at Harv. My vet's assessment Harv's jaw is uneven. His lower molars don't meet any more; they're down to the gumline. The upper molars are taller and have more occlusion, which means that they have a better grinding surface. With this uneven bite he can only use the back molars. It's possible this is just the way his teeth are wearing down, but Harv's checkered past with regard to dental professionals could be a contributing factor. "3 out of 4 dentists recommend NOT over-filing" In talking to an area horse professional, I learned that most of Harv's past dentists have good reps -- but one has, or had, a reputation for removing a lot of tooth. He's not incompetent, it's the way he works. It seems that some performance horse dentists adhere to a philosophy that it is beneficial to file teeth aggressively. The rationale is that if horses can move their mouths easily from side to side, they will be more comfortable in the bridle. This practice is falling out of favor, for good reasons. Horses managed this way have eating problems, and in some cases their teeth break off or into pieces. Was Harv filed too aggressively? I don't know. Whether through normal wear and aging, or through dental exuberance, he's having trouble eating. I'm not interested in dentist-bashing, especially when there is no real way of knowing what happened. But a word of advice -- do a little research on your dentist. Ask around. So what about Harv? What are my options? Find out in an upcoming post...  |
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