18/03/2026
Désolée mais une image vaut mieux que pleins les explications 🫣
ORAL EXAMINATION OF THE HORSE
Brian S. Burks, DVM
Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners®
Board-Certified in Equine Practice
Fox Run Equine Center
394 Fox Road
Apollo, PA 15613
(724) 727-3481
www.foxrunequine.com
Can you understand what your horse is telling you? Yes, your horse ‘talks’ to you, though you might not comprehend his or her language. Fighting the bit, tossing his head, not taking the proper lead, not eating well, or quidding (dropping food from the mouth while chewing) are indications that an oral examination is needed.
Veterinarians are trained to examine the mouth and treat diseases that might occur there. Although floating your horse’s teeth is important, a variety of oral lesions may be present. These may range from a simple abscess in the mouth, to missing teeth, periodontal infection, or a tooth root infection with sinusitis. The tongue, gums, oral mucosa, and hard palate should all be evaluated. Not only can your veterinarian provide an excellent oral examination, but can also evaluate your horse for concurrent diseases such as sinusitis, equine Cushing’s disease, metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes) kidney, liver, and heart disease.
A complete examination of the oral cavity requires knowledge of physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, neurology, and anatomy. Veterinary students spend many hours studying these subjects. The oral examination requires sedation as no horse will hold their head or tongue still enough to allow one a good look at the teeth, palates, tongue, oral mucosa, and oropharynx. The examination leads the veterinarian to form a judgement of what is abnormal, whether it is physiological or anatomical.
Adult horses have 36-44 teeth. The number varies depending upon the presence or absence of canine and wolf teeth (first premolars). Mares seldom have canines or wolf teeth; these are more common in males, who may have zero to four of each of these teeth. There are 12 incisors- the teeth in the front of the mouth- and 24 cheek teeth in four arcades, or rows. Thus there are right and left upper and lower rows of teeth.
Horses’ have hypsodont teeth which continually erupt throughout life. This is due to the large reserve crown in the tooth socket, which helps keep the tooth in place. The actual tooth root is very short, and will not hold well later in life. The gingiva, or gums, should be tightly sealed against the crown to prevent bacterial infiltration into the periodontal space and tooth root.
The teeth function in different ways. The incisors are responsible for shearing or cutting of forage, whilst the molars are responsible for mastication or grinding of food. This allows proper presentation to the alimentary tract. The incisors and canines may also be used as a defensive weapon against a predator.
Prehension, mastication, and swallowing are intertwined processes that are very complex. They involve salivary glands, the tongue, cranial nerves, lips, and muscles. The chewing motion is like a square; that is both up and down, but also side to side; there is a small amount of front to back movement as well. This way of mastication is very effective in breaking down forage prior to swallowing, but may result in the formation of sharp points on the buccal (outside0 of the upper cheek teeth, and on the lingual (inside) surface of the lower cheek teeth.
Your horse should have an oral examination at least once per year. Examination should begin following birth, to evaluate for any congenital problems that may need to be corrected. Young adults may need ‘caps,’ which are retained deciduous teeth, removed. These retained teeth can be a source of aggravation for both you and your horse, and may lead to early infections of the gum line. They can also result is misaligned teeth.
Proper oral examination begins with signalment and history. These include breed, age, s*x, housing, and nutrition. Also cribbing or windsucking can cause oral abnormalities. A complete physical examination should also be performed. Body Condition Score should be noted. Horses losing weight may have a systemic problem such as parasitism, gastric ulcers, etc., or may have a dental issue (or both) that needs to be addressed to allow proper mastication.
All horses should be sedated to allow a complete oral examination, provided they are otherwise healthy. Clinical signs of dental or oral disease may vary. They are dependent upon management and age of the horse. Any horse that eats slow, tosses his head, quids, is belligerent, has had colic, or has fetid breath should have a comprehensive oral examination. The face should be symmetric. Constant or intermittent drooling may also be noted. Signs of pain during chewing should also be noted.
Abnormal facial contours- swellings, bumps, draining tracts, and fractures- should be noted. Radiographs may be necessary to determine the precise nature of the problem. Multiple views may be necessary for full evaluation. There may be feed impacted between the cheek and teeth, or between the teeth themselves, which is not normal, and predisposes to further dental issues.
Dental issues may also cause problems distant to the oral cavity. A horse that tires easily may have a bacterial infection of the heart valves that originated from periodontal infection. I have also seen abdominal and hepatic (liver) abscesses from diseased gums. Drooping eyelids, chronic tearing, and deviations of the nose and lips may also indicate dental issues due to the proximity of ducts and nerves.
Instrumentation for oral examination may include a full oral speculum, a bright light, dose syringe, a dental mirror, and a head stand. Digital radiography and sinusoscopy equipment may also be necessary. There are also different dental floats for different areas of the mouth. The incisors, canines and pre-molars/molars should all be examined. Proper occlusion should be present, and if it is not, the source must be determined- the incisors may be overgrown, or the molars may have very long points or a wave mouth or a step, etc. Not only should the molar teeth be floated to remove sharp points, but the incisors should be examined to determine if the table needs to be leveled; missing teeth with subsequent overgrowth of the opposing tooth or an ‘upward smile’ may prevent proper movement of the jaw.
The teeth should be examined for proper alignment, symmetry and lateral excursion of the jaw. The veterinarian will also look for dental caries, oral trauma, and periodontal disease. Ulcers, lacerations, scarring, swelling, and masses should be noted, if any. Chronic sharp dental enamel may lacerate the cheeks or tongue. Masses may be cancerous (melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma), fungal granulomas, or reactions to foreign bodies (i.e., plant awns).
As a horse owner, you should understand what your horse may be telling you about his or her mouth. Thorough examination will pick up early problems, and resolve them quickly. At least annual dental care is mandatory, and will allow your horse to perform and be in optimal health.
Fox Run Equine Center
www.foxrunequine.com
(724) 727-3481
Dr. Brian Burks is the owner/director veterinarian at Fox Run Equine Center, a 24-hour medical-surgical center near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is board certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Equine Practice). This certifies him as an expert in all categories of equine practice.
