James Spy Equine Dental Services

03/09/2025

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Why Do Horses Get Sharp Teeth?Did you know horses’ teeth are continuously becoming sharp? 🐴In this video, we’ll break down the anatomy and physiology behind...

05/07/2025

Back home from the working holiday on Mull. Great seeing existing clients and new. Dodging the good old Scottish weather (and midges!) when we could and even managing a swim at Calgary 🏊‍♂️ Fantastic places to eat across the island 🦞Always a pleasure coming back!

08/03/2025

Great day yesterday for CPD and catching up with fellow dental professionals 🦷

07/02/2025

EOTRH stands for Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis. 🦷

This is a painful and progressive condition that predominantly affects horses aged 15 years and older. It mainly affects the incisors and occasionally the canine teeth, but there has been some very rare cases of affected molar teeth.

The condition involves two primary processes:

Resorption: this is where the calcified dental tissue starts to break down by the horse’s own odontoclast cells reabsorbing the dental structures. This process is believed to be immune-mediated.

Hypercementosis: this is the development of excess cementum which occurs as the dental structures are reabsorbed. The body compensates by over producing cementum in an attempt to stabilise the tooth. This results in bulbous or club-like shapes forming at the apex of the tooth.

The presentation of EOTRH can vary greatly between horses. Some horses exhibit more dominant with hypercementosis, others are more dominant with resorption.
The disease may progress rapidly in some cases but slowly in others.

Due to its progressive nature, early clinical signs may be subtle or go unnoticed until the disease reaches an advanced stage.

Common symptoms include:
•Tartar buildup due to reluctance to use the incisors
•Bulbous dental structures beneath the gumline (caused by hypercementosis)
•Diastemata (gaps between teeth), leading to food entrapment, gingival recession, and periodontal disease
•Red, inflamed gums with draining tracts due to infection
•Loose, fractured, or missing teeth
•Halitosis

Affected horses often struggle to bite into carrots or pull hay from a haynet. Some may develop headshaking, and severe cases can lead to weight loss.

Diagnosis of EOTRH is confirmed through X-rays, which will reveal the extent of resorption and hypercementosis. Currently, the only effective treatment is the extraction of affected teeth by a vet. Each case requires an individualised approach depending on the severity of the disease. Horses adapt very well following extraction, and their improvement highlights the level of pain they were experiencing before treatment.

The cause of EOTRH remains unknown, current studies are exploring periodontal ligament strains, bacterial causes, occlusal pressures, and genetics, however it’s likely to be multi factorial. As our understanding of the disease grows with ongoing research we hope to develop more effective management strategies.

Regular incisor checks are super important to identify signs of EOTRH early. If you suspect EOTRH, consult your EDT or Vet, early intervention can help minimise discomfort for your horse!

05/11/2024

Quidding can be caused by a number of dental problems and is usually due to either the horse being in pain or because they are physically unable to chew long fibre forage efficiently. In pain related cases, the horse may be avoiding chewing in a specific area of the mouth due to discomfort. This can result from conditions such as periodontal disease caused by diastemata, or fractured, displaced, or even loose teeth, which may be causing soft tissue injury. In cases where they are physically unable to chew efficiently, the horse might be struggling due to uneven grinding surfaces, large malocclusions restricting lower jaw movement, or excessive tooth wear from old age, resulting in lack of occlusion and therefore compromised chewing ability.

If you notice your horse quidding, it’s crucial to have them checked by your EDT promptly. A thorough dental examination will identify the cause of the quidding, allowing you to discuss a treatment plan with your EDT and potentially any dietary changes.

If your horse lives out over winter, remember to regularly check the area around the hay for signs of quidding. It’s also important to monitor body condition under rugs throughout the season.

Regular lifelong dental care provides peace of mind, ensuring your horse is free from discomfort and allows early detection of any dental issues. If it’s been more than a year since their last checkup, now is a key time to book one, giving them the best chance to maintain body condition through the winter. Waiting for problems to arise may mean they are more difficult to manage long term.

26/08/2024

21/08/2024

Good luck to all clients competing at this years final Blair Horse Trials 🍀🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I arrived up here on Sunday for the last time as part of the FEI eventing stable team. I have many great memories of Blair over the years from being a spectator, competing in both the (old) 1* and 2* and volunteering.

11/03/2024

When was your horses last dental?

➡️ Sharp enamel points can cause soft tissue damage to the cheeks and tongue leading to discomfort whilst being ridden and eating (imagine putting a nose band on this chap 🥺)

➡️ Equines have hypsodont dentition meaning they have a large reserve crown which is in continuous wear throughout their lifetime and constantly erupts approximately 2-4mm per year.

➡️ This leads to the formation of sharp enamel points on the outside of the upper cheek teeth and inside of lower cheek teeth

➡️ Removing the sharp enamel points will allow healing and make the mouth comfortable.

➡️ ALL horses, ponies and donkeys require routine dental treatments every 6-12 months to ensure comfort whilst eating and being ridden

➡️ Remember horses are prey animals so their may be no clinical signs that they are in discomfort, they are good at hiding pain

➡️ All BAEDT members are trained and examined to the highest standards and attend regular CPD courses

Every horse every year! 🐴🦷

www.baedt.com

08/03/2024

February is always a busy month with a lot of travelling. Work trips to Aberdeen, Dumfries and Galloway, Mull and this past week Uist. Trip to Isaly and Jura coming up at the end of month. Travelling is big part of the job but always worth it for these views…

18/01/2024

The truck had some wishful thoughts this morning….if only 🥶🥶🥶