21/05/2025
What is the real risk to horse teeth and overall horse health from wearing a grazing muzzle? How does it compare to an at-risk (laminitic, obese, or metabolic) horse not wearing a grazing muzzle at all?
Most grazing muzzles don't have any negative effects on your horse's teeth. However, metal muzzles or slow feeders may cause damage in addition to excessive wear, chips, or fractures. There are also a few brands of grazing muzzles on the market made from a thick, hard plastic that can cause abnormal wear to the incisors. Many of the hard plastic grazing muzzles now offer softer inserts to minimize this type of damage.
The attrition that we appreciate to the incisors does have the potential to result in an exposed pulp, which could then result in pulpits or a tooth root infection. However, this is rarely the case. Generally, the teeth are able to repair themselves, by sealing off any exposed pulp, at a rate equal to or more rapid than the wearing process. This ultimately means that most of the cases that we see of abnormal wear to incisors from grazing muzzles is primarily cosmetic.
The risk of laminitis, on the other hand, is very real and the results can be catastrophic. Not wearing a grazing muzzle for even a few hours for a horse with EMS (equine metabolic syndrome) or PPID (Cushing's) can be problematic. Always follow your veterinarian's recommendations when managing your horse's metabolic issues, as these can and sometimes do have deadly complications.
If you have questions or concerns on if your equine should be wearing a grazing muzzle, contact your veterinarian.
Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.
