Christensen Equine

Christensen Equine Equine veterinary practice, with a focus in dentistry, offering mobile and clinic appointments.

06/04/2024

Perks of the job - playing with the cutest foals while mama gets her teeth done. 🥰
Don’t let your good ol broodmares slip through the cracks between breedings! If you know their due date, pre book their 2025 dental for the following weeks before they’re bred back!
đź“ž 805-549-9115

Although the canine is the fighting tooth for the wild horse, it serves no purpose in the domestic horse. If anything, t...
05/31/2024

Although the canine is the fighting tooth for the wild horse, it serves no purpose in the domestic horse. If anything, they are a risk to getting hung up on fences or other things around your horses pen and can cause issues when bridling. It is important these teeth get reduced during a dental. Typically these teeth hold the work the longest, and you can usually tell if a horse has received a proper dental (since they’ve erupted between age 4-5y) based on their appearance. And although they’re a trait of stallions/geldings, some mares can also get them, but they’re usually significantly smaller.

This patient was an interesting case to see, as you don’t usually see canines in wear with each other.

I feel a case regarding "wolf teeth" is quite fitting for a post this time of year, as many young horses are off getting...
02/18/2024

I feel a case regarding "wolf teeth" is quite fitting for a post this time of year, as many young horses are off getting started. These small vestigial teeth, known as the horses first premolars, are often extracted in order to prevent discomfort with the bit. Interestingly enough not all horses get wolf teeth, although most will have two uppers by the time they turn 1 year old. Horses can have as many as four, though quite rare. The common wolf tooth presents as a small tooth exposed just rostral (towards the lips) to the second premolar which is technically the first tooth in the mouth that is used to chew feed. Confusing as it is, yes the first chewing/cheek tooth is actually the second premolar! Wolf teeth almost always erupt perpendicular to the skull or mandible with the occasional blind wolf tooth that erupts parallel to the skull or mandible.
This case was interesting due to one of this horses wolf teeth being blind. Blind wolf teeth can easily be missed during an oral exam or dental due to not being exposed. They are better identified by running a finger on the bars just rostral to the second premolar and feeling its presence. The pictures associated with this case show the blind wolf tooth bulging beneath the gingiva prior to extracting, exposed during the extraction and, for size comparison, next to the normal exposed wolf tooth post extraction. The blind wolf tooth was a bit larger. I hope this case sheds a bit more light on wolf teeth in your horses.

As most of you know, equine dental care has been my passion and focus for 20+ years. Now that we have an official Facebo...
01/16/2024

As most of you know, equine dental care has been my passion and focus for 20+ years. Now that we have an official page, I thought it would be fun to post some before and after pictures on occasion of interesting dental cases I've had the pleasure to work on. For many years and still to this day equine oral health has often times been out of sight and out of mind, unless obvious clinical signs of functionality and/or comfort are displayed. The fact is, most horses don't always show abnormal behavior with poor oral health. More times than not, dental abnormalities and oral lesions (ulcers/lacerations) are incidental findings during regular scheduled dental appointments.
The following case presented as a 9 year old, off the track retired race horse that was suspected to have had routine dental care throughout her career. Unlike many horses, this mare did show some signs of discomfort (ie. head tilting while chewing) although she appeared healthy, in good weight, with an easy going demeanor. Her premolar/molar before picture shows large rostral hooks on the first upper premolar and a wolf tooth still present. FYI wolf teeth are typically extracted before starting under saddle as to prevent interference with the bit. The after picture reflects the reduction needed to maintain a balanced mouth and the wolf tooth extracted as it should have been back before the mare was started (likely as a 2 year old). The incisor before picture shows minor unevenness with some chipping of the labial (leading) edge. The after picture shows reduction and realignment to the incisors as well as buffing of the labial edge. Interestingly enough, even if the incisors were perfectly balanced before the dental procedure I would still reduce the incisors length enough to compensate for the amount of occlusal (chewing) surface reduced to correct any premolar/moral abnormalities. Incisor reduction is needed in every dental procedure that reduces premolar/molar occlusal surface to ensure the horses lateral excursion (distance the jaw has to slide side to side before contact is made between the premolars/molars) is the same or better post dental.
Hope you found this intriguing.
-Justin

From our family to yours, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas. ❤️
12/25/2023

From our family to yours, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas. ❤️

Thanks EZ Fabrication for our new sign!
12/13/2023

Thanks EZ Fabrication for our new sign!

We’re finally on Facebook! Thanks for being here. ❤️ Grateful for our wonderful clients trusting us with their horses c...
12/10/2023

We’re finally on Facebook! Thanks for being here. ❤️ Grateful for our wonderful clients trusting us with their horses care.

-Justin and Jess

Address

14360 Sandoval Road
Atascadero, CA
03422

Telephone

+18055499115

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