Judy Cockey Dental & Equine Services

Judy Cockey Dental & Equine Services Cockey Services offers a full range of equine services including dental services (teeth floating), training, nutrition consulting,

Through evolution and means of survival, horses have become very good at hiding dental problems until they become severe. Their eating patterns adapt to cope with developing dental pain and disease. Ever notice them dunking hay or pocketing food on one side? Only with expert examination can these problems be identified early. Some of the issues common to horses are dental overgrowths and sharp poi

nts, cheek ulcers, incisor problems, orthodontic abnormalities and infections like cavities and gum disease. Most of these issues do not develop overnight and signs are visible well in advance of serious problems developing. Regular dental "check ups" are as important to horses as they are to humans. Maybe even more important as our horses cannot tell us something is bothering them until they start acting out when the pain becomes too much. Good teeth also enable your horse to chew hay more efficiently so it is being utilized by their digestion system vs passing through. Wasting nutrients and calories for them and $$ for you. The inability to properly chew can also lead to scary choking episodes - just as if we humans ate without chewing. You owe it to your horse to have his teeth checked at least annually so any developing problems can be corrected.

Now is a good time to make sure teeth are comfortable especially as riding days are more plentiful. Went to do my regu...
03/13/2020

Now is a good time to make sure teeth are comfortable especially as riding days are more plentiful. Went to do my regular check up on an older mare (she was fine) and owner asked me to take a look at these 2 even though they weren't due to be seen until summer. Both had sharp points and the chestnut had ulcers in his cheek from where his teeth were rubbing. They are much happier horses.

Great visuals!
02/18/2020

Great visuals!

"Current on dental" is a very loose term in the horse industry. When getting a new horse, it's usually a safe bet to a...
06/25/2019

"Current on dental" is a very loose term in the horse industry. When getting a new horse, it's usually a safe bet to assume teeth haven't been done for awhile (if ever). This sweet guy came in from NJ. No symptoms or complaints but new owner wanted him checked anyway. His teeth were so sharp they caused a large, chronic ulcer in his cheek. We worked slow and quiet and as soon as he realized what I was doing made his mouth feel better, he was willing to let me do a full exam and float with no sedation. He was much happier afterwards!

07/23/2018

Thought we would share this picture as a reminder to check your hay for barley grass and/or other seed heads. This horse was presented to Dr Kylie Hardwicke for foul smelling breath, little did she expect to see this when she opened up his lips! These seed heads were also embedded under his tongue and deep into the back of his mouth and around his teeth. It is amazing how with the severe ulceration present, he was still relatively bright and eating and drinking normally. This is another example of how horse’s hide their pain from their owners. It is not uncommon for us to find embedded seed heads in gums of horses that have not shown any obvious signs other than being due for their routine dental.
Luckily this boy had all the dead heads removed, the remainder of the hay thrown out and will make a full recovery 🙂 his paddock mate also had some of these stuck right up behind his back upper molars which were also removed!

Educating the world one mouth at a time! Explaining how important that an annual or semi-annual check-up can save your h...
10/19/2017

Educating the world one mouth at a time! Explaining how important that an annual or semi-annual check-up can save your horse a ton of discomfort!

Do I need a DENTIST or a Trainer????
03/08/2017

Do I need a DENTIST or a Trainer????

Many horse people never consider teeth when addressing behavior or weight loss issues. Can you imagine how much pain th...
02/08/2017

Many horse people never consider teeth when addressing behavior or weight loss issues. Can you imagine how much pain this poor guy was in just trying to eat, let alone work?

This is a picture of a 19 year old Standardbred gelding. The picture was taken looking into his mouth showing his first upper cheek tooth on the left hand side. What’s your diagnosis?

Check back tomorrow for the answer!

***No DVM’s or professionals please***

01/20/2017
01/19/2017

Welcome to my new FB page! Bear with me while I figure this out :)

01/11/2017

Excellent article on why its so important to maintain your horse's mouth.

http://www.aaep.org/info/horse-health?publication=729

Routine dental care is essential to your horse's in health. Periodic examinations and regular maintenance, such as floating, are especially necessary today for a number of reasons:

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PO Box 769
Saint Michaels, MD
21663

Telephone

+14108294350

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