The domestic horse needs regular dental care. A horse’s mouth contains over 40 teeth and these need to erupt, then wear, at precise times. Younger horses may struggle with erupting teeth and sharp points limiting their performance at what should be the peak of their career. Older horses may struggle with damaged, worn, loose or missing teeth. Any dental problem can cause pain, weight loss, wasted feed, poor performance, resistance to the bit and a change in attitude (for the worse!). Our veterinarians have performed post graduate training in equine dentistry making them equine veterinary dentists.

Procedures and cases that our equine veterinary dentists regularly perform include:

• Annual dental checks and dental floats
• Wolf teeth extractions
• Bit seats
• Examinations for facial swellings, nasal discharge, dropping feed, weight loss
• Dental radiographs (x-rays)
• Extractions of incisors, canines, premolars and molars
• Extractions under standing sedation and nerve blocks
• Extractions under general anaesthetic and surgery

As for all our routine or elective equine cases we request horses are up to date for Hendra virus vaccination or horses will be vaccinated at their first visit.