Equine Dentistry- Not Just a Float

The equine oral exam.

A common misconception among horse owners is equine dentistry refers to just the floating of your horse’s teeth.  Yes, floating is important to maintain your horse’s oral health, however it’s only a part of the picture when considering the oral health of the horse.  To help explain this, I will explain the oral examination and dental float from start to finish.

STEP 1-OBTAINING A HISTORY:  Before beginning any exam, we will have a discussion on whether or not you have been noticing any signs that your horse has a dental issue.  Signs of dental disease can vary tremendously.  Examples of symptoms of dental disease include weight loss, dropping feed, nasal discharge, undigested material in manure, spitting out balls of hay (quidding), dunking hay in water, or poor performance. 

STEP 2- ORAL EXAMINATION:

                -BRIEF ORAL EXAM:  Next, we will perform a brief oral exam.  This exam allows us a quick peek into the oral health of the horse and can help us make a decision whether a full oral examination and dental float should be pursued.  The brief exam is done by examining the outer aspects of the horse’s head/nasal passages externally on the skull and a brief look inside the horses’ mouth without sedation and is dependent on your horse’s behavior.  What this exam can tell you is whether or not your horse has sharp points on his/her cheek teeth and the health of the incisors.  Because this exam is performed quickly without sedation, it does not give us any information about the health of the individual cheek teeth or much information about the furthest back molars.  At Badger Veterinary Hospital, we will perform brief oral exams with both spring and fall wellness visits as a part of the physical examination. 

Mirror and Pick Used for our Dental Exams.  Note sharpie for size comparison. 
Big mirrors for big horse heads!

-COMPLETE ORAL EXAM:  The complete oral examination is much like the examination performed by your dentist in a dentist’s office.  This exam is performed with the horse standing under sedation with a dental speculum in the mouth which allows us to be able to completely examine each tooth, gums, and other oral soft tissue structures.  Essential components of the complete oral examination include very bright lighting (it’s a dark cave in there!), feeling each tooth for mobility or sharp points, and a mirror examination of the teeth to monitor for signs of decay, periodontal disease (disease around the tooth and root), or endodontic disease (disease within the tooth). During this examination, sharp points and or changes in a horse’s dental occlusion (how the teeth line up) can be observed and a plan for floating can be made. 

STEP 3-FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS:

Radiograph of Maxillary cheek teeth and overlying sinus.

Depending on what is found during the complete oral examination, we may recommend that dental radiographs be taken.  With digital radiography, it is easy for us to take radiographs of a horse’s teeth on the farm.  The radiographs can tell us the health of specific teeth below the gum surface that we are not able to see with our eye.  They can tell us whether certain teeth are no longer viable and whether extraction or another treatment may be the best choice for your horse. While avoiding extraction is always preferable, if a tooth becomes fractured or diseased, leaving these teeth in the mouth can lead to infection of the local structures in the mouth, sinusitis, pain, inappetance, and weight loss for the horse.  

Radiograph of incisors.  Second tooth from left has a shortened,
resorbing root, not visible on a regular visual exam.

STEP 4-DENTAL FLOAT:

Following the oral examination, a dental float is performed to help remove sharp points from cheek teeth that could be causing ulcerations, callusing, and abrasions to the cheek and tongue in a horse’s mouth.  Removing sharp points is not the sole purpose of a dental float.  More important than removing the sharp points is maintaining a horse’s natural angulation and alignment of upper and lower molars to its regular 15 degree configuration.  A mouth that is well aligned and maintained at a natural angle encounters less unnatural forces during repeated chewing and therefore is at a reduced risk for disease and fracture of individual teeth. On the flip side of this, if a horse’s mouth is floated at an incorrect angle, the abnormal forces in the mouth can lead to increased risk for fracture, malocclusion, or dental disease.  What this means is that a badly performed float has the potential to cause more harm than good on the overall health of your horse’s mouth. 

Performing a dental float.

Skull view inside a horse's mouth.  
Note the 15 deree hangle of the upper and lower cheek teeth.  
This angulation of the mouth is normal and important to maintain 
for the health of the individual teeth within the mouth.

STEP 5- DENTAL TREATMENTS:

Specific dental treatments might be recommended based on what is found during the exam and radiographs.  Treatments may include picking and flushing out of feed material, floating particular teeth in a certain particular manner, periodontal or other medical treatments, or even extraction of teeth.

It is our recommendation that at least a brief oral examination be performed by a veterinarian 1-2 times a year and a complete oral examination be performed annually depending on the needs of your particular horse.   In the horse world, you cannot underestimate the power of a well-maintained equine mouth.  We have many clients that are able to keep their horse’s going well into their late 20s and 30s and this is in part due to well maintained mouths.  There’s nothing more special than keeping a horse for over 30 years.  That’s a longer relationship than we have with most people! 

In February, Badger Veterinary Hospital celebrates Dental Month.  Call to schedule your horse’s complete oral examination and dental float for 15% off during the month of February.

In the face of the outbreak, Can I still attend Midwest Horse Fair?

http://gureeookami.deviantart.com/art/horse-nose-304853158

On the eve of the 2014 Midwest Horse Fair, as a horse owner it has been hard not to hear the buzz and become concerned about the recent outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM). 

Current Status of the Outbreak (4/10/14):

Since our last informational blog, the outbreak in Eastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin has continued as there has been 2 more additional cases in that region.  One case is a confirmed positive on April 8, 2014 (via PCR testing) found in St. Croix County, Wisconsin.  This horse is currently recovering.  The other is a suspect case found in Isanti County, Minnesota (test results are still pending for this horse).  To date in Wisconsin, there have been three suspected cases but only two actual confirmed cases of EHM due to EHV-1 (one previous suspect case did not test positive).    There continues to be no cases reported in Southern Wisconsin.

Should I go?

                We cannot tell you whether or not you should attend the Midwest Horse Fair. Since horse people from all over the Midwest are potentially attending, the chance for exposure of your horse to the virus is possible. Of course, the absolute safest thing to do would be to not attend,  but that goes with any large equine event, and let’s be honest; this is a fabulous event. The folks involved with the Midwest Horse Fair have put in place strict health requirements for all horses entering the grounds and the veterinarians on the ground will be on high alert.   

As with any large equine event, if your horse is attending, the chance of becoming infected is present but low on the grand scheme of things.  If you are attending the event as a spectator only, the chances of your own horse becoming infected through secondary contact are even lower.  However, since you can never really be too careful, Badger Veterinary Hospital has put together a few recommendations for attendees on practicing good biosecurity.  These recommendations are useful for any large equine event.

Keep clean!  Practice good biosecurity:

http://imgfave.com/view/1667620

For spectators:

1)       Keep the petting of horses down to a minimum.  If you are touching horses, wash hands or use hand sanitizer in between horses.

2)      Change clothes and shower before coming in contact with your own horses.

3)      Disinfect boots, tack, or other equipment prior to bring them back to your own horses.

For exhibitors:

1)      Horses should comply with the health regulation guidelines for the event. 

2)      Avoid nose to nose contact of horses.

3)      Use your own water and feed buckets.

4)      Do not share tack or other equipment including hoses, rakes, shovels, etc.

5)      If you have concerns about your horse while participating in the event, take a rectal temperature and notify a veterinarian if the temperature exceeds 102.0 F.

What is the best way to disinfect equipment?

1)      Since disinfectants do not work as well in the face of organic material (manure, bedding, food, etc..) it is important to remove all this material prior to disinfecting.

2)      Then wash the equipment with soap and water and allow adequate time for the equipment to dry.

3)      Apply a disinfectant and comply with the label recommendations regarding application, contact times, and safety information.  Useful disinfectants include: diluted bleach water (1:10 dilution), Phenolic disinfectants (1-Stroke, Syn-Phenol), or Accelerated hydrogen peroxide products (Virkon). 

Resources:

If you have any other questions regarding the specifics of the disease or disinfection, please see the following resources for excellent, reliable, and up to date information. 

 -BadgerVeterinary Hospital’s previous blog.

  

-TheState of Wisconsin Department of Trade and Consumer Protection recommendations.

-From the USDA, an informational brochure.     

                                   

-Biosecurity toolkits from the State of California.  Scroll down to the bottom of this page for to links to excellent resources.

Have fun at the fair!

If you still have questions or concerns, please feel free to give us a call at Badger Veterinary Hospital!  We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.  (608)-754-1888. 

BRRRRR!!! Can I still ride in this weather?

In cold weather, it is not wrong to go riding.  In fact, it may be beneficial for your horse both physically and mentally to get out and move.  However, it is important to remember to use common sense and restraint so that we don’t cause any harm to the horse.  Here is an outline of the systems at risk during cold weather exercise and precautions to understand if winter riding is pursued.

Pulmonary (Lungs)-  Researchers at Oklahoma State University studied the effect of cold air (4 C or 40 F) on horses performing strenuous exercise on a treadmill for 30 minutes.  Samples from the airway afterward demonstrated damage to the mucosal cells lining the airway compared with control horses.  Mucosal cells are responsible for clearing the airway to protect against disease. The underlying message here is use common sense.  If it hurts your airway to breathe outside, don’t force your horse to move huge amounts of air by forcing exercise.  Very light exercise (walking or trotting) is likely ok.  There is not one specific low temperature at which it is not ok to ride, just be sensible in what we are requiring of our horses.

Musculoskeletal-In the cold, muscles will take longer to warm up and joints may be more painful.  Make sure to add extra time for a slow warm-up before work.  Probably more importantly however, is to make sure horses are cooled down appropriately and dry before being put away.  This may mean using coolers or having your horse clipped in different patterns to help sweat dissipate more quickly.  The details of clipping go beyond the scope of this blog.  A clipped horse should be blanketed and will require more energy in their diet.

Hydration- In the cold weather, horses have a tendency to get dehydrated because they don’t want to drink as much or they may not have adequate water sources available (frozen water buckets, water too cold to drink, faulty heaters).  The normal 1000 lb adult horse needs approximately 10 gallons daily AND more (up to 30 gallons!) if undertaking any form of exercise. Make sure it is warm enough for them to consume and make sure plenty of loose white salt available to the horse to replenish electrolytes as needed.

Energy/Calories Needed- Horses on average need between 1-3% of their body weight in good quality roughage/hay a day.  For a 1000 lb horse that is equal to approximately 10-30 lbs of hay (depending on the calorie content of the hay).  In extreme weather, horses require more calories to maintain their body temperature.  A rule of thumb to go by is that a horse’s energy needs increase by 1% for every degree below 18 F.  So at 0 F, an adult horse needs an additional 2 lbs of forage just at rest.  If the horse is in work, more will be needed. 

Hoof care- Snow and ice can build up in the bottom of the hooves quickly.  It is important to pick out feet once a day.  Even though the hoof grows slightly more slowly during the winter time, it is still important to have your farrier trim the foot every 6-12 weeks.  Barefoot feet will often provide better traction than most shoes on ice and snow. However, ice pads and special shoes have been used to provide good traction on particularly icy terrain and can protect the sole against bruising.

THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE:

1)     Provide adequate available water, warmed is best (between 45-65 degrees F). 

2)    Adding additional hay/forage is the best way to increase calories or energy.

3)   Avoid strenuous work, especially in horses with a history of having allergic airway conditions (RAO or  heaves). 

4)  If riding, provide adequate warm up and cool down.  Never put away a wet horse in cold weather. 

5)  Keep up with regular hoof care, pick out feet daily, explore winter shoeing options if you will be riding on  rough or slippery terrain.

Additional Resources Regarding Winter Care and Your Horse: 

Check out the following excellent resources!

*Dr. Scott Spaulding’s blog regarding winter blanketing.

*Universityof Minnesota’s Extension Resource regarding general winter care.

*Dr. Sallie Hyman’s Ask the Vet Web posting

Abstracts to studies associating airway injury and cold air inspiration in horses:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12405726

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17402479

Of course, if you have a specific question or need veterinary guidance of any kind, please don’t hesitate to call us at Badger Veterinary Hospital (608)-754-1888.  Thanks for reading and stay warm!!

To soak or not to soak, that is the question….

Soaking your horse’s hay can be a helpful management strategy (and relatively easy) for owners of horses with certain medical conditions.  However, it is important to know the reasoning behind the soaking so that we are not causing any detriment to our four-legged friends.  Conditions that can benefit from hay soaking include the following:

Recurrent Airway Obstruction (aka RAO, heaves, or COPD):

RAO is a common respiratory condition of mature horses caused by severe inflammationwithin the respiratory tract.  Similar to human allergies, RAO is managed best with environmental control of allergens such as dust.  Researchers have found a decrease in as many as 88% of respirable dust particles after only 30 minutes of hay soaking.  This is enough to provide a big improvement for the old “heavey” horse. 

             Laminitis, Insulin Resistance, Equine Metabolic Syndrome, PSSM, and Obesity:

             The conditions listed above are similar in that horses affected by them are quite sensitive carbohydrate intake, specifically non-structural carbohydrates (NSC or more simply, sugars such as fructans).  Soaking grass hay for 15-30 minutes can decrease NSC levels to below 10-12% (the level recommended for these horses).  Most alfalfa hay is naturally below the 10-12% leveland therefore soaking would not be of any benefit.

              HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis):

               Horses affected by HYPP have high levels of potassium within the blood which can lead to muscle twitching and paralysis.  Soaking hay can help to leach excess potassium out of the hay. However, soaking to leach minerals often takes longer (~60 minutes) and when leaching potassium, you will often leach other important minerals such as calcium or phosphorus.  If you are going to soak hay to help manage your horse with HYPP, it is really important to have your hay tested prior to and after soaking to calculate the need for mineral supplementation.   

               

Rules of Thumb for hay soaking:

1- Consult with your veterinarian to know if soaking hay would be beneficial for your horse and to have your hay analyzed to determine if soaking is necessary with your hay type. 

2-Soaking hay for short durations (15-60 minutes maximum) can be a helpful for certain equine conditions. Avoid soaking hay for prolonged periods because of the risk of excessive nutrient and mineral loss. 

3- Soaked hay should be fed immediately after soaking to reduce the chance of mold within the hay. 

4- The temperature of water used has little effect on the amount of nutrients leached or dust reduced during hay soaking. 

5- The liquid remaining after soaking your hay may contain a large amount of phosphorus (can be a pollutant) and should be disposed of properly (in random grassy areas, not close to water sources).

If you have any questions regarding hay soaking or for a nutritional consultation, don’t hesitate to contact us at Badger Veterinary Hospital (608)-754-1888.

References:

1-Martinson et al.  “Hay soaking: all washed up or a good management option?” University of Minnesota Extension, http://extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/nutirtion/haysoaking/

2- Hay Soaking” thehorse.com Fact sheet. The Horse:Your Guide to Equine Health Care.  Blood Horse Publications. Accessed online: 2013. 

3-Moore-Coyler, MJ>  Effects of soaking hay fodder for horses on dust and mineral content.  Journal of Animal Science. 1996;63: 337-42.

Just because it's common, doesn't mean it's harmless...

If you own horses, you have most likely heard of and/or used “Bute.” Bute (or Phenylbutazone) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (much like ibuprofen) that can be an incredibly useful tool to combat inflammation and help reduce pain in horses. It’s easy to administer, cheap, and quite effective. Since bute is so commonplace, it’s easy to forget that this drug is by prescription only from your veterinarian. The reason for this has to do with the risk for toxicity. A toxicity that can be fatal.

Horses affected by bute toxicity can exhibit signs of serious disease of the gastrointestinal tract and the kidneys. Signs can be subtle such as inappetance, depression, colic (pawing, lying down more frequently, rolling), soft to loose manure, or even an increased frequency in urination. Horses severely affected can become listless, severely dehydrated, have liquid manure, and can even have deep ulcerations on their tongue, mouth, and the rest of their gastrointestinal tract. Once horses have signs this severe, they require intensive hospitalized care and have a poor prognosis for survival.

Now, most horses that become affected by Bute toxicity have received doses that exceed the range of what is recommended, however toxicity can and will occur in horses receiving doses within the recommended range (with foals, ponies, and dehydrated horses being more susceptible). In fact, studies have shown that horses given the high end of the recommend dose range for 2 weeks will develop some degree of gastrointestinal ulceration. With the potential for these complications with its use, it is no wonder that this drug is by prescription only.

Ulceration of the Equine Stomach.

Bute can be a great drug for your horse and may be just what your horse needs to get him/her on the road to good health. Just remember, that any usage of Bute should be prescribed by a veterinarian so that the drug is used responsibly and toxicity avoided.

If you have any questions regarding Bute and its use, please contact Dr. Scott Spaulding or myself at Badger Veterinary Hospital (608)-754-1888.

Conditions of the Miniature Horse

Although a mere quarter of the size of your average horse, the miniature horse lacks none in the size of his personality.  In fact, these little guys can act so "big", you may want to treat them just like a big horse.  However, it is important to recognize that a miniature horse has some special veterinary needs that don't pertain to the big guys.  Here is a short review of some special conditions that are specific to miniature horses.

Obesity

Probably the most common health issue that miniature horses face is obesity. Obese miniature horses are at much higher risk for acquiring different diseases such as osteoarthritis, laminitis, and metabolic diseases.  In particular, obese miniature horses can be affected by a metabolic disorder called "hyperlipemia" where the body mobilizes an excessive amount of fat in the bloodstream.  Excess fat in the blood can cause fat to build up in the liver and lead to liver failure.

Because wight control can be very difficult in miniature horses, work with your veterinarian to monitor your miniature horse's weight frequently and devise a "mini-specific" nutritional plan to keep him or her at a healthy weight.

Dental Issues

 A miniature horse has the same number of teeth as the average sized horse. With their tiny dish shaped skulls, miniature horses are prone to having teeth that are crowded, deformed, misaligned, or even rotated.  These dental abnormalities without proper dental care or floating can lead to sharp spikes, infections of the tooth root, or ulceration of the cheeks and soft tissues within the mouth.  For this reason, it is critical to have a complete dental examination performed early in life when the teeth are erupting (before age 2) and frequent regular exams (every 6-12 months).

Reproductive Issues

The breeding process of the miniature horse can be much different than that of their large counterparts.  Detection of pregnancy frequently occurs later (approximately 6 weeks after being bred versus 14-17 days) due to the fact that rectal palpation and ultrasound can be difficult to perform in such a small animal. Additionally, miniature horses have a much higher chance to experience a dystocia (or difficult delivery) than big horses.  If your miniature is expected to foal soon, it is extremely important to provide excellent monitoring and to call your veterinarian immediately if trouble occurs.

All these conditions certainly make life seem bleak for our short little mini horse friends, however, there is hope!  Working closely with your veterinarian for wellness examinations, nutritional counseling, and regular dental work can help prevent many of these diseases, allowing your miniature horse to thrive for many years longer than the average horse.

References:
Lyons, D.J. Carey "Maximizing Mini Health" The Horse. Vol XXX, No. 7July 2013, pp. 18-22.

Roots

Hello Everyone! I am the newest addition to the Badger Veterinary Hospital team. I joined the practice on June 16th of this year and I am more than thrilled to be here! My biography on the website is the nuts and bolts of what I have done and where I’ve been. I’m hoping this blog entry can give you a little more insight into my roots and the story behind why I became a veterinarian.

I was born and grew up in Rice Lake, Wisconsin (1 hour north of Eau Claire). I know that anything north of Highway 8 can seem like worlds away from South Central Wisconsin… and civilization. However, I will be the first to inform you, that Rice Lake and Barron County are great areas and surprisingly rich in horse culture. Ever since I was a tiny girl, I was horse-crazed. Luckily, my parents accepted and encouraged my obsession and the community was well-equipped for children like me. I was enrolled in riding lessons and started learning the ins and outs of becoming a horseperson by the time I was 8 years old. The more I got into horses, the more active I became in the 4-H horse project, Open Saddle Club shows, and the AQHA. These projects taught me so much about handling and caring for horses, confidence, humility, competition, and led me to some great friends. I was lucky enough to get my first horse at age 11. Stormy Skippa Dee or “Stormy” was a sorrel quarter horse gelding who was my inspiration to become a veterinarian. Most horse owners will recognize that owning a horse is probably the fastest way to get to know the veterinary profession. For example, Stormy introduced me to abscesses, stone bruises, scratches, strangles, corneal ulcers, grain overload, and finally acute renal disease (Amazingly, I never really thought of Stormy as being particularly accident prone). His trials with renal disease led me and my parents to trailer Stormy over to the University of Minnesota - College of Veterinary Medicine. While we were there, the clinicians, residents, and students came up with an excellent diagnostic and treatment plan. Stormy underwent blood-work, a biopsy, and treatment with IV fluids and was on his way to good health in a few days. After a recovery period, Stormy and I went back to showing and earned a Grand Champion in the Wisconsin 4-H State Horse Expo that fall. This experience really allowed me to realize the power of veterinary medicine. From then on, I was committed to the profession. Below is Stormy and me in the early days.

Of course, that was just the beginning. To learn more about me and meet me face to face, please join us at Badger Veterinary Hospital on Wednesday September 4th from 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM at our Janesville location (3113 E. McCormick Drive) for a Welcome Reception. Hope to see you there!