It’s starting to feel like spring is close and many clients are scheduling dental care for their horses. With more than 500,000 horses estimated to live in Florida, many practitioners are providing equine dental care and their methods/services vary greatly. Obviously the standards of equine dental care have evolved over time as have the procedures and the tools….plus each horse owner has their own personal preferences that influence their choice of provider. But there are a few specific points which truly matter in maintaining safe and adequate services for your horse…..we recommend these as your “minimum” standard for anyone you are hiring for equine dentistry.
- Both a speculum and adequate lighting is utilized (A full size horse’s oral cavity is long, dark, and holds up to 44 teeth. It is impossible fully access the furthest molars without opening their mouth and you can not see to the last teeth without lighting)
- All insertion of instruments is fully visualized (No sharp or hard objects should go into your horse’s mouth without the practitioner being able to see the tool. No sharp object should go into your horse’s mouth from an angle that it can not been seen)
- Your horse’s incisors are examined and aligned (Incisors erupt in the same manner as their rear teeth. Abnormalities of the incisors can alter how the horse’s molars make contact and can impact alignment and chewing)
- The practitioner you hire is insured!!!!! (Please, please….”equine liability” is relative to horse behavior, not professional practice. Any person on your property should have liability coverage relative to the services they perform, their own safety, and your property.)
We look forward to seeing our “regulars” and meeting new clients this season and hope you all get to spend some quality time with your horses! Be safe and happy riding!
Photo courtesy of APC Languages 2016.
Advanced Equine Dentistry Inc. 