London, UK, February 7 2018 – Zoetis UK announced that results from the latest National Equine Health Survey show that dental disease is a significant problem for horses in the UK. Of the horses included in the survey 5.4% were suffering from trouble with their teeth and dental disease was the sixth most frequently recorded individual disease syndrome in the survey.1
The results suggest horses in the UK commonly have dental abnormalities and reiterate the importance of raising awareness of equine dental disease. In another veterinary study, dental abnormalities were detected in a huge 94% of geriatric horses yet only a quarter of these animals were reported by the owner to have a dental problem. Although this may in part be due to historical abnormalities detected at examination, the authors suggested that dental disease may be under-reported by owners.2
NEHS is an annual snapshot survey, conducted by Blue Cross in conjunction with the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA). 5,235 people took part in the 2017 survey and returned records for 15,433 horses. A total of 841 of these horses were recorded as having problems with their teeth, with 54% treated by a veterinarian and 46% receiving attention from an equine dental technician.1
The horse has up to 44 teeth, set in a powerful jaw. As herbivores, horses munch their way through on average 2.5% of their bodyweight in forage and feed every day to maintain their weight – that’s 12.5kg (dry matter) of food chomping for a 500kg horse. This is why it’s so important to keep your horse’s teeth in good working order.3
Just like humans, horses can have many problems with their teeth such as loose or broken teeth, excessively worn teeth, infections and gum disease. It’s crucial to identify problems early, preferably before symptoms occur, to minimise discomfort and maximise chances of successful treatment. The 2017 survey showed that 92% of horses received regular dental checks with approximately two thirds receiving annual checks and one third receiving checks every six months.
Dr Wendy Talbot, equine vet at Zoetis commented: “It is tricky to know if a horse has dental problems because you can’t see inside the mouth and often there won’t be any obvious symptoms. This is why regular check-ups are so important. It’s reassuring to see that a high percentage of horses are receiving regular dental checks. Ideally your horse’s teeth should be examined by your vet or qualified equine dental technician every 6- 12 months.”
It is often best for your horse to be lightly sedated before a dental examination as this allows for a safer and more thorough procedure with minimal distress for your horse. Only your vet is qualified to sedate your horse.
Zoetis has recently supported an equine dentistry roadshow with Chris Pearce MRCVS, founder of the Equine Dental Clinic, to help vets develop their knowledge and practical skills in equine dentistry.
For further information on equine dentistry, worming and many other aspects of horse care visit www.horsedialog.co.uk.
References
1National Equine Health Survey 2017
The top five disease syndromes recorded this year were:
-
Skin diseases 31.1% compared to 25.5% in 2016 (17.2% in 2015, 18.3% in 2014, 14.6% in 2013 and 15.2% in 2010-12). Sweet itch and mud fever were the most frequently reported individual syndromes within this category and made up 6.1% of all returns (6.8% in 2016).
-
Lameness (including laminitis) 23.4% compared to 32.9%in 2016, (24.4% in 2015, 21% in 2014, 19.2% in 2013 and 12.9% in 2010-12). Overall, as in previous years, if laminitis is excluded from the analysis, lameness due to problems in the limbs proximal to the foot was more common than problems in the foot.
-
Metabolic diseases 8.1% with PPID (‘Equine Cushing’s disease’) accounting for 73.4% of this figure, consistent with previous NEHS findings.
-
Eye problems 7.6% with ocular discharge (weepy eye) accounting for 54.2% of all ocular syndromes recorded.
-
Gastrointestinal problems 7.5% with gastric ulcers accounting for 39% of this figure and 3% all syndromes recorded (2.7% in 2016).
2IRELAND J. L., CLEGG P. D. , McGOWAN C. M. et al (2012)Comparison of owner-reported health problems with veterinary assessment of geriatric horses in the United Kingdom. Equine Veterinary Journal, 44 (2012) 94–100
3National Research Council, Nutrient Requirements of Horses 2007 Sixth Revised Edition
