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Diagnosis
Conditions or ailments that are the cause of a problem that you see - your observation.

Your vet may diagnose

Tooth or Teeth Absent or Missing

Summary

This is very common in older horses, as the teeth ultimately have worn through all their reserve crown and thus are no longer anchored in the socket and fall out.

Horses tolerate a single missing tooth quite well but as more teeth are lost, chewing becomes more difficult. Teeth can also be lost from severe periodontal infection or may be extracted if they are loose.

my vet's role

PROGNOSIS AND RELEVANT FACTORS

Depends on dental management of the rest of the mouth especially the opposing tooth, general husbandry and feeding.

my role


Questions To Ask Your Vet:
  • Will this affect my horse's ability to chew its feed properly?
  • Should I change my horse's feed to accommodate this problem?
Prevention

Good dental care and monitoring. Ensure good general health and husbandry.

further reading & resources

Author: Doug Thal DVM Dipl. ABVP