This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract » Mouth, Esophagus, and Liver » Disorders of the Mouth and Teeth »
  Discussion on Upper incisors look "ground down"
Author Message
Member:
judyhens

Posted on Sunday, Dec 30, 2012 - 3:50 pm:

We have all of our horses' teeth checked/ floated annually (at least). Rarely have any major problems. Today, when putting a bit in the mouth of a 17 year old, we noticed that his upper incisors look shorter than normal. Appear to be somewhat "ground down". We will contact the vet when they open, but wondered if anyone had any ideas on causation. He doesn't seem to have any problem eating, is in good weight, but this doesn't seem normal for him. Ideas? Thanks,
Judy
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jan 4, 2013 - 9:01 pm:

Hello Judy,
The upper incisors seemed shorter than normal...? If all 6 are all well aligned with one another then this is something that has been there for a while and unlikely to be a disease problem. Can we have a picture of this?
DrO
Member:
judyhens

Posted on Friday, Jan 4, 2013 - 9:43 pm:

Sure, we can take a picture within the next few days. We did take him to an equine specialist this week and they indicated that they didn't have a clue why his uppers were so short. He isn't in a stall and doesn't crib. Anyway, they apparently floated his teeth while he was there (my husband and son-in-law took him). Said that horses can do ok even without upper incisors and didn't seem overly concerned. Worrisome to us, though. As mentioned above, he is in great weight, has no health problems, is active, happy, and absolutely not a nervous horse. We have never heard him grind his teeth and he has no access to wooden fences or trees. His pasture shelter is a metal roof overhanging the fence (horse wire), with the supporting structures on the outside of the fence. Too weird. Anyway, we will take a picture and post within the next few days. It is cold and rainy right now... Think snow!
Blessings,
Judy
Member:
paul303

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 - 9:18 pm:

Sure sounds like cribbing. Cribbing can be accomplished on any hard surface. It reminds me of a funny story of an acquaintance back in the early seventies with a gorgeous QH Buckskin. A very talented mare. Also an incorrigible cribber about 15 years of age. She was also tremendously prone to colic and required incredible feed precautions ( especially for the seventies ). The owner finally gave up and dumped her in the auction, expecting to lose her to the "killer pen". When she was ridden through, her muzzle was flipped up, and they shouted "TWO....COM'IN THREE". She was sold for a marvelous profit. Even more stunning, was the fact that she showed up on the open pleasure show circuit the following year. Go fiqure. But I remember seeing that horse crib on rocks, on fence posts, on trees...even on the ground. She wore a cribbing strap ( and cribbed with it ). Muzzles for horses were not very common back then. I've seen many cribbers in my years with horses, but Honey 'Lil was the worst and yet, also, the most perfect cribber I've ever encountered.

I've also worked in human dentistry my whole life. Perhaps a radiograph could show if there was a problem with the roots and growth of the incisors. If not, then it's most likely some kind of wear taking place resulting from some kind of abraision or bruxism. Best of luck to you!
Member:
judyhens

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 - 11:29 pm:

Hi Lee,
Thanks for your input. I agree, cribbing definitely can grind down front teeth. We are planning to take a picture of his tiny little incisors and post it, hopefully within the next two days. It has been so very cold here (ok...maybe not so cold but you have to understand this is Texas and we are not used to shivering & having plants freeze....:-)that we haven't gotten out to take the picture. This horse has no hx of colic or intestinal upset. He is calm, happy, and in great weight. He is in a large paddock with 5' horse wire topped by hot wire (he is close to another stallion and this is a deterrent). Hot wire is also about 3' up all the way around the paddock attached to the fence posts. We are pretty much rock free - just lots of sugar sand covered with (now brown and cold) bermuda. His shelter base is outside the horse wire. Only the high roof is on his side. We have never seen him crib. However, he is clearly doing something to grind his teeth down. Sand is abrasive and that is the whole base of our land. Wonder if he is rubbing his teeth on the sand???? Maybe we need closed circuit tv to watch him and try to see what it is that he is doing. Grrrrr!

Interesting story about the Buckskin Mare. Wonder if she ever gave up the habit? Sounds like a great outcome regardless....

Have a blessed day,

Judy
Member:
paul303

Posted on Thursday, Jan 17, 2013 - 8:20 pm:

Aii, yii, yii, Judy...freezing cold in Texas...and here we are in Jersey wondering where winter is... Of course, we aren't looking too hard... Have not a clue what eventually happened to the Buckskin mare, but assume that she must have succumbed to colic somewhere along the way. We showed against her in that pleasure circuit that year, and she pretty much "cleaned up". THERE was a gorgeous horse "perpetually TWO com'in THREE". I really hope you can figure out your problem. I am in S. Jersey, and on sand. I know, first hand, what sand can do to shoes and feet. I had a horse a few years back, that was chewing on a new run-in shed. My farrier said I should throw in a log if he wanted to chew. I threw in the log, and it worked. He stopped chewing on the shed. Maybe you could "throw in a log" and see if it sparks any interest...you know, "chewing wise". Could let you know if there IS any mouthy things going on...
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC