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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
   
Location: MD | How often do you get your horses teeth done? I think my vet is a little starving for money because he was saying he prefers to do horses teeth twice a year... which I can't imagine that is right...
ETA: my horses are 7 and 8
Edited by Crowned Image 2014-01-24 12:58 PM
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
 
Location: Missouri | My geriatrics do get done twice/year. The ones I'm riding, usually once/year unless there are problems.
Edited by just4fun 2014-01-24 12:57 PM
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Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| I get them checked once a year |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Suggestion is every 6 months. I do mine yearly. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | It depends on the horse.
I have my horses checked at least once a year. My guys (so far) only need work done once a year.
Some horses need dental work twice a year; just depends. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 738
Location: Anywhere my horses are ! Lost in Texas!!!!! | Once a year and a check-up as needed during the year. |
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Expert
Posts: 1414
| Once a year by an equine dentist, starting when they are yearlings. |
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 Living within my means
Posts: 5128
Location: Randolph, Utah | I get them checked when we do coggins and if they need done we do them. I have a really practical vet so if the don't need it he doesn't do it. If I think there is a problem I get them checked again. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | Every horse is different, So are their mouths. Not every horse has a perfect bite. not all line up well. Mine are done as 5 year olds and Checked twice a year. Most need done once a year from 5 till 16ish. Once they get up to 18 or so MOST need done Less often because their teeth stop erupting from their skulls ( or slow down significantly) so their teeth dont get sharp as fast and dont make points or hooks as fast on their teeth. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | Typically I get mine checked/done yearly. I sent my 2.5yo to training this past spring and had his done prior to him leaving, I believe in April? There was something funky with how his teeth were sitting at that time, but it was taken care of and his wolf teeth removed. This past Nov/Dec I noticed him dropping grain, and sure enough he needed his done again. Guess it depends on the horse, for me. But I get them checked at least yearly and intermittently if there might be issues. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I feel like mine need them every 9 months. Not yearly, not twice a year, right in the middle. |
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 Super Bumper
Posts: 3392
Location: At the Brownderosa | I use a master certified equine dentist & he does them every 6 mths. After going thru a clinic where they did a demonstration/presentation on horse's teeth, it doesn't bother me in the least to make sure their teeth are done twice a year to avoid any issues. |
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 Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | Anything under 5 should be looked at every 3 - 6 months. Lots of changes going on in their mouths during this time. Horses over 5 yearly unless they begin to show some abnormal soreness, act differently, or show soreness anywhere. I always start with the mouth. Often times a healthy and balanced mouth will take care of alot of other soreness problems in the body. |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | My vet or ex-vet is money hungrey also. He wouldn't sell me heart guard for my dog unless I got blood work done on my dog every six months. I changed vets and he suggests getting a heart worm test every two years as long as you keep them on the medication. I worked for a vet in college YEARS ago and he would sell the heart guard without a second test being demanded as long as you didn't skip giving the medication to the dog. I noticed the ex-vet also sneaking $15 nail clipping onto the bill and I did not ask for them to touch her nails. Why do people have to take advantage of others so much! Before we moved to Dallas, my horse vet in Arkansas suggested doing my horses teeth ONLY if they had any sharp points. This usually showed up every TWO years. Doing a horses teeth every six months is cheating people, unless the horse is OLD and needs constant care. |
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Impressive!!
Posts: 1954
Location: Idaho | Herbie - 2014-01-24 12:34 PM Anything under 5 should be looked at every 3 - 6 months. Lots of changes going on in their mouths during this time. Horses over 5 yearly unless they begin to show some abnormal soreness, act differently, or show soreness anywhere. I always start with the mouth. Often times a healthy and balanced mouth will take care of alot of other soreness problems in the body.
I agree. Our equine dentist is probably one of the best in the west and we get the colts done starting at 2 1/2 yrs old. Then they get done spring and fall. Until 5 yrs old, then we get them done once a year, but he does check them when he is here since he lives so far away. Routine dental care will help prevent a LOT of problems. JMO |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | My younger gelding gets his teeth at least floated every 6 months because he has a very little bit of an overbite that creates some problems |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 437
| As a general rule I tell my clients to check every 6 months from about 2 1/2 to 5 to keep on top of baby teeth (caps) shedding correctly. From 5 years till anywhere from 12-16 years annually unless there is a problem or concern earlier from after they are anywhere from 12 to 16 we can go to 18 months to 2 years depending on the horse. I practice very conservative dentistry. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | I was told once a year and then when they get older their teeth growth slows down so it's every 1 1/2 years. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | horses that are dry lotted and or dont get a lot of grazing time will need more dental work than a horse that has a lot of turn out grazing time........and i only get mine done every few years........
m |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1074
| All of ours get theirs done every 6 months. Waiting until the year is a bit too long in my opinion, and I stick my hand all the way up each and every mouth we own. I have never had a horse that wasn't sharp with uneven surfaces at the six month check up. I think it is much easier on them, to get a touch up every 6 months instead of waiting until it's a major overhaul. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1066
| mruggles - 2014-01-27 11:30 AM horses that are dry lotted and or dont get a lot of grazing time will need more dental work than a horse that has a lot of turn out grazing time........and i only get mine done every few years........
m
I 100% agree with this. Our horses are all on pasture all summer, and all but the mare are on pasture in the winter when she is in a seperate pen. They all eat off the ground year round, and we get their teeth checked a couple times a year when they're in for injections, but they only require a minor touch up about once a year. We could easily get them done every other year, but figure might as well touch them up while they're out anyways. That said, my gelding spent one year at an arena in a pen where he only ate hay, and his teeth were noticably worse that year... grazing really does help keep them in good shape. |
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 Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | I like to start checking on dental on mine at 1 year to 18 months and then continue at least every six months until 5. Horses are constantly erupting and shedding teeth from birth to 4 1/2 years. Every thing should be in wear by 5. By starting early there are alot of things that can be corrected and problems avoided such as parrot mouths ,over jet of the incisors, protrusions from loss of baby teeth and opposing teeth not being in wear yet....
If a horse is a performance horse, I believe it is in the best interest of your pocket book to have them checked every six months at least. They will generally tell you when they need something if you have maintained them at a level they are comfortable at. It is cheap to do a refloat and the money you spend on refloat and exam will add to what you win. I have some pro horses that are brought to me every three to four months just to check and touch up.
As far as just riding or pleasure horses that are on pasture, most horses from 5 to 16 or so can get by with once a year providing they are grazing and being able to maintain themselves the way nature intended.
After 17-19 years old they need to be checked at least yearly due to expiring teeth, loosening or loss of teeth because as they begin to lose/ expire the opposing teeth will grow unopposed into those areas and lock up the movement of the mandible causing pain and irritation as well as difficulty eating and possible weight loss and loss, wear and loosening of other teeth.
I see alot of horses that fracture and break teeth that go unnoticed until the problem is so severe and infected that it requires extreme and expensive treatment and extraction to resolve. Alot of the issues can be lessened simply by good maintainance. And as someone stated, every horse is different in the shape of the head, mouth and how they wear. With good routine maintanence, you will be able to understand how each horse wears and how long he/ she can go before they need to be refloated.
Edited by Canchasr1 2014-01-28 8:58 AM
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 The BHW Book Worm
Posts: 1768
| angelica - 2014-01-24 3:48 PM
My vet or ex-vet is money hungrey also. He wouldn't sell me heart guard for my dog unless I got blood work done on my dog every six months. I changed vets and he suggests getting a heart worm test every two years as long as you keep them on the medication. I worked for a vet in college YEARS ago and he would sell the heart guard without a second test being demanded as long as you didn't skip giving the medication to the dog. I noticed the ex-vet also sneaking $15 nail clipping onto the bill and I did not ask for them to touch her nails. Why do people have to take advantage of others so much! Before we moved to Dallas, my horse vet in Arkansas suggested doing my horses teeth ONLY if they had any sharp points. This usually showed up every TWO years. Doing a horses teeth every six months is cheating people, unless the horse is OLD and needs constant care.
I actually work for a vet like this.... he is a scum ball has ran off multiple vets and some very good techs. he is CRAZY...thank goodness I only have a couple weeks left with the SOB. he will not OK anything with owners and wont release there dogs if you argue with him. he is a bully to every one. we have a boarding facility that requires 2 more vax than any kennel in the area via his preference ...one of the vax covers something that hasn't been seen in KS since 1990.. and it is not lethal. if dogs play hard in Daycare and get a scratch ...im talking not even a drop of blood he will prescribe antibiotics weather you want them or not. ....o lord help me I could go on forever... o our nail trims are 16.50 and done with super old hand clips by high school kids that just have to wing it. I cant wait till im outa there!!
Edited by Thistle2011 2014-01-28 9:18 AM
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Dental work in horses! how often