Hooks and Ramps
Partial elongations of the teeth at either end of the cheek arcade are referred to as hooks (pointed down, Figure 1) or ramps (pointed up). These abnormalities develop when a portion of the tooth's occlusal surface does not contact the occlusal surface of the tooth in the opposite arcade. Caution should be exercised not to confuse the normal curvature of the mandible in some horses, especially short-headed horses (Arabians, miniatures, and ponies) with caudal ramps. It also is important to recognize that if there is a hook on one end of an arcade, there is usually a ramp on the other end of the opposite arcade.
Periodontal Disease
Many geriatric horses have food lodged between their teeth (Figure 2) and thus have periodontal disease to some degree. Some horses with periodontal disease will respond to antibiotic therapy and daily mouth lavage. Severe periodontal disease can lead to tooth infection, necessitating its removal.
Extractions and Sinusitis
Indications for tooth extraction include fractured, loose and diseased teeth. The old adage that "no tooth is better than a bad tooth" has some merit. Sinusitis and halitosis have been associated with diseased teeth in geriatric horses and should be evaluated by the veterinarian.
Nutrition
Several pelleted feed products have been designed specifically for geriatric horses. Although some geriatric horses cannot chew hay or grass efficiently, they seem to prefer to have access to forage. Hay cubes, preferably whole corn plant ground up with some alfalfa or grass alfalfa hay mix cubes, in combination with one of the senior feeds, work wonderfully for geriatric horses with few teeth. The cubes soak up to a wonderful mush in just minutes as opposed to hours for beet pulp. In addition, you can soak the senior feed products to make a slurry.
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Feed packing can lead to gingivitis and periodontal disease in horses.
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If cost is a concern (of a senior diet) then you can just put your geriatric horse on slurry of alfalfa pellets and supplement hay cubes and most horses will do well. Prior to putting any geriatric horse on a senior feed product, have your local veterinarian check the horse's renal and hepatic function. Impaired function of these organs can lead to an elevated serum calcium concentration. Subsequently, you would not want to feed a geriatric horse with impaired renal/hepatic organs an alfalfa based product (because it is too high in calcium). Guidelines for feeding senior feeds are shown on the bag, but a good rule of thumb is:
1. Feed 0.5-1.0 percent of body weight in grain (5-10 pounds of grain per day for a 1000 lb horse). Unless your senior product is a complete ration (grain & hay together) then you might feed as high as 1.5-2.0 percent of body weight (15-20 pounds of grain per day for a 1000 lb horse).
2. Feed 1.5% of body weight in hay cubes (for example: 15 pounds per day for a 1000 pound horse) per day. You will need to soak the cubes for a few minutes prior to feeding in most cases.
If your horse is tell having trouble maintaining weight, then try one of the following supplements.
Additional Caloric Supplements
3. Add corn oil to their feed gradually. You can start by adding 1 tablespoon to his feed for a few days and then increase to 2 tablespoons for a few days and so on until you reach 1-2 cups of corn oil in his feed per day. If diarrhea develops, reduce the amount of oil or stop completely.
4. Add rice bran to their senior product (1-2 pounds per day).
5. Add beet pulp to their diet. It is best if you don't feed it at the same time as their senior product. The beet pulp will have to be soaked to a slurry which prior to feeding.
Please begin feeding your horse twice a day instead of once a day and preferably three times a day. Remember when feeding pelleted feeds that geriatric horses have a tendency to choke, especially if their dentition is bad. Thus, soak their pellets prior to feeding them. In addition to feeds, the geriatric horse will need supplemental trace mineral salt and fresh water. Feeding alfalfa products will make your horse urinate more, and their stall will have a stronger smell of ammonia because the alfalfa contains more nitrogen than grass hay.
In these cases, the owner will have to wash the horse's mouth out daily to diminish the incidence of periodontal disease due to impacted feed materials in the cheeks.
Summary
The cherished companionship that an elderly horse provides its owners can be extended with dental management. It is critical that the owner understands the possible complications associated with dental procedures and that some procedures may necessitate protracted care. Often when a tooth has been removed, there will be a need for more frequent masticatory examinations to curtail any potential problems (i.e., development of step mouth). Routine dental care by the veterinarian is the best insurance to prevent dental disease in geriatric horses.
Review the previous articles:
Part 1
Part 2
