When do wolf teeth "become a problem"

RubyFrench

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 May 2011
Messages
242
Location
West Midlands
Visit site
Had the dentist out today who said my horse has wolf teeth on his right side and to consider removing them if they become a problem.... how do i know when this is? he is a little bugger as it is :P
 
My equine dentist always removes them as soon as he sees them, before they become a problem. It's easier to take them out before hand, as it can take a while for said horse/pony to realise they are gone, if they have become a problem. I'd get them out asap.
 
Just booked my 3 1/2 yr old in to have his out in a couple of weeks. Trust him to have 4 wolf teeth ! They are actually quite small and easy to remove but can cause problems with the bit if left in. Also requires sedation and local anasthetic.
I thought only a vet could remove them as its classed as a surgical procedure ?
His tushes also look like their about to erupt so lots going on in his mouth poor thing.
 
I'm wondering this adult EDT said he can whip my youngsters out with just a numbing spray, no vet required! I'm wonder if they are causing my filly extra 'teethyness'. Aparantly they are very common like 80% but the prob is pressing on the bit can cause pain do best to whip to suckers out.
 
When discussing this with my EDT he said they take them out as soon as they start to grow. They do it under sedation and with local anaesthetic, so vet present as well.
 
My 9yo mare still has hers - dentist said they'd been worn down to nubs by the bit and was surprised they hadn't been taken out when she was younger as raceyards usually remove them. Doesn't appear to cause her any probs for hacking but if I ask for anything more she chomps on the bit - could be teeth could just be how she behaves when a little stressed/excited at having more to do
 
I'm wondering this adult EDT said he can whip my youngsters out with just a numbing spray, no vet required! I'm wonder if they are causing my filly extra 'teethyness'. Aparantly they are very common like 80% but the prob is pressing on the bit can cause pain do best to whip to suckers out.

You need to tell your EDT to foxtrot oscar.

There is no way of telling what is up in the jaw and there is no way a numbing spray, whatever that may be, will be enough to allow the youngster to endure what can turn into a right struggle to remove the teeth.

17 month old Alice had hers taken out recently (2 in top jaw) flipping massive things an inch long, most of which was in the jaw. The procedure took a good while, sedation, local, various tools and a good vet.
 
My 23yr old has them. Never caused her any issues, so never bothered to remove them. Usually has a small amount of rasping done yearly, as nothing to wear them down & prevent them getting sharp. However some years they don't need doing. I think she's a bit wierd though, she also hates double jointed bits, but loves single jointed.
 
Our warmblood had one, the EDT and vet discussed it a few times and said to leave it unless it was causing a problem. It didn't appear to be so we left it. This was mainly self preservation on the part of us, the EDT and the vet as she is not the easiest horse to inject to sedate.

Eventually when she was 8 she became difficult to school on one rein and we decided it would have to go.

Luckily they had invented the new oral sedative :D :D It has definately made a difference to her when ridden.
 
I would generally have wolf teeth out before horse is broken in. They can be present and cause no problems at all, but I'd rather not have to discover that they are a problem as horses can react quite violently to them and remember pain even when it has been removed. In Germany they say that if a horse is properly on the bit it won't have the bit in a position to contact the teeth (which is true), however many, many horses are not ridden properly on the bit.
 
Top