Senior horse - how often to float teeth?

[Josette]

My senior pony age 25 had a back tooth extraction done in late 2023. The dentist said there was a cracked tooth showing signs of infection (pony had no symptoms). He had a follow-up dental exam in Dec 2024 with minimal floating done and afterwards had issues eating hay pellets. He had previously lost interest in eating his Timothy hay as well. I immediately switched him over to soaked hay pellet/ beet pulp and soaked hay cubes with some chopped hay. This softer diet is working great for him as he has not shown any issues dropping food or unable to chew. I hesitate to have the dentist out without any problems to report as I really do not want any power floating done - unless needed. I feel all is well and I don't want to mess with his mouth and give him TQ just for an oral exam.

So for those who have managed elder care for horses (and on special diets) - how did you monitor and how often do you have dental exams done? I am seriously considering waiting until spring for a dental exam. (He is also PPID and had recent elevated Insulin - so a recent diet change was made. He loved his chopped alfalfa hay too much - so that is off his menu. Labs will be repeated.)

[Tanga]

I always did yearly dentals, though often they don't need much by then. My Appy could be cleaned up with a few swipes and no tranquilizers. Sora needed checking and just before I lost her had a tooth loose that was painfully pushing back into her gums that was pulled out by hand, and had lost most use on one side. I had used someone else the year before that never mentioned that, but said she had the whatever you call it where they is a lot of build up of tooth or calcium on the front teeth which can make it painful.

So, they don't need much, but definitely yearly checks, and more so if issues.

[Josette]

Tanga - thanks very much for your reply. I'll make the appt and mention I want to be conservative with what little back teeth he has left. He refused to eat afterwards in the past and I hope to avoid any issues again....

Years ago, I went through the major multiple front teeth dental extraction on my TB - age 20 at the time. He had mild laminitis post surgery so we had major recovery issues to manage.

I had to look up the term again - definition of that equine dental condition. I never want to go through it again.

Calcium deposits on a horse's front teeth can be a sign of Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis (EOTRH), a degenerative and painful condition in older horses that involves excessive buildup of cementum (a calcified tissue) around the roots of incisors and canines. This is different from dental calculus (tartar), a more common deposit that forms on the visible surfaces of teeth, especially where salivary ducts open into the mouth.

[Srhorselady]

I was always religious with annual dental checkups. Then my equine dentist (not a vet but he taught equine dentistry at a vet school ) told me to stop floats on first one senior (age 26), then a second (age 27), and warned me that a third (age 25) was a maybe for floating the following year. All were showing enough wear too close to the gum lines. Since I still had him doing other horses (he traveled and came to my barn once annually) I always had him give them a quick check but we never did another float except on the 25 year old who had one more float. All three had cushings. All three still ate hay (with much quidding). They were on moistened diets etc but still liked to chew their hay. I lost these three at 31, 29, and 28.

[Josette]

SrHL - YES, Thank you!! What you described about your elder horses with worn teeth near the gum line is exactly my concern. Equine dentistry has evolved to use power floating which I have reservations may loosen weak back teeth. I feel there comes an age where less is better. I don't need any more dental surgeries or complications eating his current soaked diet. I did make the appt. but I will be firm about our dental care.

[texsuze]

I made sure K had annual dental exams his entire life. Unfortunately some vets were not as skilled in evaluating and undertaking the exam/floats, although at one barn, the dental team, after a thorough initial evaluation said "No floating to be done, everything looks fine, leave well-enough alone"!

Finally found a great equine dentist 2 hours away for the last few years of K's life (K was 30 when he went to the Rainbow Bridge). Dentist was a minimalist in his approach and had seen many cases of EOTRH noting that K had some early evidence of it. He also explained the way K's upper and lower tooth surfaces no longer met evenly, likely the reason for why he'd started quidding his hay. My point being, even if x-rays are the only thing done I still feel it is worth the time and $ to have annual dental exams even in old age. You can and should express your desires for minimal intervention.

[khall]

I have annual checks but depending on the horse as to float or not. My old mare Gallie I had to stop she had nothing left to float. But had a tooth or 2 extracted as she aged. Easy to remove because there was little root left. Rip I had to have done last year then again 9 months later because he had a wave and was packing feed.

Generation when they start quidding hay there is not enough tooth to float. Gallie was the only senior I’ve cared for that had that issue with. She was 27 when I lost her.

[Josette]

I had the equine dentist out recently. Confirmed that a float was not needed and only a minor file on the prior extracted tooth side. We got the all clear now for yearly exams as no other complications present. Pony has now been on a diet where all meals are soaked hay cubes, hay pellets and beet pulp (with added supplements). He will eat Standlee bagged Timothy chopped hay as a small snack as he has a very good appetite and likes his soaked meals. He stands at the fence watching the house and calls if I am a few minutes late. Uncanny how he can tell time.

[blob]

I have a dentist/vet who i really really love and trust. When I had a sr. horse in my care, I had her check him 2x a year, but she only intervened as needed. So it was higher frequency evaluation/checking in but less frequent floating, etc.