Many horses could be suffering in silence, as studies reveal up to 70% of horses have undiagnosed dental problems. To address this issue, a new awareness week has been launched. The initiative aims to encourage owners to properly assess and address potential horse teeth issues.
As part of the ‘No Pain? Check Again!’ campaign, The British Horse Society (BHS) and The Equine Dental Clinic’s Dental Awareness Week will begin on Friday and run until Thursday 16 November.
They advised that to help detect problems early and prevent further issues, teeth should be checked a minimum of once a year.
The week also hopes to raise awareness of:
- The signs of dental problems – what could your horse be hiding?
- The importance of routine dental care every 6–12 months by a suitably qualified equine dental practitioner. This includes a vet or BAEDT/category 2 WWAED equine dental technician
- What to expect from your horse’s dental check
- Understanding of equine dentistry problems has significantly improved over the last 20 years and best practices have developed for treatment. However, many modern treatments are only possible if problems are identified early enough – which may be before clinical signs
Horse teeth issues: A free webinar
The BHS and The Equine Dental Clinic are providing a free two hour webinar on Wednesday 15 November. Presented by industry experts from The Equine Dental Clinic, the webinar will explore the signs of dental problems. It will also outline what to expect from your horse’s dental check and offer insight into real life case studies.
Sign up to join the webinar by clicking here.
The organisations will also be providing equestrians with a free digital pack, downloadable from here. Owners will be able to receive a free routine dental planner and have access to dental healthcare content.
“Horses are stoic animals, meaning that they can endure pain for long periods of time without showing signs, especially with pain related to teeth,” said said Gabrielle Madders, Horse Care & Welfare Campaigns Officer at the BHS. “That is why dedicating a whole week to the importance of regular dental examinations, a minimum of once a year, is so critical. We need to be able to identify dental problems early to help keep our horses pain-free and comfortable.”
A stitch in time…
“Spotting issues early on is the best way to prevent dental disorders that could seriously affect horse welfare, keep them working at their best and ensure prompt treatment for any problems,” said Dr Chris Pearce and Dr Nicole du Toit of the Equine Dental Clinic. “This campaign will give horse owners the knowledge and confidence they need to understand why good regular dental examinations are so important, to know what to expect when their horses are receiving routine dental care, and guidance on potential treatments available when things go wrong. The most important part is that horses often won’t tell you – so No pain? Check again!”
The BHS will be hosting stand 44 at Your Horse Live from the 10 to 12 November. The charity will be handing out free copies of their ‘No Pain? Check Again!’ dental guide. Together with The Equine Dental Clinic, they will present talks about potential horse teeth issues and how to avoid them.
