Vet Tips 2025: How to Manage Dental Needs in Aging Horses 🐴🦷

By Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

As horses age, their dental needs change—often drastically. From missing molars to painful front teeth, older horses require tailored feeding and veterinary care to stay healthy and comfortable. Here’s what you need to know to support your senior horse’s dental health in 2025. 📆🐎

Why Are Dental Problems Common in Older Horses? 🔍🧠

Over time, horses may:

• 🦷 Lose teeth naturally due to wear, decay, or disease
• 🔩 Have teeth extracted due to pain or infection
• 🥣 Struggle to chew long-stem hay or graze effectively

The result? Weight loss, frustration, and decreased appetite—especially in horses who can’t graze due to pain in their front teeth. 🐴

EOTRH: A Painful Senior Horse Dental Disease 🧬🩺

One condition seen almost exclusively in older horses is EOTRH, or Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis. This disease affects the incisors and canines, causing:

• 📉 Tooth resorption
• 🧱 Overgrowth of cementum (hypercementosis)
• 🔥 Inflammation, infection, and pain

Since horses grasp grass with their incisors, EOTRH can make grazing impossible—resulting in rapid weight loss. 😔

How to Spot Dental Trouble in Seniors 👁️🦷

Common signs of dental disease in older horses include:

• 🥣 Quidding (dropping partially chewed hay)
• 💧 Excessive drooling
• 📉 Decreased appetite or weight loss
• 🥕 Avoidance of hard treats or long-stem hay
• 🧱 Swollen or receding gums, especially at the incisors
• 🩸 Bleeding at the gum line

If you notice these signs, schedule a veterinary dental exam and x-rays to check for EOTRH or other issues. 🩺

Feeding Strategies for Horses With Dental Issues 🥣🐴

Horses who can’t graze or chew hay well still need adequate calories and fiber. Here’s how to modify their diet safely:

1. Forage Intake is Still Essential 🌾

• 🥕 Feed at least 2% of body weight in forage (20 lbs for a 1,000 lb horse)
• 🍀 Use soft, leafy alfalfa for underweight seniors—it’s high in protein and energy

2. Make Hay Easier to Eat 🧊🍲

• 🧽 Soak hay cubes or pellets until fully softened into a mash
• 💧 Add warm water to grain for palatability and hydration

3. Consider Complete Feeds ✅🥣

If your horse has no usable teeth left, switch to a complete senior feed designed to provide fiber, nutrients, and calories without forage. These can be soaked into a soft gruel. 🍜

4. Boost Calories Safely 🔋

• 🛢️ Add vegetable oil (1/4 to 1/2 cup per feeding) to boost energy intake
• 📉 This helps prevent weight loss without the risk of laminitis or colic

Should You Extract the Incisors? 🪥🔧

In advanced EOTRH, extraction is often the only way to relieve pain. Horses adapt well without front teeth and can continue eating soaked feed or hay cubes. Many horses show:

• 😀 Improved appetite
• 🌟 Better mood and energy
• 📈 Weight gain and improved condition

Always consult your vet and get radiographs before planning extractions. 🧠

Don’t Overlook Annual Dental Exams 📆🩺

• 📅 Schedule dental checks at least once a year for horses over 12
• 🖼️ Ask for radiographs of the incisors in older horses
• 📊 Track changes in chewing, appetite, and performance

Need Help Managing an Aging Horse’s Diet? Ask A Vet 📱🐴

Not sure how to support your senior horse’s dental needs? Want to explore complete feed options or plan for incisor extraction? Chat with an equine vet now at Ask A Vet.

Download the Ask A Vet app for 24/7 support on feeding, dental planning, weight tracking, and pain management for senior horses. 🐎🩺

Final Thoughts: Gentle Nutrition and Care for Senior Horses 💛🐴

Aging doesn’t have to mean suffering. With the right dental care, nutrition plan, and vet support, senior horses can thrive—even without a full set of teeth. 🧠💙

Need guidance? Visit Ask A Vet and build a better plan for your senior horse’s golden years. 🐴📋