Veterinary Equine Dental Care

18/05/2025

This cute mini was suffering from a condition I see commonly called 'infundibular caries'.

That is where the infundibulum or two naturally funnel shaped structures aren't filled properly with a hard material (cementum) during development. This leads to food and bacteria getting trapped in the defect causing a slow decay process.

This structurally weakens the tooth over time which can then result in fracture, as was the case here.

12/12/2024

This video shows a horse that can easily bite into or snap a carrot.

12/12/2024

Here are some videos I made to show the "carrot test" to check for incisor pain in horses.
Usually we use this when we suspect EOTRH - a condition that causes root resorption, pain and infection mostly of the incisor teeth.
This is a quick and easy at home test that can be a rough indication if there is any significant pain in the front teeth of a horse.
This horse was confirmed to suffer from EOTRH with xrays.

12/09/2024

Great day for some horse dentals 😀🐴
Even the dogs enjoyed it 🐕

21/08/2024

After many hours dedicated to studying and sitting through multiple exams, I am proud to now be a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Equine Dentistry.

19/08/2024

This beautiful old boy Onika, suffers from tooth resorption or "EOTRH". It tends to affect only the incisors and canine teeth of horses 15 years and over.

Unfortunately there is no current prevention or known cure besides extraction. These teeth are very painful so he will be feeling much better soon with these sore teeth out.

27/07/2024

This beautiful girl came for a visit to have an infected tooth removed.

After x-rays confirmed a tooth root abscess was present, the best treatment option was extraction, which will relieve her from ongoing pain and discomfort.

You can see on the chewing surface of the tooth that there is food packing into the pulps (or live part of the tooth). Which creates a highway for bacteria to get to the root of the tooth and set up an infection.

She will be feeling much better and back to her old self soon.

20/07/2024

Was great to meet all the lovely horses and people at the RDA last week 😊

Not long now !

We can't wait to see you all back at
RDA Raymond Terrace & Lower
Hunter this week.

Here's a little bit of what's been happening while you were away.

Veterinary Equine Dental Care

18/02/2024

I don't like having to extract teeth, but sometimes it is necessary to help our horses.
This beautiful mare had an obvious lump on her face, which revealed a fractured tooth with a concurrent infection at the root tip.
The broken piece was displaced, causing cuts to her cheek, and she was very reluctant for me to touch the area at all.

The X-rays showed a darker halo around one of the roots, indicating bone loss and infection.
This tooth, the 107, also had dead/open pulps filled with feed, which allows bacteria to track up to the roots. The pulp cavities are where the blood vessels and nerves of the tooth should be located.

She should be feeling much better with this one gone.

Remember that after an extraction, it is important to keep up with regular dentals, as now there is a space that the opposing tooth can erupt into. At regular intervals, your equine dentist can file this tooth down to prevent any further secondary issues.

10/02/2024

What else to do on the weekend but try out my new awning! With the help of my mare Nina of course :)
Should help on those 40 degree days I hope. 🏖

09/01/2024

Extraction case late last year. This poor boy was suffering from a tooth root infection. You can see the blunted root and draining hole where the infection has burst out the side.

The needles are sitting into the dead pulps of the tooth which was what I could initially see on oral exam, which prompted X-rays and ended with extraction. He should be feeling much happier now without this aching tooth.

14/12/2023

Hope you and all our four legged friends have a lovely Christmas 🎄