What are wolf teeth?
• Wolf teeth are vestigial premolars, remnants of the hyracotherium stage in a horse’s development when seven molars were present. • Wolf teeth sit just forward of the first major premolar – where the bit lies – and their lack of sufficient rooting often creates pain upon application of the bit. • The likely resultant performance problems – head throwing, lugging, getting “behind” or “over” the bit – makes a strong case for their removal prior to training or major events.
Wolf teeth are vestigial premolars found in many equids such as horses, donkeys, and zebras. In domestic equids like horses, the wolf teeth are often removed to prevent oral pain and other dental problems, although in some cases they can be left in; veterinarians usually decide what to do with the wolf teeth on a case by case basis. Routine dental care for horses is especially important because dental problems can cause the horse to fight the bit or act up. As any humans who have experienced dental pain know, it is hard to focus on tasks when one’s teeth are causing pain. Equids have two types of teeth: incisors and molars. The incisors are in the front of the mouth, and they are separated from the molars by a gap known as the interdental space. When wolf teeth do erupt, which happens in around 50% of equids, they usually appear in the interdental space, and they tend to be close to the molars. Most commonly, wolf teeth appear in the upper jaw, although they have been observed in the l
Sherlock’s Page – Wolf Teeth Removal Credit Card Ordering Coming Soon! *********************************************Ask-Cherry What are wolf teeth? Cherry, I’ve heard people around the barn talking about getting the wolf teeth taken out of their horses. What are they and is it necessary? Can my vet do this or do I need to take my horse to a special dentist? Will my horse need to be drugged to do it? I’d rather not have this done unless it is absolutely necessary. MacHi Mac, First a little tooth geography. See the diagram of Horse Teeth .At the front of your horse’s mouth are the incisors. At the back of the horse’s mouth are the premolars and the molars. In between the incisors and the premolars is a relatively tooth-free space called the interdental space, also called the bars. This is where the bit sets. In the interdental space, there might be certain additional teeth.Most male horses five years of age and older have four canine teeth in the interdental space located about an inch o
Wolf teeth are small, rudimentary teeth in front of the first largte cheek teeth in horses, and if present are counted as the first premolar. They are usually only present in the upper jaw, in the upper (maxillary) arcade. Less commonly, mandibular wolf teeth are also identified. The majority of horses develop wolf teeth. The wolf tooth is very small and is sometimes present even if it has not erupted through the gum. The location of wolf teeth is such that they are widely suspected to interfere with comfortable bit placement. Problems attributed to wolf teeth include difficulty with the bit, bit chomping, and resentment of work. For these reasons, many horse owners simply elect to have any wolf teeth removed as soon as they are recognized. Removal of wolf teeth entails the use of a special circular instrument and rarely requires even tranquilization. GA_googleFillSlot(“Articles-InsideContent-Left-300×250”); GA_googleFillSlot(“Articles-InsideContent-Right-300×250”); It is important to
