Q:
A while back you had a great informational piece about hoof management for Baby Z. I was wondering what you do to take care of his teeth? Do horses have baby teeth they lose to make room for permanent teeth like humans?
Vicki Vinson
Apple Valley, CA
A: The oral cavity of a young growing horse is undergoing constant change. Unlike humans, horses have hypsodont teeth that are constantly erupting. From the time a foal is born to the time the horse is an adult, the number of teeth increases from 0-6 as a foal to 36-44 as a full mouthed adult. The average horse has a full mouth of 36-44 teeth (4 rows of 11) by the age of 4 years. During the first four years, it is important to routinely evaluate the oral cavity for congenital (born with) and developmental (acquired) disorders. If congenital and developmental disorders are not identified and addressed early, they may lead to more severe disorders.
A newborn foal is born with few teeth. The first incisors may be present at birth or can be just below the gingival surface. The first incisors typically erupt through the gingiva around 6-8 days of life. All of the incisors should be present by 6-9 months of age. The same is true for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th pre-molars. They may be present at birth but they are generally exposed by two weeks of age. Three permanent molars erupt caudal (behind) to the premolars at 1, 2 & 3.5-4 years respectively.
As Baby Z grows up his teeth will be examined periodically to insure that they are erupting in the proper place, size and number. All foals at Lane’s End are examined at birth for any oral abnormalities. Foals are monitored daily for any illnesses or injuries and that includes the oral cavity. As Baby Z becomes a yearling he will have an oral exam performed twice a year to monitor normal tooth wear and eruption. If necessary, sharp enamel points that form on the outside of the upper tooth arcades and the inside of the lower tooth arcades will be reduced. This is most commonly known as “teeth floating.” Baby Z may also have his wolf-teeth or first pre-molars removed before he enters light breaking and training. Wolf-teeth may cause him discomfort when a bit is placed in his mouth and that could interfere with his training.
Routine oral care is a critical part of any annual wellness program. With oral exams once to twice a year, Baby Z will be sure to have a beautiful set of pearly whites to smile with in the winners circle!
Our Expert
Hagyard Equine Dentistry
Dr. Martinez graduated from the Oklahoma State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. He completed an ambulatory internship at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and became a Field Care Associate in 2004. His practice includes emergency field medicine, herd health and wellness, neonatal foal care, mare and stallion reproduction, and equine dentistry. Dr. Martinez is actively involved with veterinary medicine organizations, holding positions in the Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners and the National American Association of Equine Practitioners. His wife practices small animal emergency medicine in Lexington, KY. They live in Versailles with their three year old son and two dogs.
Ann Maree / Tennessee
Yea-a-a-a-a!!!!! Glad you are back!!! Missed our Zenny and Z12 fix!!! Hugs to all and thanks so much!!
Ann Maree / Tennessee
Your papa has been lighting up the sales at Keeneland: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/intraday_single.cfm?Bernardini_Colt_Lights_Up_Keeneland&type=sales&alertID=705#.UFDEN2hLXeU.facebook
Perky Green
Very informitive
Rosemary McCauley-Pres./AZ/New Mexico RNC
Thank you so much for the info. Winner’s Circle it is!!!
Sue Fredrick Co-P WI Chapt.
Thank you so much LE staff, very interesting. Picture is too funny, looks like he was first to the trough and no one is going to push him out……is this an OMEN of things to come? Hugs
Marty
Wow! This is great info to know. Thank you to the LE staff for keeping us informed. Looks like Baby Z is getting big.. Pretty soon he’ll be a yearling. Have a good day everyone!
harriett (Oklahoma)
Thanks for the info. Love the picture!
Leila A. Alter, DDS
Just to clarify that Dr. Martinez was referring to quadrants (upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left) when referring to 4 rows of teeth. Also, horses do have deciduous (baby) teeth. The baby teeth are referred to caps as they are pushed out by the permanent teeth.
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Thank you so much for this clarification. I suspect that you correctly imagined what I was envisioning as far as the “four rows” were concerned! LOL! I don’t know much about horses, but I kept thinking, “gee – wouldn’t I have noticed that?”
Barbara Wood (Texas)
I agree with Sandy. I was thinking, “How could I have missed that with our grandhorse?”
We uninitiated often are very literal. I tend to be anyway. so thanks for the clarification.
Jan S. / Houston
Thanks Dr. Alter. Four rows!! YIKES!!
signofthetimes; President of Texas RN Chapter
Thanks Dr. Alter,
Thanks sooo much for the clarification. I was wondering about four rows of teeth. I did not remember seeing that on my horse when his teeth were floated. They all looked in one row to me.
4 Quadrants it is, which makes perfect sense.
andrea
How would they perform an extraction of the wolf teeth? Do they numb with lidocaine, etc.? Extraction forceps? Sounds intense!
Dr. Martinez
Good catch on my typo! You are correct. I should have written “4 quadrants of 11.” Thanks for keeping us on our toes! Sometimes the fingers don’t type what the mind is thinking! Enjoy the Z posts. Thanks for reading. They truly are a remarkable pair of horses!
Dr. Martinez
Joanna from TX
Wonderful info! Thanks all.
And, thanks Dr. Alter for the explanation on ‘rows of teeth’….I knew horses didn’t have rows like sharks but couldn’t imagine what was up…. LOL!
Trisha-VA
As always Lane’s End is a wealth of information, which is so appreciated. Yes 12Z’s teeth must be kept pearly white for all the photos he is sure to have when in the winner’s circle.
Still want to see and hear our girl. Miss, miss, miss her so much.
Love hugs and kisses
Kim
What a good question! Thank you for all the info and yes, we very much miss our girl and her boy.
Wendy Treadaway
Very informative. My mare sees the equine dentist once a year. Next time he comes, I’m going to ask him to give me a “tour” of her mouth! Always appreciate the pictures of Baby Z, too. Thank you!
Maryp ny
Good question Vicki. Very interesting info and PrinceZ will indeed need pretty teeth for photos in the winner’s circle when he is a grown up boy!!!
I do wonder if he is (or thinks he is) leader of the herd in his paddock of weanling??!!??!?
Looks like it!
Pati- Having a quiet moment; thinking of Sammy.
This is cool stuff.
L♥VE Auntie Judy aka JAG / Southern CA
A-W-W-W! I wonder when they acquire a “sweet tooth” ;-)
Love the update – we miss you Zenny! ♥ How’s that Baby Bump coming along………..?
Love always, Auntie JAG XOXO
Stella Bagwell South Texas
I really enjoyed this piece about the teeth. So informative in language that anyone can understand. Thank you Dr. Martinez!
Hope Zenyatta, Baby Z and all equines at Lane’s End are thriving!
Stella
Margaret
Pearly whites? Boy do I have a picture for you! Have to load it online. I call it You Have Bad Breath! The horse has his upper lip curled up, bits of food left all over with lots of plaque. To top this off a big load of half chewed hay lies between his upper gum and cheek!
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Well, we won’t have to do any guessing this time about which one is 12Z as his green electrical tape is a sure sign (and I STILL think that the one looking at the camera in the last shot was Spooky’s kid while 12Z was munching it up right in front of us!). Still wish I knew who the other guy was – he is SO cute!
Thanks to Dr. Martinez. Alys, and all involved for another very interesting post and a great picture. Does someone . . . well . . . brush their teeth???
Keta
Sandy,
I wonder if the green duct tape was put on for our group.
That helps avoid the repeated “which one is Baby Z” question.
Keta
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
I wondered that too, Keta, but it doesn’t always make it into the shot. Big help when it’s there, however!
signofthetimes; President of Texas RN Chapter
Keta and Sandy,
The green duck tape was put on I bet because someone tore at his halter and
made it a little thin. Remember the haltar pulling game. Horses play that
until they are very very very old.
Keta
Sign,
That is such a Red Neck solution to fix the halter.
Maybe we should get together & send him a new one
LOL
Keta
Rosemary McCauley-Pres./AZ/New Mexico RNC
Sign: Perhaps Baby Z is sending us a message via duct tape on his collar that he would like to be an official member of RNC? Just wondering . . . . .
Brenda S..Ontario, Canada, President RNC, Canada
Many thanks to Dr. Martinez for the tutorial and to Alys for another wonderful photo. I’m sure that 12Z will have the pearliest whites when he smiles for the cameras. I think he needs a quick visit with Mom so that she can do his hair.
sheena.davies (wales)
great pics of 12z and his buddies but where is his mom we want to see her as well hope her pregnancy is going well will we get some pics of the queen soon?thanks for all the info very infomative love to dear zenyatta her prince and all atLE who care for themXXXX
Delrene in Carlsbad, Ca
THANKS …… Now I know what “Teeth floated” means……… Love the continued updates on all things Z and Z12…… Cute photo of this little band of boys/ or perhaps girls too!
Sharyn/Vermont
Great information and such a cute picture!!
Louise Castello
Wow, this is really interesting info. I had no idea about foal’s teeth and never would have thought to ask! So, really great question and great answer. I love how much I have learned since first reading the diary from fellow fans and now from Lane’s End and, OF COURSE, still learning from the fans!! I sure am enjoying the live feeds from Keeneland! Except for the fact that I keep feeling sorry for one’s with low bids! Like the horse has any idea what people are bidding for them! It is interesting, though.
carol in utah
the guy on the right was a pasture pal before weaning …do not think we were ever told his mom’s name…but I would know that blaze anywhere….is that SM12 in the middle?
……
This was really interesting ….never thought to ask about teeth…duh…and thanks also for the clarification about “rows” being quadrants….makes sense …
…..
packing for Arkansas again….mom not doing so good…but she will pull thru…us Wisconsin breeds are tough…
…..
Zenny…would you pretty please ask them to post a new pic of you …Tapit would like that…hear he is pining for lack of current news of you…
…..
Kisses for all the soft noses…carrots around
Max
Carol. Crescent moon guy has big mischief written all over him. He also always gets into the right camera angle. Gotta love him.
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Cool name for him Max! I love “Crescent Moon Guy” :-)
signofthetimes; President of Texas RN Chapter
Isn’t SM son the one with the blaze ????
He was a very young light bay guy as I remember.
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
I think SM’s son is the one who looks a lot like Prince but is darker and also has a somewhat larger white spot on his – well, I was going to say forehead, but I’m sure that isn’t right (or, the one in the middle here). The one to the right (Crescent Moon Guy) has been in some of the other pictures, but no one has said who he is.
Jan S. / Houston
Thanks Lanes End & Dr. Martinez. What very interesting information on horse’s teeth.
12Z looks like he is the leader of the pack. How is Mama Z doing.
shirlee in Indy
From his looks in this picture, we really can’t call him Baby Z anymore. He is getting so big and looks so grown up. Of course, he like our human children, will always be a baby to us.
Thanks for the information about horse teeth and the photo.
Could we see our Queen Z next time, please?
Vicki B. near Hollywood Park
Another redneck story:
Three rednecks, Bubba, Earl and Jeb, were stumbling home late one night and found themselves on the road that led past the old graveyard.
“Come have a look over here”, says Bubba, “It’s Zeb Jones’ grave, God bless his soul. He lived to the ripe old age of 87.”
“That’s nothing”, says Earl, “here’s one named Butch Smith. It says here that he was 95 when he died.”
Just then, Jeb yells out, “But here’s a fella that died when he was 145 years old!”
“What was his name?” asks Bubba.
Jeb lights a match to see what else is written on the stone marker, and exclaims, “Miles, from Georgia.”
Max
An all time great one.
Max
Vicki B. I am still laughing about this one.
Vicki B. near Hollywood Park
Thanks, Max, yeah I thought that Jeb was a real pistol.
judy berube from Rhode Island
Dear Vicki B.:
Too funny. Hugs, JB
Diana Stuart - Lurking
You are indeed keeping up the RN tradition with these!
Please contact me off list – have your Z Dumpling name tag. diastu46@gmail.com
Debbie
love love that you mentioned seeing those pearly whites in the winner’s circle;)
Coco
Thank you!
Molly
Thank you Lanes End for all of the educational information. Has anyone asked if the horses get massages and or visits from a chiropractor? Remember hearing that Tiznow had back problems. Just curious.
Keta
Max, thought you’d like to know. RIP Keta
Thoroughbred Racing tweeted
Breeding News: The Sun Has Set: Monsun Dies at 22:
A look at the career of the late German sire Monsun
Monsun has died. On Monday, Sept. 9, at 7:00 p.m., the pillar of Gestut Schlenderhan and a bulwark of European bloodlines was put to rest at age 22 after suffering an acute neurological disease.
Bred by Gestut Isarland in 1990, Monsun did not reach the races until age 3. Racing in the colors of Baron Georg von Ullmann and trained by Heinz Jentzsch, Monsun started 17 times in his three-year turf career, winning eight races (all group stakes from 10-12 furlongs) including three group Is. A solid middle-distance performer adept on both soft and firm turf, Monsun earned more than $1.7 million
http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/around-the-globe/archive/2012/09/12/the-sun-has-set-monsun-dies-at-22.aspx
Max
Keta. Very sorry to hear this. He was young to go. RIP Monsun.
signofthetimes; President of Texas RN Chapter
Max,
It is very unusual for horses to live beyond 25 yo. So this guy was not too young although he was very special.
Max
Sign. I guess that I am used to the really tough NA characters like Northern Dancer, Storm Cat and Terlingua. To them 22 is young. Same for Big D. At 22 Big D was still in his prime. Actually Big D was prime to his last breath. Love you Big D.