Prevalence of dental disorders in an abattoir population of horses in South Africa by oral examination of intact and bisected heads

Abstract

Dental care is an integral part of equine veterinary practice. The objectives of this cross sectional study were to describe the prevalence of dental disorders in an abattoir population of horses, and to compare oral examination of intact and bisected heads. Heads from 40 horses were examined, 19 males and 21 females, divided into immature, adults and older horses. Older horses in this abattoir population had a significantly higher prevalence of infundibular caries (91.7%), diastemata (66.7%) and fractures (58.3%), whereas dental wear disorders affected all age groups. Gasterophilus larvae were detected in 20% of the horses. The oral examination performed on intact heads was adequate for diagnosing gross disorders, but further examination is needed for reliably diagnosing minor disorders.