Horse Mouth Diseases

Many horse owners and vets claim that a horse has "a digestive system designed by a committee." It takes very little to upset a horse's digestive system, including problems in the mouth. If a horse can't grind his teeth properly because of pain, they can't extract all of the nutrients of their food.

Also known as peritonitis, this is a painful disease that settles in and causes infection around the horse's teeth. It is usually seen in older horses, although it can affect horses of any age. If the horse's teeth are growing unevenly, this can cause the animal not to be able to eat properly. It can also cause injury to the mouth and gums, resulting in periodontal disease. The good news is that this is preventable through a yearly dental check up and filing.

This is where the horse's lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw, making eating very difficult. Foals with pig mouth usually cannot suckle. This is a congenital disease that causes the malformation of the jaw. Prognosis for horses with pig mouth (or bulldog mouth) is not good. Usually, the horse has to be put to sleep.

This is a disease of the gums that is very similar to the human version. This causes swollen gums that bleed easily. Although gingivitis isn't painful, it usually precedes more painful and serious mouth diseases like periodontal disease. Just like in people and dogs, a horse with gingivitis is more prone to having heart problems because the plaque causing the gums to swell can get into the bloodstream.

Although it can be easy to check the horse's front teeth, it can be very difficult to check the back molars, where mouth disease often occurs. Symptoms of mouth disease include the horse chewing with his head tilted to one side, eating more slowly, drooling more as he eats, gradual weight loss and seeing undigested food in his stool. The hose will also have really foul breath because of decaying food caught in between the teeth.

Horses do not get foot and mouth disease, although they can be carriers of the disease. Whenever a farm or stable is located in an area with a foot and mouth outbreak, the horse's hooves need to be cleaned daily. The workers need to wear disposable suits and even car tires need to be washed with bleach and detergent to prevent spreading foot and mouth disease.