Teeth problems

[Joanna Cooke]

Okay, I would like to know when minis stop losing their baby teeth? I was feeding my stallion, Buddy, this morning, when I looked in his feed bucket and found a tooth. It's small, and the root is pretty disintegrated, so it's not surprising that it fell out. I just want to make sure that minis still lose their baby teeth at this age (he is 5 this year). I'm not sure if he has ever had his teeth floated, so I will probably have to look into that, but he seems to be eating just fine. No more food falls out of his mouth than normal, he doesn't seem to be in any pain, and he hasn't lost any weight. I've looked at his teeth (kind of, he doesn't really like me doing that), and they look alright. I haven't been able to really see his back teeth, his molars, so I'm not sure what they are like, but based on his eating habits, I assume they aren't giving him any grief either.


Here are a couple pictures of his tooth that I found.

 

[chandab]

looks like an incisor cap (baby tooth), probably one of the corners, as they are the last to shed. I think 5-6 years is when they shed the last of the baby incisors and get their permanents in.

 

[Joanna Cooke]

looks like an incisor cap (baby tooth), probably one of the corners, as they are the last to shed. I think 5-6 years is when they shed the last of the baby incisors and get their permanents in.

Ok, good. Thanks!

 

[Margo_C-T]

It is really best not to 'assume' anything about a miniature horse's teeth. As a very long time miniature owner, self-trainer and breed exhibitor, and one-time breeder, I'd highly recommend starting to have your miniature horses' teeth CHECKED starting at around one year, and again every 6 mos. or so thereafter, by a provably KNOWLEDGEABLE-ABOUT-TEETH equine vet, or where your state law allows, fully-qualified equine dentist. Miniatures fairly frequently have various kinds of issues with such things as retained caps(the 'baby teeth'),and the more common problems such as hooks and ramps, etc.,which NEED to be attended to promptly. Horses are stoic, may be enduring serious problems without outward signs.There are even alignment issues that may well be 'fixable' by early intervention.