Horse owners are being warned to keep a close eye on their horses’ teeth after research highlighted that bacteria may play a bigger role than was previously suspected in equine dental disease.
Alistair Cox from Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) Vet school found that 60% of horses over the age of 15 have “periodontal” disease (infection of the structures that hold the tooth in place).
Although bacteria are known to be a cause of periodontal disease in humans, cats and dogs, their significance in horses had been less clear. Mechanical factors, such as food being packed between the horse’s teeth had been considered the primary cause of decay. Read More…
