05/07/2026
🦷 Equine Tooth Extraction: What Horse Owners Should Know 🐴
Horse tooth extraction is a common equine dental procedure often performed on a standing, sedated horse using modern oral extraction techniques designed to minimize complications and improve recovery.
Teeth may need to be removed due to:
EOTRH
✔️ Tooth root (apical) infections
✔️ Fractured or broken teeth
✔️ Severe periodontal disease
✔️ Retained baby teeth (“caps”)
✔️ Overcrowded or abnormal teeth
Many serious dental problems develop below the gumline and cannot be seen during a routine barn check. Horses are also very good at hiding pain, which means significant dental disease can go unnoticed, for years, until advanced stages.
Only a licensed veterinarian has the training, sedation protocols, dental equipment, and diagnostic tools — including oral examinations and dental radiographs (X-rays) — needed to properly diagnose conditions such as tooth root infections, fractured teeth, periodontal disease, EOTRH and other painful dental abnormalities.
Signs your horse may need a veterinary dental exam include:
❗ Difficulty chewing
❗ Dropping feed
❗ Facial swelling
❗ Bad odor from the mouth or nostril
❗ Weight loss
❗ Resistance to the bit
❗ Excessive salivation or quidding
After extraction, horses may require:
🥣 Soft feeds or mash diets
🩺 Monitoring for proper healing
📅 Routine follow-up dental care
Regular veterinary dental examinations are essential for maintaining your horse’s comfort, performance, and long-term health.
📞 Contact Kent Veterinary Center to schedule an equine dental evaluation or consultation.