I found a tooth in my horses feed bin, should I be concerned or do horses lose their teeth?
Finding a horse tooth in a feed bin or paddock is not unusual, particularly in young horses. Like people, horses will lose all their baby teeth, 24 of them in total. They will shed these baby teeth between 2 and 5 years of age.
As a horse’s new permanent tooth erupts the baby tooth will remain on top of the adult tooth as a cap but it will eventually wear away and fall off. This is why some teeth only look small when they fall out as they are only caps. Occasionally these caps do not fully fall off or crack or break. This can then cause dental issues with food getting trapped or tooth pain.
Horses may also loose teeth as that get older/senior due to general wear and use or because of other underlying health issues. Teeth can also be lost due to injury, impact, infection or some underlying medical conditions.
Regular dental checkups at least every 6-12 months by a qualified equine dentist or a veterinarian that is well trained in dentistry is recommended.