# Wolf Teeth?



## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

Sorry to double post. But if this could be caused by his wolf teeth, is there anything that I can do to ease them until the dentist makes it out?


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Yes, the problems could very likely come from the wolf teeth. The bit sits right on them. Some horses don't get wolf teeth. Some horses get four. And they need to be removed if you plan on riding in a bit. I can't imagine they made a law that the dentist can't remove them. My vet took my little one's wolf tooth [she only got one] out a little over a month ago. And until it's removed, don't put a bit in your horse's mouth.


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

I don't know about the law. But if she can give me the professional opinion, I can have my vet remove them. Is there anything I can do to help relieve his pain?


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

My horse never had wolf teeth. Maybe it's not his teeth but you're too in his face when riding?


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

No, his previous owner said that it was a habit. That he had always done it. He doesn't sling his head when riding him. Just chomps at the bit...and chomps on it even when he's just standing with no one on his back. He does the head tilting a little while after he has eaten. But to me it just looks like he's trying to position his teeth or something. When he's chewing at the air, you can plainly see the bottom wolf teeth. It looks almost like they are hitting his upper lip the way he's knawing. I do have the vet records on him. She just had his coggins and shots done last month. She also told me that he hadn't had his teeth floated in a couple of years. BUT, the vet typed it on the printout that his teeth were fine. That's another thing. I thought that horses were supposed to have their teeth floated yearly...unless very young or a senior. Rookie is 9.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

I like to have them removed. I would have your vet out to remove them and check his mouth for ulcers.


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

are you talking about his canines? as the tennesse walker at the pasture i use has HUGE canine teeth right behind his main teeth. wolf teeth would be back right in front of his molars. to see them you would ahve to look up inside of his mouth i believe. and i don't think canines would cause a probably such as that. but the tennesse walker does the same thing as well. maybe it's just a habit?


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

ok sorry to double post but i thought pictures would help!
canines shouldn't cause a problem at all the only problem would be if they get to long and poke into his tongue and gums. and then your dentist should just file them down.
WOLF TOOTH OR CANINE
sorry the picture is big but here you can see the canine up near the front.

here you can kind of tell whats a wolf tooth and what isn't


ok numbers 105, 205, 305, and 405 are wolf teeth numbers 104 204 304 and 404 are all canine teeth. 


and these last 2 pictures all show wolf teeth.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Vet extracted 2 from Kiara and 1 wolf tooth from Jemma. Yes, they do impact the riding, so my advice is to remove that. What about the law? Does it say DENTISTS can't remove it or VETS (as well) can't remove it? I very highly doubt 2nd one. Also your horse must be sedated (which can ONLY be done by vet, dentists can't do it at least in my state). So personally I'd give a call to the VET and ask him/her about wolf tooth and whether it can be removed.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Good pictures lilkitty! Some younger horses won't have canines. My 5 and 6 yr old horses don't have them.


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

Thank you lilkitty! What I was seeing were the canines. 

And I think that's the deal with the law kitten_val. I had heard once before that the dentist can't sedate them. I live in VA...not too far from MD. 

Thank you everyone for your responses. The dentist will be out on May 5. She can't get there any sooner and the vet (unless an emergency) can't make it out to check him until the 10th. I went ahead and made the appointment when I spoke with him this morning. But told him what the problem was and that the dentist was coming out to check his teeth. So, either way, his teeth will be in good shape by the 11th.


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## Squeak (Apr 8, 2010)

In my area, i've heard of the Amish pulling teeth. I'm sure this goes much along the same lines as them gelding horses. I highly disagree with it, and maybe the law has something to do with situations like that?


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

thanks. and yeah they don't start developing canines untill 6-8 years old moth of the time. i wouldn't really have them removed as it will cost money. just get them filed down if they are causing a problem.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

charlicata said:


> That's another thing. I thought that horses were supposed to have their teeth floated yearly...unless very young or a senior. Rookie is 9.


 
As long as there are not hooks on the horses teeth that will make sores on thier mouth and the horse can eat properly a horse can go for several years without a float. The oldest horse I have is 7 and I have never had any of my current horses teeth floated. The 7 yo horse will probably have to have a float this year. 

As far as wolf teeth, the vet usually removes them when he gelds one for me while they are sedated. You definately can't see them under normal conditions.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Squeak said:


> In my area, i've heard of the Amish pulling teeth. I'm sure this goes much along the same lines as them gelding horses. I highly disagree with it, and maybe the law has something to do with situations like that?


Why do you disagree with that? There are several remote ranches "near" where I live that raise horses and most of the time they do thier own gelding. There are a couple of guys that are pretty good at it and they rope the horses and tie them down. It's not painless but it's quick and they get over it pretty fast. It has not been that long ago that nobody would have dreamed of calling a vet to do a castration of any animal yet there are many people that think they have to call the vet to give a horse a shot. I only have one or two colts at a time so I don't mind taking them into the vet but if I had more you can bet I would learn to do it myself.


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## draftrider (Mar 31, 2010)

I for one would much rather see a stud made a gelding with the ol' knife and emasculator method than have his owner not able to afford to take him to a vet to do it. There are way too many stallions out there now.

What is different between bulls, rams, bucks, or stallions? They are still animals that can feel pain, yet I don't know anyone that has a vet out to castrate bulls, or dehorn them with a gouger etc. If you feel its ok to slaughter and eat horses, and to consider them livestock, then by all means they should be able to be castrated like them. Just food for thought.


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## TheCowgirlRanda (Mar 31, 2010)

I was told that not all wolf teeth effect riding and that you only have to worry about them if they are hurting your horse. My horse chomps on her bit ALL THE TIME and it is simply just a bad habit that she has. She tries to grab her shanks too, it is kind of funny watching her because she looks like an idiot when trying to grab the shanks.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

^ The bit rests on top of or right below the wolf teeth, that's when it causes problems.


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## TheCowgirlRanda (Mar 31, 2010)

Oh ok. I wasn't sure. Thanks.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

If the bit is adjusted properly, it should not sit on any of the teeth. It should be adjusted somewhere in the area between the molars and the wolf teeth. It is possible that one of her teeth might be sore or they are growing in a weird place but I have never had the wolf teeth pulled on a horse and I have never had a problem with bitting any of them. :?


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

Rookie is like Rosie in that he drops his head and willingly accepts the bit. He doesn't do any head shaking while being ridden either. It's just the biting at the air to each side while in his stall and in the paddock at times. Well, that and constantly chomping on the bit. The chomping I can deal with though. I think if the bit were actually hurting, that he would be at the very least shaking the head. Other than the normal Walking horse head shake in the gait, that is.

Thanks for all the replies!!!


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

smrobs said:


> If the bit is adjusted properly, it should not sit on any of the teeth. It should be adjusted somewhere in the area between the molars and the wolf teeth. It is possible that one of her teeth might be sore or they are growing in a weird place but I have never had the wolf teeth pulled on a horse and I have never had a problem with bitting any of them. :?


In my experience [which is only Gracie], to position the bit "properly" puts it on the wolf teeth. She has one small wrinkle in the corner of her mouth. If the bit were placed lower, it would become much less effective. That, and my vet told me it needed to come out if I wanted to put a bit in her mouth. I think it also has to do with cheeks rubbing on it? Maybe?


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## cmvet (Apr 14, 2010)

resolve said:


> ^ The bit rests on top of or right below the wolf teeth, that's when it causes problems.


Just a quick note...The bit sits in the bar of the mouth (behind the canines and in front of the premolars. If you have your bit set too far back, then it can sit right under the wolf teeth or on the premolars which is shouldn't. Usually when wolf teeth cause issues, it's because when we pull on the bit, it draws the sensitive cheek tissue into the pointed wolf tooth, not the actual bit contacting the wolf tooth. Some smaller wolf teeth are not well anchored into the alveolar bone and thus will move in the gingival tissue which can be very sensitive. Some of these may also be completely cover by gingival tissue and are referred to as "blind wolf teeth", which i find do cause more of an issue. Some wolf teeth do sit well forward of the premolar and may directly interfere with a bit, however, this is much more uncommon. Some wolf teeth are very large, well seated into the bone, and are more like an extranumery premolar. These generally do not cause any issues.


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