Why would you still float teeth on an old horse if the teeth are done growing?

I have been told by the vet my 25 year old Tennesse Walker is near the end of his teeth growing years and he will need to be fed a senior food soon. Does it make sense to grind down teeth that are not growing much? I want to make sure it's not a cash grab.

Why would you still float teeth on an old horse if the teeth are done growing?
What your vet means, dear, is that your horse's teeth have been worn down enough by age that they are no longer pushing through ( or erupting from) the gum as much. This DOES NOT mean that you should not keep floating them, however. As a horse chews, it grinds and wears its teeth unevenly, which results in sharp points or hooks on the outer and inner edges. This can cause the animal tremendous pain and mouth sores, as well as colic and digestive problems, if the condition isn't kept under careful control.





A horse's teeth grow naturally and erupt from the gums and jaw throughout its entire life, from birth to death. Foals are born with milk teeth, which gradually fall out during the first four or so years of their lives, and are replaced with the permanent teeth which they will have from that point on. Floating an older horse's teeth is necessary to maintain the animal's health and ability to chew. Horses which are in pain from dental problems such as hooks or points can't chew their food properly, and they will lose weight regardless of how much they get fed or what quality feed they get. Plus, improperly chewed food can lead to colic and to choke ( blockage of the esophagus) which are both conditions that can be fatal if not immediately and correctly treated.





As for the supposed expense associated with floating teeth, ask yourself which would you rather pay- a dental bill, which normally only runs to about 40 to 75 dollars, depending on where you live and who does the work, or a vet bill amounting to hundreds and even thousands of dollars for colic surgery, or euthanasia and disposal costs if your horse colics because of inability to chew. Then ask yourself how much you love your horse, and whether or not you think it's fair for him to suffer such pain in the last years of his life. If you are like me, you will probably be revolted by such an idea- and rightly so. You will realize that it's not fair at all to force your horse to suffer unnecessary pain because you don't want to spend the money to have his teeth done. Your horse sounds like a dear old fellow- someone who is part of your life, and has been your friend and partner for many years. If you wouldn't put a person through the pain of not being able to chew properly ( like say, a loved one) then why would you do such a thing to your horse? I am a horse owner myself, and I have owned horses which are your horse's age or even older. We currently have a 23 year old Argentine Thoroughbred gelding on our farm, and like everyone else, he gets his teeth checked regularly. To do otherwise would be to risk having him lose so much weight that he couldn't make it through the winter, which would be heartbreaking. He's a polo horse, a friend, and he helped us raise another one of our horses from babyhood. To repay him by neglecting his health would be cruel, which is why WE still spend the money to do things like float his teeth.





My only point in telling you this is to get you to THINK about what you are planning to do, and ask yourself whether it's really worth it- for your own sake, as well as your horse's. Good luck.
Reply:As a horse uses their teeth they can become very sharp and actually hurt the horse. So yes I would say to float them. Just because they are not growing dose not mean that they are still not waring down and getting sharp hope this helps

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