154
46TH
ANNUAL
CONGRESS
OF
THE
SAEVA
SKUKUZA
16-‐20
FEBRUARY
2014
POST MORTEM SURVEY OF
EQUINE DENTAL DISORDERS
D. C. Vemminga*, G. Steenkampa, A. Carstensa, Steve A. S. Olorunjub, Ruth M.
Stroehlec & P.C. Pagea
a
Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of
Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa, bMedical Research Council, Soutpansberg Road,
Pretoria, 0001, South Africa, cDepartment of Production Animal Studies and Reproduction, University
of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
Dental care is an integral part of equine veterinary practice and increased focus has
been put on the implications of dental disorders on equine welfare. In South Africa
limited reports on dental disorders in the equine population are available.
Additionally, no study has reported on the difference between performing an oral
examination on an intact head and a bisected head for the diagnosis of dental
disorders.
The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of dental disorders in
different age groups of an abattoir population of horses, and to compare oral
examination of intact and bisected heads. A cross-sectional prevalence study was
performed on heads of horses consigned for routine slaughter at Randfontein in
South Africa. Individual horse gender and body condition score were recorded. Age
was estim