Basic Equine Dental Tools
Horses, ponies, donkeys and mules need their teeth checked twice a year. Any sharp edges need to be floated (filed) or the animal will not be able to eat properly and may contract dental disease. A lot of tools are involved.
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Holders
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It's important the equine's head is kept still for check-ups and procedures. This is usually accomplished with a head sling, with a metal speculum (a brace to keep the horse's mouth open) or even a human assistant.
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Cleaning Tools
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In order to keep horse dental tools sterile, clean buckets, sterilization solution, surgical gloves and sometimes surgical gowns or aprons are used.
Checking Tools
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These tools help the equine dentist inspect the horse's mouth. These include small flashlights, long-handled mirrors and long-handled probes.
Extractors
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These equine dental tools, used to remove tooth fragments or entire teeth, include pliers, forceps and tooth elevators (long-handled picks).
Finishing Tools
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According to Horse Owner's Veterinary Handbook (Thomas Gore, DVM, et al; 2008), files and rasps have long handles and carbon-chip blades. They make sure the teeth are smooth.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit "fauxhawk" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: 416style (sookie) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
