Are Teeth An Accurate Measure Of Age In Horses? by Geoff Tucker, DVM.

Welcome to The Horse’s Advocate Podcast episode 70 “Are Teeth An Accurate Measure Of Age In Horses?” by Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on September 21, 2022 In 1979, I memorized the standard chart for aging the horse using the ware patterns of the teeth over time. The incisors were used rather than the cheek teeth because they were readily available by lifting the lips. The recorded features included the cups, dental star, and Galvayne's Groove. Horse owners and buyers used the chart for maybe a century, but in the 1980s, many equine dentists started to describe the incisors' bite. They noticed uneven wear patterns representing them as a smile, a frown, a diagonal, or a V-shape. In 1983, I floated my first horse, and since, I have floated over 77,000 horses. I officially aged horses many times. I started to notice that if horses wore the incisors unevenly, the horse could be one age when viewed from the left side and another age when viewed from the right. The old aging chart needed fixing. Several years ago, I asked owners with horses of verified age (papers or lip tattoos) to allow me to photograph the incisors. I imaged the left and right lateral, the straight-on, and the open mouth of the lower occlusal surface views. My goal within the project's time constraints was to get ten random horses of every age between 2 years and 30+ years. I could do this in most age groups, while I could only find one or two verified horses in other age groups. This podcast describes my findings. DISCLAIMER: This content is for information and entertainment purposes only, NOT for medical diagnosis. Contact your veterinarian for any questions regarding a diagnosis, medical condition, or treatment. The Horse’s Advocate LLC, The Equine Practice Inc., and Geoff Tucker DVM assume no liability for your use of this content. Reliance on the website or any materials is at your own risk. Our website and forums do not supply medical care or medical services. For medical services or medical emergencies, please call your veterinarian immediately. The articles, text, graphics, images, demonstrations, presentations, links, and other material in this video are only for informational and educational purposes. They should not be considered a substitute for professional veterinary advice.