cases, be early noticed, and speedily attended to, for so much of the
worth of the horse depends on the animal's ability to feed, that it
may be said, "no teeth no horse." The milk teeth are so regular in
their growth, that I have not been able to hear of, or meet with a
specimen, in which they were eccentric. The permanent teeth, however,
are not unusually irregular; the most common irregularity which they
exhibit, is that of retention of one or more of the milk incisors,
and this more frequently is to be seen in the lower than in the upper
jaw. Mr. Ernes, of whom I have before spoken as an excellent judge of
the teeth, and a most able practitioner, was kind enough to show me
the mouth of a cart horse which was under his care; the lower jaw had
eleven incisors, but of these five were milk teeth. The appearance
which the mouth presented was rather that of some foreign animal than
of an ordinary horse. The bone had become deformed, and the gums
were in several places in an inflammatory condition. Mr. Henderson
possesses a most curious preparation of the lower jaw of a horse,
in which there is exhibited eleven permanent teeth. The appearance
which this specimen presents is extraordinary, and the existence of
such a monstrosity, showing the extent to which nature may violate
her own laws, deserves special attention. The possibility of so
great a variation being encountered, will prepare the mind to expect
and to consider the less marked deformities, which in practice are
not unusually met with. It is not unusual to find horses with eight
teeth in one jaw, two of which are generally, on inspection, found
to be retained milk incisors. The milk teeth, if allowed to remain
after the horse incisors are fairly up, often give to these last a
very strange appearance. The following wood-cut depicts the mouth
of a mare, to which my notice was directed by Mr. Henderson, the
gentleman to whose generosity I have before had occasion to confess
my obligations.
[Illustration]
The corner milk tooth here not having been extracted after nature had
failed to remove it by the process of absorption, has caused the last
permanent incisor to take an unnatural situation, where, being removed
from attrition, it has become of extraordinary length, and looks as much
like a curious tush as the thing it really is. Such a state of the
mouth is far from rare, and because of its frequency, being the more
likely to be met with in practice, it was chosen for illustration. The
molar teeth are less subject to distortion, but, nevertheless, are
sometimes irregular, and from the same causes. I have seen the palate
pierced by a tooth which grew in an unnatural direction. The treatment,
in both cases, would be alike. The milk teeth should never be allowed to
remain in the mouth after the corresponding permanent teeth are fairly
up. If removal prior to this period does no good, now the operation is
suggested by its accordance with the natural process, and the sooner it
is undertaken the better: any delay will only create difficulty, and
render the restoration of the displaced tooth, more problematical. The
unabsorbing fang, will, in time, become united to the bone; and if its
extraction is then attempted, fracture of the jaw may be the
consequence. In no instance should the stable keeper be told to pull out
the teeth: he has not the proper instruments for the purpose, and must
use unnecessary violence even if he does no greater injury. The animal,
besides, is rendered shy of him, in whom it is essential it should be
educated to repose confidence; and many a horse, by the bungling
efforts of such people, pretending to operate, is ultimately rendered
dangerous in the stable. Moreover, the horse owner cannot be too
seriously cautioned, against giving permission to those who attend on
his animals, to overstep their lawful limits. In the first instance he
may, perhaps, congratulate himself upon the result, but speedy
experience will convince him, to his cost, of the danger of the system.
If the operation should have been delayed so long, as to allow the teeth
to have become of unequal lengths, then, after the milk incisors are
extracted, the permanent teeth must be rendered level; and, however far
apart they may at first be, in time they will approximate. The
operation, which is recommended, any Member of the Royal College of
Veterinary Surgeons will execute; and, as in skilful hands, it is never
dangerous, so it should, on no account, be entrusted to quacks or
pretenders. For some irregularities, however, there is no help; for
instance, when the lower jaw exhibits only four permanent incisors,
which is by no means unusual, and which, in the majority of cases, could
be traced to the efforts made to extract the corner milk teeth, before
the time had arrived for their removal. An animal with such a mouth is
obviously deteriorated. The lessened number of its teeth may be of
little consequence while it is young and kept in the stable. During the
earlier years, the corner nippers, which are those most frequently
wanting, are not in perfect apposition, nor are the incisors of so great
importance, when the food is to be pulled from the rack or gathered from
the manger. But at grass, especially in old age, when horses are most
frequently turned out, and when the spreading of the semi-circle brings
all the teeth into play, none can be spared. The absence of one-third of
the nippers in the active jaw, would then cause the animal more work for
its livelihood, and probably counteract all the benefit which "the run"
was intended to produce, even if more serious evils did not ensue. The
eccentricities of the teeth should always be regarded, to conjecture how
far they may retard the welfare of the horse. The presence of an
additional molar in each jaw is sometimes seen, and is hardly to be
counted a defect: such supernumerary teeth are generally posteriorly
situated, and of small size; they may cause no inconvenience, and their
existence not be suspected during the life of the animal. The reverse,
however, is the case when an extra tooth is found only in one jaw. I am
indebted to Mr. Dunsford, a gentleman who pays more than usual attention
to every case entrusted to his care, for a fine specimen of the evil
which may result from an abnormal molar. In the lower jaw, on the near
side, are seen seven molar teeth; and the last has, from the absence of
attrition, grown to a length which caused it to do serious injury to the
mouth. The teeth are placed one behind the other in a perfect row;
hence, as well as from their all being of the full size, one, the last
in position, was occasioned to project, forcing itself through the gum,
even into the substance of the superior maxillary bone. The horse was
destroyed, having become useless, in consequence of its inability to
masticate its food. Another defect in the molars is observed, in these
teeth sometimes being placed apart from one another, leaving interspaces
between them, in which the food accumulates, and inflaming the gums,
causes the animal much pain whenever it attempts to feed. For this,
nothing can be done, beyond giving the poor beast its meat artificially
prepared; but with all care the unfortunate animal becomes emaciated,
and is speedily consigned to the knacker. Fortunately, however, the
molars are not often irregular in their growth. In fact, most
irregularities of the teeth must be carefully sought for, but one form
which is not rare by any means ought to be always observed. In certain
animals the lower jaw is so short, that the creatures cannot place the
incisors together or in apposition: the consequence is, that the lower
incisors being active instruments, have to perform their functions at
considerable disadvantage; but, nevertheless, they act and receive wear.
The upper incisors, however, are, in such mouths, subjected to little
attrition; the corner, and a portion of the lateral nippers alone,
meeting each other; hence the central nippers, which grow more forward
than they ought, at length project downwards, and overhang those of the
lower jaw. This arrangement of the incisors constitutes what is called a
"parrot mouth," because of the resemblance which the teeth bear to the
bill of the bird. Most old horses are more or less parrot-mouthed; but
young horses also occasionally exhibit mouths of this description, and
in these last it is certainly a defect, for in a state of nature, or at
grass, the animal would be necessitated to tear rather than bite its
food. The proprietor of such a beast, therefore, can or ought never to
turn the creature out, but keep it constantly in the stable, and under
many circumstances this would entail inconvenience and expense. There is
nothing to be done for such a malformation, but an allowance should be
made for it in the price. That the reader may be able to recognise it, a
copy of a mouth, in which the deformity was well marked, is here
presented. The animal, which was introduced to my notice by my talented
friend, Mr. Broad, of Paddington, was twenty-one years of age; and
though more conspicuous cases of the kind are sometimes seen, the one I
have chosen for illustration shows a rather greater malformation than is
usually met with; but, nevertheless, it well illustrates the point upon
which I have been dwelling.
[Illustration]
The molars sometimes wear unevenly, their edges becoming as sharp as
knives, and their tables slanting in an unnatural degree. The slanting
tables cannot perfectly comminute the food, so that which is swallowed,
not being properly prepared, affords little sustenance; while the sharp
edges cutting the inside of the mouth, and causing it to ulcerate,
render the animal, from the pain, disinclined to eat. The contraction of
the bones of the lower jaw, in some old horses, by disabling them from
bringing the tables of the molars in perfect apposition, is the cause of
these teeth assuming such a shape; for in young animals this species of
distortion is never witnessed, save as the consequence of disease. The
horse not feeding, attracts the attention of the groom, and rarely does
his intelligence detect the cause. Any member of the Royal College of
Veterinary Surgeons, however, will soon discover the seat of mischief;
by reducing the cutting edges of the molars, and invigorating the
constitution, while the ulcerated mouth is properly treated, and the
food carefully attended to, he will soon restore the horse once more to
health and activity. The proprietor, however, must ever after have the
horse, from time to time, attended to, as the symptoms denote a relapse;
and with such precaution the animal may continue in full work for a
number of years. Not a few horses show the edges of the incisor teeth
perfectly rounded, so that when the mouth is closed the tables no longer
touch in every part; indeed the form of the tables is destroyed, and the
age of the animal can by them hardly be conjectured. These rounded teeth
have been supposed to denote crib-biting, and gentlemen have for fifty
years been told, to set down every horse presenting such a mouth, as a
confirmed cribber. The notion, however, is not supported by fact, for
cribbers generally exhibit even mouths; and I have not yet been able to
discover an instance in which this habit had caused the tabulated
surfaces of the teeth to be convex. The round form of the tables results
from the horse biting when being groomed, and generally is seen in those
which are of an excitable nature. These animals are usually good
servants, but this shape of teeth unfits them for being turned out to
grass, as the cutting edges of the nippers are destroyed.
59. _The diseases to which the teeth of the horse are subjected_, are,
fortunately, not very common; though this assertion must not induce any
person to imagine that his animals may not be afflicted in this respect.
Every owner should be particularly watchful on such a point; for so
important are the teeth to the welfare of the animal, and so difficult
of cure are neglected cases of this description, that numbers of
valuable horses have been and will be slaughtered, simply on their
account. No animal is exempt from this species of affliction. One man
may during his life possess many horses, and die without knowing how
fatal are the diseases of the teeth. Another person, whose stable shall
contain but a single nag, may, in a few months, be taught how dreadful
are the ravages which this affection can induce. All therefore should,
for the security of their property, be aware of the first indication of
this species of disease. Though the teeth are not vital organs, and the
course of the malady is generally slow, nevertheless, the consequences
to which it gives rise are such as in every case, deteriorate the value
of the animal; and, in many, nay, perhaps the majority of instances,
render it alike prudent and humane to deprive the poor beast of
existence. Probably I do not assert too much when I add that, in the
ordinary examination of horses, little attention is paid to the
condition of the teeth. The incisors are inspected to ascertain the age,
and any peculiarity in these is particularly noted; but for the most
part the molars are passed over without comment. Here the rarity of
disease may shield the negligence of the practitioner, who,
nevertheless, is in every case exposed to blame through his inattention.
Such a man may pass through a long practice, and escape reproach; but,
nevertheless, the first horse on which he pronounced an opinion, might
have blighted his reputation, by exhibiting the disease he had taken no
pains to detect. Every animal purchased of a party whose warranty might
be at all suspicious, ought to be seen to feed before a conclusion as to
soundness is pronounced. If then the molars are affected, the truth
would be made obvious; and there is nothing can render a horse more
unsound than disease of these teeth. The animal so afflicted, may, for a
time, be equal to its work: yet to render it capable of exertion it
requires continual care, and in the end, spite of all precaution, it may
become worthless. Some means should therefore be adopted to ascertain
that the grinders are free from disease, and a little corn will enable
the fact to be conjectured. Should any suspicion be created, a further
examination will discover the truth. The molars, in the judgment of
every one who has thought upon the matter, are the teeth which,
especially in aged animals, require attention. The incisors indicate the
age, but they are not usually liable to disease. I have not met with a
single case in which the incisors were affected, nor in which the tushes
were diseased. I am, however, informed by Mr. Field, whose high
reputation and extensive practice give weight to his assertion, that he
has had to treat horses for disease of the incisor teeth, and has even
been obliged to remove a portion of the lower jaw in order to procure
relief. Other practitioners, of whom inquiry has been made, have not
known such a form of disease, neither have I witnessed it: instances of
this kind, therefore, are rare, and hitherto have not attracted
attention. The honour of making known the possibility of their
existence, belongs to a gentleman whose name is proudly associated with
the science which it has so long adorned. The incisors of the colt are
not, however, liable to be seriously affected: when those teeth decay,
age must have advanced. During colthood, nevertheless, the teeth, if
exempt from disease, may be the causes of great constitutional
disturbance. Mr. Percival, the gentleman who, as editor of the
"Veterinarian," and author of the best and most elaborate works on the
diseases of the horse that have yet appeared in the English language,
attaches much importance to those ailments incidental to dentition. Of
the consequences that may ensue from the cutting of the tushes, he
adduces positive proof, and from his admirable work on "Hippopathology,"
page 172, vol. 2, I cannot forbear extracting the following most
valuable case:--
"I was requested to give my opinion concerning a horse, then in his
fifth year, who had fed so sparingly for the last fortnight, and so
rapidly declined in condition in consequence, that his owner, a
veterinary surgeon, was under no light apprehensions about his
life. He had himself examined his mouth, without having discovered
any defect or disease; though another veterinary surgeon was of
opinion, that the averseness or inability manifested in
mastication, and the consequent _cudding_, arose from preternatural
_bluntness_ of the surfaces of the molar teeth, which were, in
consequence, filed; but without beneficial result. It was after
this that I saw the horse; and I confess I was, at my first
examination, quite as much at a loss to offer any thing
satisfactory as others had been. While meditating, however, after
my inspection, on the apparently extraordinary nature of the case,
it struck me that I had not seen the tusks. I went back, and
discovered two little tumours, red and hard, in the situation of
the inferior tusks, which, when pressed, gave the animal
insufferable pain. I instantly took a pocket-knife, and made
crucial incisions through them, down to the coming teeth, from
which moment the horse recovered his appetite, and by degrees his
wonted condition."