Contact
New Bolton Center Kennett Square, PA
Emergencies & Appointments:
610-444-5800
Directions
Ryan Hospital Philadelphia, PA
Emergencies:
215-746-8911
Appointments:
215-746-8387
Directions
nbc-dentistry
With thanks, featured on this page is equine patient Fernhill Flag, owned by Muddy Ruts Farm.

Equine Dentistry


Professional equine dental care provided by a trained practitioner helps to keep your horse healthy and happy. Routine dental care can improve your horse's ability to eat their food and prevent abnormal tooth wear. In addition, horses that have bits placed in their mouths frequently benefit from dental care as well.

As a horse ages, it's teeth wear down. This is a normal process in the horse and is different than what we see in the teeth of small animals or people. Regular attention to your horse's teeth by a well trained and skilled dentist will help to preserve the function and health of your horse's teeth for the years to come.


Equine teeth

Typical Equine Dental Problems

  • Fractures
  • Infections
  • Uneven wear
  • Tooth loss
  • Abnormal development
  • Special types of cancer

About Horse Teeth

All horses' teeth and associated structures are made of the same basic matChecking equine teeth with digital assistanceerials as our teeth.;

Equine teeth comprise:

  • Enamel
  • Dentine
  • Cementum
  • Bone
  • Vessels
  • Nerves
  • Soft tissue

The horse's teeth are specialized to process the types of food they eat.  Still, their teeth can suffer from nearly all the problems that our teeth may have... And a few more problems that are unique to horse teeth!

Equine Dental Problems

There are numerous types of problems that we see in horses' mouths, including:

  • Fractures
  • Infections
  • Uneven wear
  • Tooth loss
  • Abnormal development
  • Special types of cancer

These are just some of the problems we diagnose and treat here at New Bolton Center. Some problems are common and the treatment may be routine. Other conditions can only be identified and diagnosed by careful, complete examination of your horse's mouth. An instrument called an oral speculum is necessary to do this.

Sometimes getting your horse's mouth simply "floated" guarantees that problems can and will be missed! Horse dentistry has evolved rapidly in the past few decades. We strongly urge owners to have their horse's mouths be examined once a year by a trained veterinarian.

Old age poses challenges to all of us. The nature of a horse's dentition presents special challenges as they age. As a horse gets old, they can literally run out of some of their teeth! This can cause serious problems in the aged horse. These "Senior Citizens" need special inclusive care that blends components of dentistry, nutrition, medicine, and caregiving to produce successful results. We at NBC are uniquely qualified to provide these services.

Services Offered

  • Oral Examinations, diagnosis and consultations.
  • Advanced imaging including radiology, ultrasound, Computed Tomography, nuclear imaging, etc.
  • Annual dental care for healthy horses.
  • Odontoplasty (tooth shaping) to address abnormal tooth wear.
  • Periodontal disease diagnosis and treatment.
  • Surgical and oral dental procedures.
  • Performance oral exams including bit evaluations, shared collaboration with other departments within the Hospital.
  • Special geriatric dental care and multi department management consultations.
Dentistry Clinical Faculty
Dr. Amelie McAndrews, Penn Vet 

Amelie McAndrews, DVM, DAVDC-Eq
Clinical Associate

 

About Dr. McAndrews

Driven by a life-long desire to be an equine veterinarian, Dr. McAndrews attended Michigan State University, completing a bachelor’s degree in animal science before graduating with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. Her extensive background in horses includes eventing, as well as managing and training horses for a thoroughbred racehorse rescue group. 

Dr. McAndrews spent years training under Dr. David Foster, a founding member of the American Veterinary Dental College - Equine Specialty who retired from private general equine dental practice in 2015. She travels frequently to train with equine veterinary dental specialists, presents to equine veterinarians on dental disease, and teaches equine dentistry to veterinary students. She regularly attends equine dentistry continuing education meetings and wet labs. 

Dr. McAndrews is one of only a handful of veterinarians who have completed an equine dental residency training program. She is also a clinical associate at the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center.

Dr. McAndrews is a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association (NJVMA), Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry, New Jersey Association of Equine Practitioners (NJAEP), and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). A graduate of the United States Pony Clubs, she enjoys teaching local pony clubbers horse management skills and horse owners about equine dentistry.