Patient Success Stories - Farm visit for equine dental care benefits horse health, student training
May 7, a dozen veterinary students from the Equine Medicine Club traveled to Glen Ellen Farms in Sonoma County on a mission. The students, accompanied by four equine veterinarians from the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, provided dental care services for 27 retired racehorses living at Glen Ellen Farms.
The trip, like many experiences at the School of Veterinary Medicine, combined veterinary services with education. The horses benefited from the preventive dental care, and Equine Medicine Club members gained valuable experience with horses of different ages and conditions. Veterinary faculty volunteered their time to supervise the work and share important skills involved in handling the horses, including insights into sedation of large animals as well as the role of equine dental care in the overall health and nutrition of the horse.
Dental health is important for horses, to ensure the proper digestion of nutrients and its impact on quality of life and performance. Annual dental care is essential throughout a horse’s life to recognize, prevent, and manage any dental abnormalities before they affect overall health.
Pam Berg, owner of Glen Ellen Farms and caretaker for these retired racehorses, manages the non-profit foundation Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, which provides for the feeding and care of the horses. One of the goals of the foundation is to provide educational opportunities in horse handling and husbandry.
You can learn more about equine dentistry in the April 2006 issue of The Horse Report, published by the Center for Equine Health.