AFFECTIOXS OF THE TEETH. 265 



Accidents to the Teeth.— These may occur from blows, kicks, 

 or other violence, received about the mouth, and may be of 

 very considerable or trifling extent. If merely knocked 

 loose, they should be forced to their proper position, and the 

 horse be fed on ground feed for a short time, until they be- 

 come solid. But if left hanging by the skin or gum, or badly 

 broken and loose, remove them by cutting the gum loose, and 

 then .use the forceps, if necessary, to get them out. 



Irregular Crroivth of the Teeth.— One form of irregularity of 

 the teeth, called ''Jish-mouth,'' is more properly owing to an 

 unnatural growth of the under jaw, than to any defect in the 

 teeth themselves. The jaw either not growing long enough, 

 or too long, causes the grinders of one jaw to stand forward of 

 those of the other, thus leaving a part of two pair unexposed 

 to the wear of the grinding process, and which will, eventually, 

 project so high as not only to interfere with grinding, but even 

 to wound the gum. At the same time, the nippers not meet- 

 ing squarely, but one set projecting forward of the others, they 

 wear oif unevenly, leaving sharp edges, which will wound the 

 gum, and prevent the horse from grazing or properly gather- 

 ing his food. A similar casualty is one grinder growing two 

 far in or out, and the unworn portion, projecting above the 

 level of the teeth, prevents the grinding process. This is 

 sometimes called a '^buck-tooths In these cases, the horse 

 will pine away and lose his flesh. When a horse commences 

 to lose condition, without any known disease working on him, 

 either lampass or one of these difficulties may be expected; 

 the latter if the horse grinds his food, letting part of it fall 

 out of the mouth, or if he turns his head to one side to chew. 

 Treatment. — The projecting portions of the teeth must be 

 sawed oif level with the other teeth ; and a look-out must then 

 be kept for the recurrence of the same difficulty, for it will be 

 very sure to return. Perhaps in some cases it would be better 

 to extract the offending tooth. 



Occasionally the enamel wears oif the grinders in such a way 



