152 



when the shells are removed, also in cases of retarded dentition, a fcetid 

 smell, as of diseased bone is felt ; and from the irritation set up in the 

 lining membrane of the mouth, which extends to the throat, a trouble- 

 some cough may be induced. 



352. At five years old (8) the corner milk mcisors are replaced by 

 permanent teeth, and the canines, or tusks, appear in the horse, 

 but are generally absent in the mare ; occasionally we find small 

 rudimentary tusks in the latter. The horse is now full-mouthed. 



353. With the exception of a young horse casting its teeth, and an 

 old one with unevenly worn surfaces, I am not in favour of giving 

 crushed or bruised oats to horses, as the crowns of the horse's molar 

 teeth resemble the surface of the old-fashioned millstone, being 

 properly adapted for grinding the grain. I therefore recommend oats 

 to be given whole, so that the animal can have the pleasure of grinding 

 them, thereby getting the full benefit of the salivary juices, and their 

 action on the starchy matters of the food. Crushed oats are also more 

 liable to be bolted, and cause stomachic derangement. 



354. The upper molar teeth in horses and cattle are much larger 

 and broader than the lower ones ; the upper jaw being a fixture, as it 

 were, gives a broader and firmer surface for the rotary movement of 

 the lower jaw to act upon, thereby, in some instances, in aged horses, 

 the uneven wear leaves sharp ridges on the outer edge of the upper 

 molars and inner edge of the lower ; these have to be dressed down 

 with the tooth rasp, (Plate XXX., No. 4), to prevent laceration of the 

 tongue and inside of the cheeks. Occasionally the teeth become 

 elongated, and very uneven (particularly the last tooth on the lower 

 jaw), and, have to be cut by special shears, and in this case I usually 

 operate with the animal standing, except when I have a rough 

 customer to deal with. (For such an operation, nothing beats 

 Thompson's mstruments, and I would point out that I am not the 

 Thompson in question who introduced this useful article). Molars 

 are sometimes split, through getting some hard substance amongst 

 the food, and for causing this there is nothing worse than foreign grain. 



