DISEASES OF THE TEETH. 43 



ditioii ill c-unstMiueiice, that his owner, a veterinary surgeon, was undor 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 difficulty or inability manifested in mastication, and 

 the consequent cudding, arose from preternatural bluutness 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 examina- 

 tion, quite as much at a loss to offer any satisfactory interpretation 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 into the stable and discovered two little tumors, red and hard, in the 

 situation of the inferior tusks, which, when pressed, gave the animal insuffer- 

 able pain. 1 instantly took out my pocketknife and made crucial incisions 

 through them l)oth. down to the coming teeth, from which moment the horse 

 recovered his appetite and. by degrees, his wonted condition. 



The mouths of young horses should be examined from time to time 

 to see if one or more of the milk teeth are not remaining too long, 

 causing the second teeth to grow in crooked, in which case the first 

 teeth should be removed with the forceps. 



Irregularities of teeth. — There is quite a fashion of late years, espe- 

 cially in large cities, to have horses' teeth regularly "floated," or 

 " rasped," by " veterinary dentists." In some instances this is very 

 beneficial. Avhile in most cases it is entirely unnecessary. From the 

 character of the food, the rubbing, or grinding, surface of the horse's 

 teeth should be rougli. Still, we must remember that the upper jaw 

 is somewhat wider than the lower, and that, from the fact of the 

 teeth not being perfectly apposed, a sharp ridge is left unworn on the 

 inside of the lower molars and on the outside of the upper, which may 

 excoriate the tongue or cheeks to a considerable extent. This condi- 

 tion can readily be felt by the hand, and these sharp ridges when 

 found should be rasped down by a guarded rasp. In some instances 

 the first or last molar tooth is unnaturally long, owing to the fact 

 that its fellow in' the opposite jaw has been lost or does not close per- 

 fectly against it. Should it be the last molar that is thus elongated, 

 it will require the aid of the veterinary surgeon, who has the neces- 

 sary forceps or chisel for cutting it. The front molar may be rasped 

 down, if much patience is taken. In decay of the teeth it is quite 

 common to find the tooth corresponding to the decayed one on the 

 opposite jaw very much elongated, sometimes to such an extent that 

 the mouth can not be perfectly closed. Such teeth must also be 

 shortened by the tooth forceps, chisel, tooth saw, or rasp. In all 

 instances where horses " quid " their food, where they are slobbering, 

 or where they evince pain in mastication, shown by holding their 

 head to one side Avhile chewing, the teeth should be carefully exam- 

 ined. Horses whose teeth have undul}' sharp edges are likely to drive 

 badly; they pull to one .side, do not bear on the bit, or bear on too 

 hard and " big," toss the head, and start suddenly when a tender spot 

 is touched. If, as is mostly the case, all the symptoms are referable 



