Common Dental Disorders in the adult horse and the current level of care and knowledge in the owner community in Finland

Abstract

The field of equine dentistry was a neglected area of research during the 20th century and has made considerable advances during the 21st century. The question was if these advances in understanding about equine oral health and dental pathologies have also reached the common population in the Equine community. The goal of this work was to study the oral health situation among horses in Finland and the level of knowledge among their owners regarding the most commonly existing dental problems in the Finnish horse community. Moreover, also the type and frequency of the health care that was provided and who performed them were included in the study . A questionnaire with 32 multiple choice questions was distributed online through different Facebook channels during the month of April. In just a few days’ time the number of answers already reached a thousand and for all other questions apart from the last open ended one, the answering rate was around 99%. The survey showed that a Finnish horse owner on average carries a good level of knowledge regarding equine oral health and regular routines for dental care. Encouragingly 86,3 % owners responded that their horses' oral care was exclusively performed by a veterinarian, although only 17,1 % replied that their horses had been diagnosed with caries, while several recent studies suggest that the prevalence of caries in horses is over 50 % or even higher. We need to recognize that as the survey was directed at owners and not veterinarians, there is a risk for miscommunication. As in most such matters, there is leeway for development and a survey of this kind often attracts the most interested and educated part of the average horse owners, which in such matters should also be considered. That as well as the fact that not all veterinarians carry the same knowledge and practical skills in equine dentistry.

Hobuste hambaravi oli 20. sajandi vältel tähelepanuta jäänud uurimisvaldkond, kuid on 21. sajandil teinud märkimisväärseid edusamme. Küsimus on, kas need edusammud hobuste suutervise ja hammaste patoloogiate mõistmisel on jõudnud ka hobuseomanikeni. Selle töö eesmärgiks oli uurida hobuste suutervise olukorda Soomes ja nende omanike teadmiste taset kõige sagedamini esinevatest hambaprobleemidest. Uuring hõlmas ka kaasatud tervishoiuteenuse liiki ja sagedust ning kelle poolt neid osutati. Aprillikuu jooksul levitati erinevate Facebooki kanalite kaudu internetis 32 valikvastustega küsimustikku. Vaid mõne päevaga küündis vastuste arv juba tuhandeni ja kõikide küsimuste puhul, peale viimase avatud küsimuse, oli vastamisprotsent 99%. Uuring näitas, et soome hobuseomanikul on keskmiselt heal tasemel teadmised hobuste suutervisest ja üsna vastuvõetavad hambaravi harjumused. 86,3% omanikest vastas, et nende hobuste suuhooldust teostas eranditult veterinaararst. Seevastu ainult 17,1% sõnul on nende hobusel diagnoositud kaaries, ehkki mitmed hiljutised uuringud näitavad, et kaariese levimus hobustel on 50% või isegi enam. Tuleb arvestada, et kuna küsitlus oli suunatud omanikele, mitte veterinaararstidele, on võimalus, et tegemist on valesti mõistmisega. Nagu enamikus taolistes valdkondades, on siingi arenguruumi ning tuleb arvesse võtta, et sedalaadi küsitlus meelitab sageli kohale hobuseomanike kõige huvitatuma ja harituma osa. Samuti ei ole kõigil veterinaararstidel hobuste hambaravis samu teadmisi ja praktilisi oskusi.