Avaliação odontológica de equinos da raça crioula mantidos em sistema de criação extensivo

Abstract

Crioulo breed is currently being targeted to high performance equestrian events, which require changing the conditions of their management system. Habits and eating patterns can determine health or decline in oral mechanics, which aim to reduce the size of the particles seized and provide adequate digestion and absorption of the nutrients. However, studies on equine dentistry in this breed are essential in order to better prepare and adapt athlete horse handling and feeding to new conditions. Thus, the present study aimed to identify and quantify the dental diseases, in order to promote knowledge about the dental changes in Crioulo breed horses, created exclusively under extensive system. 254 animals were used from properties located in Uruguaiana/RS. Males and females, upper two year-old were taken. The animals were divided into two groups according to age categories: ≤5 year-old (G1) and >5 year-old (G2). The diagnosis was based on clinical history, inspection and palpation of the face and oral cavity, in addition to specific examination. It was found that 25,0% of the animals in G1 and 30,0% in G2 showed two or more incisors disorders, while this figure was 62,5% in G1 and 48,6% in G2 for one or more findings in canines; 44,2% of the animals from G1 and 38,7% from G2 had three or more findings in 2nd, 3rd and 4th premolars and molars. The main condition which affected incisors was irregular curvature in 47,1% of animals ≤5 year-old and 46,7% for >5 year-old. Regarding canines, dental calculus occurred in 9,4% of horses ≤5 year-old and in 35,7% of >5 year-old. The largest change occurred in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th premolars and molars was excessive tips enamel in 95,2% of G1 animals. However, in G2, dental calculus was observed in 86,0%. Although all horses studied were breed extensively, dental changes were most common in the Crioulo breed, under these management conditions.