Dental Correction Does Not Alter Postprandial Nutrient Concentrations in Healthy Mares.
Authors: Starrett Ashley, Smith Rachelle, Urso Philip M, Urschel Kristine L, Anderson Mark J, Suagee-Bedore Jessica K
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Dental Correction and Nutrient Absorption in Horses Irregular dental wear is widely assumed to compromise feed digestion and predispose horses to weight loss, yet this relationship has never been rigorously tested in clinically healthy animals. Researchers recruited 16 mature mares that had gone without dental care for at least a year, randomly assigning eight to undergo dental correction whilst eight remained untreated controls; all horses received the same diet of ad libitum Coastal Bermudagrass hay plus 1.36 kg daily concentrate over the study period. Although concentrate feeding significantly elevated postprandial plasma glucose and amino acid concentrations at 90 minutes post-meal (P < 0.001), dental correction produced no measurable difference in these nutrient parameters between groups (P > 0.1); interestingly, treated horses did show a modest but statistically significant reduction in large faecal particle size by day 56 compared to controls (12.5% versus 14.7%, P = 0.028). These findings suggest that whilst dental work may improve the mechanical breakdown of feed, this improvement does not necessarily enhance nutrient availability or absorption in metabolically normal individuals—a practically important distinction for practitioners counselling clients about realistic expectations from routine dental procedures. Further investigation into whether dental disease produces more pronounced digestive effects in horses with underlying metabolic compromise, poor body condition, or age-related changes may better clarify when dental intervention translates to tangible nutritional benefit.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Dental correction in clinically healthy mares improves fecal particle size reduction but does not enhance nutrient absorption from concentrate meals, suggesting benefits may be limited to hay digestion or overall digestive efficiency rather than acute nutrient uptake
- •Do not expect dental work alone to significantly improve plasma nutrient concentrations or weight gain in healthy horses without concurrent dietary or management changes
- •Dental correction appears to have modest mechanical benefits; consider other factors (forage quality, overall diet composition, underlying pathology) when addressing poor digestion or weight concerns
Key Findings
- •Dental correction did not alter postprandial plasma glucose or amino acid concentrations despite concentrate meal consumption increasing these nutrients at 90 minutes (P > 0.1)
- •Untreated control horses had significantly larger fecal particle size (14.7% vs 12.5% large particles, P = 0.028) on day 56 compared to dentally corrected horses
- •While dental correction may improve mechanical digestion, this mechanical improvement does not translate to measurable changes in postprandial nutrient bioavailability from concentrate meals