Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
by Dr Stuart Bryce, Ninderry Veterinary Surgery, Yandina, QLD
The Powerfloat is an electric drill with a rotary-driven burr on the end of a shaft and is used to take the sharp edges off horse’s teeth. It does more for horse welfare than anything else I do. It promotes better quality dental care and enables horses to digest their food properly, which leaves them in better physical condition and more able to cope with life.
What’s good about it
As horses grind their teeth in an oscillating fashion, they end up with sharp edges on the outside of the upper molars and the inside of the lower molars. As those edges get sharper, they start cutting the tongue and cheek which stops the animal from chewing their food properly. Using the Powerfloat to remove those sharp edges allows the horse to grind food properly. That grinding action is an important first part of digestion.
The horse is provided with sedation prior to the procedure. Generally, it’s not painful as we’re only taking off hard enamel, not working on sensitive tissue. The horse can eat normally as soon as the procedure is finished and the sedation has worn off.
There’s some inherent danger in all things we do with horses. In this situation, the horse should be restrained in a crush, or a set of stocks and a gag applied so it can’t chew your hand. Face masks and ear protection are also a good idea when undertaking the job.
What’s not so good
A potential negative is inexperienced usage and over-zealous application. This can expose sensitive parts of the teeth. The supplier of the Powerfloat, Equine Veterinary Dental Services, also runs courses for veterinarians to further their skills. I recommend these courses highly.
