Q: I have bought a young horse and have
been told that he needs to have his wolf teeth removed. What are wolf
teeth, and why must they be taken out?
A: Wolf teeth are unique in that they are remnants of extra cheek teeth that were once present in the horse’s mouth millions of
years ago. Over time, the horse has evolved to no longer require them.
In comparison to the other teeth, wolf teeth are tiny - similar in size to a
human tooth. They can be present in either sex, and although some horses do not
form any, others can have one or two and, in rare case, even more.
The wolf teeth are usually located in the upper jaw, just in front of the row of cheek teeth (premolars), but should not be mistaken for the canines visible in geldings and stallions when looking in the side of the mouth. The wolf teeth are situated further back, in the same area as the bit, and it is for this reason that they are often extracted. When a contact is taken up with the bit, it can push the horse’s cheeks back onto the sharp wolf teeth, causing pain.
Due to their location, wolf teeth also prevent the equine dental technician from rounding the corners of the first cheek teeth into a 'bit seat', a groove formed when the upper and lower teeth come together, designed to allow the bit to sit comfortably in the mouth.
Many people will routinely have the wolf teeth extracted from a young horse to prevent any problems arising. It is an easy procedure, although it does require sedation by a vet, and a qualified equine dental technician or vet to extract them.