How old are we??

Examination of teeth can be used to determine the age of the animal.

Knowing eruption (when the teeth come in) and wear patterns can let you estimate the age.Wear patterns are sometimes not accurate because diet, behavior, environment can all impact the wear patterns.The only accurate way to determine age is knowing the birthday.

Teeth can wear down at different rates, so usually you will say an animals mouth appears to be ? Years old, rather than saying the animal is ? Years old.

Domestic animals have two sets of teeth.Deciduous, or baby teeth: these will fall outAdult teeth, these are permanent.

How old am I??

Tooth EmergenceTemporary Teeth (Baby Teeth)

Temporary pincers: Birth - 10 days

Temporary intermediates: 4 – 6 weeks

Temporary corners: 6– 10 months

Tooth EmergencePermanent Teeth

6 years old

Canine teeth appear: 4-5 years

Permanent corners: 4 ½ years Permanent

intermediates: 3 ½ years

Permanent pincers: 2 ½ years

Tooth Wear

As horses age, “caps” disappear from incisors

As horses age, teeth become more triangular-shaped

15 years old6 years old

After 8 years age becomes largely a speculation.

After the age of 10, we can use Galvayne’s groove to better determine age

Galvayne’s Groove

A mark on the upper corner incisors that appears and disappears in a predictable pattern as horses age

Usually appears around the age of 10 years.

Galvayne’s Groove

A mark on the upper corner incisors that appears and disappears in a predictable pattern as horses age

Groove is usually half way down at age 15

Galvayne’s Groove

A mark on the upper corner incisors that appears and disappears in a predictable pattern as horses age

By age 20 the groove usually extends the full length of the

tooth

Galvayne’s Groove

A mark on the upper corner incisors that appears and disappears in a predictable pattern as horses age

Groove begins to recede around age 21

Galvayne’s Groove

A mark on the upper corner incisors that appears and disappears in a predictable pattern as horses age

Groove is halfway gone by age 25 and disappears completely

around age 30.

This horse has the central incisors, the intermediate incisors and the corner incisors are beginning to erupt.

How old is this horse?

Did you guess 8 months to a year???

Aging Using TeethWhich horse is older? Why did you give that answer?

A

B

Aging Using Teeth

Determine the most likely age for the following horse

1. 7 years2. 14 years3. 21 years4. 28 years

Wear – No Cups

Aging Using Teeth

Determine the most likely age for the following horse

1. 7 years2. 14 years3. 21 years4. 28 years

Wear – No Cups

Aging cattle

When estimating the age of cattle, you must use the lower incisors because they don’t have upper incisors. They have an upper cartilage pad instead.

How old am I??

All of my permanent incisors are in… How old am I??

Cats and dogs will have all of their adult teeth by 6 months of age.

After the adult teeth have erupted, it is very difficult to tell age due to variations in bacterial growth and breed differences.