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The worst advice for your horse with EOTRH.
- Nick Moore DVM
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 28
In the world of equine dentistry, misinformation can spread quickly—and sometimes, it can cause real harm. One condition where this is especially true is EOTRH, which stands for Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis. It’s a complex and painful disease affecting the teeth of horses, and unfortunately, a lot of myths about how to treat it are still circulating online. Today, we want to set the record straight.
A Word on the Online Debate
Let’s be honest: the veterinary world isn’t free from tension. There’s often back-and-forth between vets and dental technicians, and social media tends to amplify the noise. We do pay attention when bad information has the potential to hurt horses. That’s exactly what prompted this post. We recently came across a claim suggesting that NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and antibiotics can treat EOTRH. Let’s break down why that’s not just misleading—it’s potentially dangerous.
Why NSAIDs Aren’t a Cure
NSAIDs, like Advil or Tylenol, are commonly used to reduce pain and inflammation. While they may temporarily make a horse feel better, they do not treat the underlying issue of EOTRH. Think of it like this: if you have a bad tooth infection and take an NSAID, you might be able to tolerate the pain for a while, but the infection is still there, getting worse. Long-term use of these medications can also lead to side effects like stomach ulcers or kidney damage in horses. So relying on them as a “treatment” is not only ineffective—it’s unsafe.
Antibiotics: Even More Misleading
Antibiotics might sound like a logical choice for something labeled an “infection,” but EOTRH is not caused by a bacterial infection. In fact, most forms of the disease—particularly those involving resorptive lesions—are degenerative and structural in nature, not microbial.
Infected teeth involved in EOTRH become foreign bodies. It’s like having an infected splinter or a bullet lodged in your body: you can quiet down the infection temporarily, but unless you remove the source, it’s going to come back. Moreover, abscesses in EOTRH are often filled with inspissated (thickened) pus, and these areas lack blood supply. Antibiotics need to travel through the bloodstream to be effective, so if there's no blood flow to the infected region, the antibiotic can’t reach the problem—end of story.
What Does Work?
The only truly effective treatment for EOTRH—especially the painful, resorptive form—is removal of the affected teeth. And while that may sound extreme, it’s often life-changing for horses. After tooth extraction, many owners report incredible turnarounds in their horse’s quality of life. We’ve seen this firsthand countless times. The horses are more comfortable, happier, and often return to normal behavior that had been suppressed due to chronic pain.
The Bottom Line
Spreading false claims about EOTRH treatments does a disservice to horses and their owners. NSAIDs and antibiotics might mask the symptoms for a short time, but they do nothing to address the disease itself. Worse, they can delay proper treatment and prolong suffering.
To any horse owners seeing these kinds of posts online: be cautious. Ask questions. Consult with professionals who understand the pharmacology, pathology, and physiology behind these conditions. And remember, just because something sounds convincing on the internet doesn’t make it true. We hope this clears up some of the confusion around EOTRH and encourages responsible decision-making when it comes to equine dental care. If you found this post helpful, give it a thumbs up or share it with a fellow horse owner. Let’s work together to keep our horses healthy and happy.
Want to Learn More?
If you're a veterinary professional interested in expanding your knowledge in equine dentistry, we offer training courses on equilibration, diagnosis, endoscopic assessment, and more. You can always contact us at mooredvmeducation@gmail.com or call the office at 512-508-8141.
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