TMJ Disorder in Horses

Equine TMJ disorder is the inflammation of the lower and upper jaws in the skull bone of a horse. This condition can cause discomforts and severe pain to the animal. When the jaws are inflamed, it has a serious effect on the muscles around them, hence causing serious pain that will as a result affect the performances of the horse. There are ways to detect if a horse suffers TMJ, but veterinarians are in the best positions to determine its treatment. 


TMJ – Temporo Mandibular Joint in a horse is where lower and upper jaws are connected in the skull bone. The joint can be found below and the base of ears located above the eyes and clearly visible when the horse chews. Though the joint is just like any other joints, but it’s covered with hyaline cartilage with a unique way of functioning unlike the elbow, shoulder or fetlock joint which is covered with fibro-cartilage.

You can detect equine TMJ in your horse by observing unusual signs in him, especially if he is recovering from injury. The complexity of tmj which consists of muscles, bones, articular cartilage, tendons, nerves, salivary glands and blood vessels can sometimes make the condition more difficult to detect. However, the most common sign is when the horse is having problems when chewing and his communication with the rider seems to be improper.


A horse can develop equine TMJ disorder when going through a trauma after sustaining injuries like dislocation of bones or fractures. The condition can also be caused by arthritis and injury to the soft tissues as a result of accident. In some cases, infections and inflammation of the joint can lead to tmj disorder and the clinical symptoms include tossing of the head, chewing problem, head tilting, sticking out of tongue and difficulty in eating and turning of head. The disorder can be treated by surgical or non-surgical method, and only by a veterinarian who will determine the best treatment for your horse.

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