Popping in jaw

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Leeana

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I noticed this morning that Royal had a popping noise in his jaw when he was eating. I checked his teeth and they looked fine and i have never noticed any signs that he would need his teeth floated. I dont know what the sound was. It was only when he was eating hay. When he ate his grain i didnt hear the sound. Its like a Popping in the back jaw. Should i worry? This is the first time i noticed it. I sat and watched him eat his hay for a while and the popping sound would happen for a while on and off.

Any ideas? I am normally out in the barn while they are eating so i would have noticed this before. Any help is appreciated, Thank you.
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TMD is one of the more common jaw problems in horses. Many horses have a small form of and owners never know.

Indicators of possible TMD and/or dental problems may be ear sensitivity, head tossing, difficulty taking the bit in the mouth, leaning on the bit, difficulty with specific leads or gaits, difficulty flexing at the poll, signs of headaches, head shyness, and/ or sensitivity to any touch in the jaw area.

TMD can cause almost any signs and conditions. Every horse is sure to have it to a lesser or greater extent. You can, however, check your own horse for this devastating condition.

A way to check to see if your horse has any form of TMD is to look at how your horse’s incisors align. The upper six incisors should align with the lower set, directly in the middle. If you see a pull to one side or the other, it is likely that your horse has some discomfort with its TMJ Mechanism. Even though the teeth may align, the muscles that make up the TMJ may still be tight, causing discomfort.
 
Frankie beat me to it! My jaw also pops depending on what I eat, and sometimes it just plain hurts.
 
great advice. royal is pretty touchy about his ears. does your vet do teeth work? HOrses should be floated every year or at least every 2 years. sometimes hooks and such are very hard to see unless you have that thing to open their mouth all the way
 
Thank so much everyone for all the advice.

I've been trying to put off untill the McCabe clinic (In April or May) to get their teeth and back worked on.

I'll do a little research on TMD tonight. Should i consult a vet or is there anything i can really do for him?
 

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