Influence of body mass index on oral health among equines in Tamilnadu, India

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze the association of body mass index and oral health status among equines in Tamilnadu, India Materials And Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among 108 horses from blue cross of Tamilnadu and various veterinary colleges based on simple random sampling method. The body mass index of horses were recorded Henneke Body Condition Scoring and their oral health status were examined. The collected data was analyzed and tabulated using chi-square test. P value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: There was a statistically significant relation was found between gingivitis (P<0.001), calculus (P=0.004), dental caries (P=0.004), plaque (P=0.007), dental erosion (P<0.001) and BMI. Conclusion: The body mass index have a strong impact on the oral health of horses. Proper nutritional measures should be taken to overcome the problem.