Choke (horse)

Choke is a condition in horses in which the esophagus is blocked, usually by food material. Although the horse is still able to breathe, he is unable to swallow, and may become severely dehydrated. A secondary condition, aspiration pneumonia, may also develop if the food material travels up through the nasal passageway and down the trachea into the lungs. Choke can be life-threatening, and should be taken seriously.

Causes

Chewing: Horses may develop choke if they do not chew their food properly. Therefore, horses with teeth problems that do not allow them to completely grind their food, horses that swallow large pieces of food (such as large carrot or apple slices), or greedy animals that do not take the time to chew properly may suffer from choke.

Dry Food: Choke may occur when unsoaked beat pulp is fed, as the sugar beet will absorb water as it goes down the esophagus, and expand. Other dry foods may cause choke if the horse does not have access to water.

Foreign Objects: Horse may ingest non-edible materials such as pieces of wood. Cribbers may be more prone to this type of choke, if they happen to swallow a piece of wood while cribbing.

Signs of Choke

Difficulty swallowing (horse may try to swallow without success)
Disinterest in food
Coughing
Extending the neck and head, usually in a downward direction
Discharge from the nostrils. usually green in color, although it may also be yellow or clear, often looks like vomit
Saliva drooling from the mouth
Heart rate may increase slightly, due to the distress of the animal
Occasionally it is possible to see a lump on the side of the neck, where the esophagus is blocked

Diagnosing Choke

If a horse is suspected of choke, a veterinarian will often pass a stomach tube down the animal's esophagus to determine if there is a blockage. X-rays may also be used as a last resort.

Treatment

If a horse is suspected of choke, food and water should be removed. The vet should be called immediately, to determine if veterinary assistance is required. The animal should be moved to a quiet area where he may be monitored.

The veterinarian will often sedate the horse and administer spasmolytics, to help the esophagus to relax. Once the muscles of the esophagus no longer force the food down the throat, it may slip down on its own accord. If spasmolytics do not solve the problem, the veterinarian will usually pass a stomach tube through one of the nostrils and direct it up the esophagus until the material is reached, at which point pressure is applied to manually push the material down. Warm water is usually sent through the stomach tube, to soften the food material and help it pass more easily. If these methods still do not lead to results, the horse may require surgery to remove the material.

Following Up

After the material has passed, a veterinarian will then try to prevent the onset of aspiration pneumonia by placing the horse on antibiotics. The animal should be monitored for several days. to ensure that he does not develop pneumonia.

The material caught in a horse's throat usually causes inflammation, which will later lead to scarring. Scarring reduces the diameter of the esophagus, which increases the chance that the horse may choke again. The veterinarian may therefore place the horse on a course of NSAIDs, to help the control the inflammation of the esophagus.

Often the horse will only be fed softened food for a few days, allowing the throat to heal, before he is allowed to gradually resume his normal diet of hay and unsoaked grain. Horses with re-occurring chokes may require their diet to be changed.

Prevention

It is best to prevent choke, rather than to suffer through the possible side-effects.

Always provide water for the horse
Soak beet pulp before feeding
Change feeds gradually
Discourage the bolting of food: spread out feed, place large, flat stones (large enough so that the horse can not swallow it) or salt blocks in the feed bin so that the horse must slow down, or feed smaller meals more often
Cut apples, carrots, or other treats into small pieces