Any ideas?

[sojeph]

Pony - 23 years old.
Occasional cough - started yesterday. Is eating his soaked hay as usual, no probs. Won't eat his mix - it seems to be setting off his cough. Reluctant to drink but will but it makes him cough. Seems ok in himself.
What do you think?

 

[Tia]

Perhaps a piece of cereal became caught in his oesophagus and it is tender right now?

 

[sojeph]

That was my first thought but thought he'd also have trouble eating his hay?

 

[Tia]

Yeah, you'd think it would affect him with all he is eating.

Not sure then.

 

[sojeph]

Mmm..flumuxed!! Well, told friend to keep an eye on him but to call vet if he gets worse...is all she can do for now I suppose. She's just a bit paranoid as she lost another oldie last year. His flappy thing (technical term!!) to stop food going down the wrong way was failing and he was coughing/choking everytime he ate and had to be PTS!!

Cheers anyway

 

[Fairynuff]

Tom has had laryngitis the past two winters. He would eat soaked hay but not his hard feed as it irritated him on the way down. I started soaking his hard feed in warm water with treacle and serving it sloppy soft-he loved it and cleaned his manger till it shone.Could be your boy has a sore throat. Mairi.

 

[sojeph]

Thanks Mairi - it certainly sounds like a sore throat but it threw me that he would eat his hay - I thought that would have been the hardest to eat but it is soaked so maybe I'll tell my friend to add a bit of speedibeet or something to his mix and see if that makes it easier.