Choke?!?

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

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I had a rally on my horse tonight, it was only 10 mins down the road but trailered there as its a very busy road to go on his own.

Basically we get there and I just finished tacking up and I notice this weird noise comng from his throat, it was very quite which turned out he was just swallowing, I got a bit worried but not hugely.

I get on him waiting for the group before to finish and every now and again he tensed his neck very weirdly and swallowed. He looked like he was in a bit of pain.

So me being a panicky poo jumped off him and checked all down his gullet etc as I thought he was choking. I offered him some water and starting massaging his throat and he seemed fine.

I didn't ride much in the rally only walked and trotted as I didn't want to hurt him more.

Is it possible horses can have minor choke? Or maybe he had a bit of hay stuck in his throat as he never had his airways blocked I didn't think it was a major obstruction.

Is this possible?

(sorry for the rant but very worried person here)
 
I think horses can get choke. I mare of mine sometimes shows these same signs. Tensing her neck, trying to swallow, and even drolling out her mouth. I normally rub her neck to see if it helps. It seems to pass ok though. But it can be worrying.
 
I know they can get choke but the only cases of this I have heard the horses condition sounds a lot worse then my boy which made me think is this minor choke?

I am very worried I just have images of going to his field tomorrow morning and him stood there not being able to breathe!

No discharge came from his nose/ mouth and he wasn't putting his head down to swallow, he put his head up instead. Which makes me wonder if it is choke :/

It kind of looked like he was windsucking but he doesn't do this.
 
It can easily happen. It is not the same thing as with humans as the horse's airway is not compromised so there is little danger.

It could be a freak occurance but the horse needs his teeth floating to be sure there's not an underlying problem such as distema where hay can get stuck and ball up.

Horse should be fine with forage as long as his teeth are OK. Grass will be fine. Obviously he always needs water available and his feeds need to be like porridge.
 
Also - choke often causes inflammation so he may be sore - he may have had an episode earlier in the day and have been complaining of the after effects when you saw him.

Just needs an eye keeping on.
 
Is there something I can do if he is sore?

I kind of thought it was like when you swallow a crisp without chewing properly and you feel it going down your throat!

If it happens again I'm definatly getting the vet out!
 
That sounds sensible. For now just observe.

If he is out at grass - brilliant. Make sure everything he eats for the next few days is sloppy or grass and he has water available.

If he has be in and have hay - make sure he has plenty of water.
 
I didn't ride much in the rally only walked and trotted as I didn't want to hurt him more.
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Please don't ride your horse if you have any concerns at all that he may have choke. Poor lad.

What had he eaten prior to you leaving the yard??
 
Must of been cholk, there will of been a blockage most probably at the top of the throat, they wr

Had your horse been eating hay while you'd been tacking up by any chance?

They will wretch, tense up and the throat will go into a spasm because they are trying to clear it, often standing and hunching up along the back, if the blockage is further down they will produce huge amounts of saliva (talking nearly a bucket full can be produced) and cough frantically.

Massaging the area and lifting the head right up can help to clear it, otherwise a vet will need to come out and tube them, if it clears within 5 minutes then they will be fine, although no doubt a bit sore.

Does the horse bolt his food down or possibly need his teeth checking?
 
Kenzo said:
Must of been cholk, there will of been a blockage most probably at the top of the throat, they wr

Had your horse been eating hay while you'd been tacking up by any chance?

They will wretch, tense up and the throat will go into a spasm because they are trying to clear it, often standing and hunching up along the back, if the blockage is further down they will produce huge amounts of saliva (talking nearly a bucket full can be produced) and cough frantically.

Massaging the area and lifting the head right up can help to clear it, otherwise a vet will need to come out and tube them, if it clears within 5 minutes then they will be fine, although no doubt a bit sore.

Does the horse bolt his food down or possibly need his teeth checking?
Click to expand...

It wasn't as bad as you described I don't think he had a major blockage just something there irratating him as if it was anybody else who didn't know him they would not even of noticed there was anything wrong with him.

He isn't fed atm he must have got it from the hay in the trailer as he didn't have anything else before we left.

He doesn't need his teeth done as he literally got them done about a month ago so is fine there. I am beginning to wonder why this happened as he normally chews his hay properlly, I thought the other horse in the trailer may have been making him eat faster or something.

But I checked him today and is absolutly fine, doesn't look sore or anything just got a bit upset when his friend went to camp!

Thanks for the advice everyone I wasn't sure if they could get minor choke which made me wonder if it was choke!
 
When a horse or pony gets choke it can be distressing as they froth at the mouth and look pretty miserable, they are able to breath though. One of mine had it once and an old horseman who lives near me suggested a tin of treacle heated until it is able to be mixed with a bucket of water, encourage the horse to drink by getting some into its mouth by hand to encourage swallowing. Worked a treat so now i keep treacle in the house just in case.
 
3 of ours get this if they are fed hard feed, it is a mild choke and can vary, sometimes mine are just like you describe, other times they will foam and fluid will run out of their noses, when they get it like this they will often lay down and get back up, groan a lot, tense up, they won't eat or drink until the blockage clears. It generally only lasts a few minutes and then they just carry on as if it never happened. I learned to stretch their heads as high as possible and massage the gullet gently as this seems to help, if you can get a finger into the mouth and play with their tongues it makes them chew which again helps. Obviously we avoid hard feed now so that they don't have these 'attacks'
 
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