help with mild choke...

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ldlp111

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Well yesterday I was due my flatwork lesson, had tacked up and started to warm up in walk. Mare started to cough every so often (not unusual when she's warming up) thought nothing of it and went into trot but carried on coughing and raspy breathing (this is not normal) so went back to walk. Instructor suggested trying a canter to see if would help clear airway. Eventually got some stuff (chewed up food) coming out of nose but still coughing abit and raspy breathing when trotting although not as much so decided to call it a day. Now instructor suggested having a chat to vet as she had a episode like this last year about this time but she was in then at night and is currently out 24/7 at the moment.
This morning she coughed once on way down for breakfast, ate fine, then later when about to eat hay coughed up some chewed up grass.
Just wondering if anyone has any advice or info on anything like this. Will phone vet later today to have a chat. She doesn't seem overly distressed and is acting normal but am worried after reading stuff online that it could suggest she has a problem with her throat etc :(
Thanks :)
 
Yes she is due her teeth booked for this week :) Last time it happened she had a cough for a couple weeks, can't remember if I did give her anti-bs that the vet offered after seeing her or not. Am wondering if she's gonna need them again :)

ets the stuff coming out of nose wasn't big chunks of food was actually quite small, I did give her a treat when I caught her wondering if that got stuck, but we do trailer to lesson bout 20 min journey and seemed fine all that time :)
 
ldlp111 said:
Eventually got some stuff (chewed up food) coming out of nose but still coughing abit and raspy breathing when trotting although not as much so decided to call it a day. Now instructor suggested having a chat to vet as she had a episode like this last year about this time but she was in then at night and is currently out 24/7 at the moment.
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Airways and stomach/oesophagus are not connected in horses, I agree a vet exam is the next step.
 
Hi, my horse has had three episodes of mild choke and vet said to me today when she came to sedate my other horse for dentist that it could be a tooth problem, and lo and behold when the dentist looked she had a loose tooth that had broken off and was just sitting in the gum!
 
Ok thanks for replies :)
EDT out on friday so hopefully will sort any issues :)
Thanks Amanda will also speak with vet, they will be out end of dec to do second jab for the younsgter anyway :)
 
ldlp111 said:
When I say chewed up food it was a hay coloured stuff of snot consistency hence saying chewed up food :)
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As Amandap says, though, it shouldn't be coming out of the nose. And actually that's a sign of pretty serious choke rather than mild.


Good luck with the dentist.
 
amymay said:
As Amandap says, though, it shouldn't be coming out of the nose. And actually that's a sign of pretty serious choke rather than mild.


Good luck with the dentist.
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Really she never seemed distressed or even difficulty with breathing until asked to work, but thanks for info :)
 
ldlp111 said:
When I say chewed up food it was a hay coloured stuff of snot consistency hence saying chewed up food :)
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Well that could indicate a lung infection or problem so I do still think a vet exam is a good step.

ps. The link with work could well be the movement (especially trotting) loosening gunk in the lungs. There shouldn't be gunk in the lungs.
 
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Ok thanks, bit annoyed as only just had vet out on friday as other horse unwell. Could there be a link in her having her flu jab on friday? :)

The grass she coughed uo today came out of her mouth if that makes any difference. :)
 
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ldlp111 said:
When I say chewed up food it was a hay coloured stuff of snot consistency hence saying chewed up food :)
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That's quite usual in choke. Food particles often get mixed up with the nasal discharge because the oesophagus is located just above the trachea so can get 'blown out' so to speak if the blockage is at the oesophagus/pharynx.

It sounds like a teeth problem to me.
 
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Spring Feather said:
That's quite usual in choke. Food particles often get mixed up with the nasal discharge because the oesophagus is located just above the trachea so can get 'blown out' so to speak if the blockage is at the oesophagus/pharynx.

It sounds like a teeth problem to me.
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I thought (never seen choke) only in severe choke was food forced into larynx(?). Does this account for the raspy breathing as well?
 
1. Speak to your vet, although I doubt they will do much at this point.
2. Get teeth checked asap.
In the meantime water down any feed and make it sloppy, especially as she may be a bit sore afterwards. Also put in a couple of rocks in her bucket to slow her down whilst she's eating. I would also spread hay around so she had to forage more.
One of mine has had three episodes of choke. He was teething at time although one of them was past the point when his teeth were giving him problems. I think he is just a pig!! It was quite bad and scared the hell out of me but since I started feeding him this way there's been no problem.
 
amandap said:
I thought (never seen choke) only in severe choke was food forced into larynx(?). Does this account for the raspy breathing as well?
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Both the trachea (it's upper part is called the larynx) and the oesophagus have a meeting at a chamber called the pharynx, separated by flaps which stop the food going down the trachea and the air going down the oesophagus. Because the oesophagus is located slightly above the trachea/larynx the flaps can sometimes get disturbed with the obstruction so they sometimes don't work as they should. The air coming up and blowing the feed stuff out isn't a problem, the horse can still breathe even with gunk coming down the nose. Choke is generally not a big deal, even though it looks scary as heck when you first see it, however the problems that can occur with choke is if those same food particles are inhaled rather than exhaled so then the particles can end up going down the the trachea. It does happen, although fairly uncommon. As for the raspy breathing, no I've never seen a horse with choke have raspy breathing, there could be something else going on independent of the choke so probably should be investigated if no good reason can be given for that.
 
Ok so spoke to vet this morning after I witnessed more coughing and face pulling. Vet seemed to think that it wasn't choke (I was also thinking this) as what came out of nose wasn't chunks of food but a smooth snot like substance. He said either a chest infection/virus or possibly she is allergic to something. Said he can either come out to check her over or give her the week off, she is fine in herself other than coughing so am opting for week off at present. Other horse is just getting over a virus so possible it's what he had although seems odd she had same symptoms(sp?) this time last year :confused: Although she was in at night last year and getting more hay. At present she is out 24/7 with a wedge of hay upto twice a day depending when the previous wedge has been eaten. Vet suggested could be the hay and to soak it, but seems unikely as she's not getting much more than she has been having throughout year as she gets hay whilst at shows etc. Also bit reluctant to soak her hay as she's drops weight easy in winter and i've already had to put her on linseed to increase her weight as she was dropping off already :(

So any suggestions :) am thinking of leavings things as they are and seeing if it is a infection/virus if she gets better if not will look at soaking hay etc. :)
 
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