Horse Choking on Feed

[JangleProof]

Looking for some advice on my sick note TB!

Moved to 24/7 turnout in April last year at a new yard. Started very very mildly choking on hard feeds. He was fed in the field so thought he was bolting the feed, started bringing him in for feeds and the "choking" stopped.

Fast forward to October and he started coming in overnight, choking was happening on hay/haylege whilst he was in. Had vet out who looked in mouth and advised no immediate issues. Advised on Scoping if it is still an issue. Dentist was also happy. He then didn't do it again until Dec/Jan, so scope was booked.

Nothing mechanically wrong found on scope, he just had an inflamed throat/airway. Was diagnosed pharyngitis and given steroids for 3 weeks. Re scoped after that and there was a 75% improvement. Upped the steroids for 2 weeks with a re scope booked in after. Unfortunately he got mildly worse in those two weeks. Nothing else had changed in this time. So after this re scope the vet has advised a dynamic scope.

I'm reluctant to Dynamic scope, as I know it will be very traumatic for him and I am just wondering if anyone has seen anything similar / had any other ideas before we go down this route

 

[Tiddlypom]

I can’t help with the choking, but a friend’s horse had a dynamic scope done on a treadmill when the procedure was very new and it did reveal the problem in the horse’s airway, which was able to be surgically remedied. The problem only showed up when the horse was exercising.

It wasn’t too traumatic a procedure for the horse.

Good luck.

 

[JangleProof]

I can’t help with the choking, but a friend’s horse had a dynamic scope done on a treadmill when the procedure was very new and it did reveal the problem in the horse’s airway, which was able to be surgically remedied. The problem only showed up when the horse was exercising.

It wasn’t too traumatic a procedure for the horse.

Good luck.

Thanks for that. I think the vet is just trying to get him to swallow whilst he has the scope which he won't do with a standing scope

Thanks

 

[tristars]

dysphagia can be one of the symptoms of infection of the gutteral pouch, along with nasal discharge, the pouch can be scoped standing

mentioning this because horses with that can have fatal haemorhages, suddenly

i have no clue what your vet thinks but its gone on a long time, and if the horse keeps coughing choking it may have a sore throat obviously,

just wondering if they are treating the symptoms and not the cause

bristol uni vets are knowledgeable on that subject

sorry i have no clue really just don`t want you to overlook a possibility!

 

[AmyMay]

Does he have hay prior to feeding? Are you feeding food well soaked?

 

[Highmileagecob]

Ask an equine dentist to have another check, before you start any spendy investigations.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We had an elderly cob being fed soaked grassnuts. We found that unless she had added grasschaff she was liable to choke. Is he chewing his hard feed enough or would he benefit from added chaff?

 

[JangleProof]

dysphagia can be one of the symptoms of infection of the gutteral pouch, along with nasal discharge, the pouch can be scoped standing

mentioning this because horses with that can have fatal haemorhages, suddenly

i have no clue what your vet thinks but its gone on a long time, and if the horse keeps coughing choking it may have a sore throat obviously,

just wondering if they are treating the symptoms and not the cause

bristol uni vets are knowledgeable on that subject

sorry i have no clue really just don`t want you to overlook a possibility!

Thank you. No nasal discharge, no sign of any infection, so I'm guessing that's why we've not gone down that route.

I think they're trying to find a mechanical cause for the choking which is then in turn causing the sore throat

 

[JangleProof]

Does he have hay prior to feeding? Are you feeding food well soaked?

No, he does tend to come straight in for a feed which might be some of the problem. Feed is well soaked, he "chokes" on well soaked fast fibre (with nothing else in it) more than he does on hard feed.

I'm thinking of eliminating hard feed entirely to see if that stops the choking and in turn the sore throat

 

[JangleProof]

Ask an equine dentist to have another check, before you start any spendy investigations.

I think that could be a good idea actually. I used a different dentist who hadn't seen him before. I will try and get hold of his previous dentist who has seen him for years

 

[JangleProof]

We had an elderly cob being fed soaked grassnuts. We found that unless she had added grasschaff she was liable to choke. Is he chewing his hard feed enough or would he benefit from added chaff?

That could be his problem. I make his feed quite sloppy. He manages to eat hay/grass with no problem