Choke is the most common disease to affect the equine esophagus. Many of you may have had one of your horses choke sometime in the past. Some of these chokes may partially resolve on their own, and others require veterinary intervention.
A choking horse
When horses are greedy eaters or have had esophageal trauma, or ongoing dehydration that compromises swallowing action, they may become predisposed to choke.
Choke can have such serious complications (like aspiration pneumonia or esophageal stricture) therefore it is always recommended that you have your horse evaluated by a veterinarian.
“Choke” is a painful obstruction in the horse’s esophagus. The most common cause of choke is when a large amount of feed causes a blockage in the esophagus. Beet pulp that hasn’t been soaked properly is a common culprit as it tends to soak up water on its way down to the stomach, distending in the esophagus and then obstructing it. Other foreign materials can cause a horse to choke as well.
When horses have had esophageal trauma, or if they have dental abnormalities or ongoing dehydration that compromises swallowing action, they may become predisposed to choke. Greedy eaters that do not take time to chew their food are also susceptible to choke.
A choking horse tends to:
- Show signs of anxiety and panicked behaviour
- Repeatedly extend its head and neck
- Have feed material coming out of its nose and mouth
- Cough and have difficulty swallowing
If your horse has choked:
- Immediately take away its feed and water
- Call your veterinarian
- Allow the horse to keep its head down to allow feed material to drain out of the nose and mouth
According to veterinarians, a good rule of thumb to follow is: Never let the sun set on a choke.
Read more about Choke in Horses