RE:Choke

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Sonya Williams tglnwms@worldnet.att.net
I have had a horse choke twice.  Same horse and on pellets.  It is apparently not such a rare thing.  A friend's horse also choke on pellets three of four times in the last three months.  We feed the exact same feed for older horses.  The vet told us to wet the feed and pore vegetable oil in it.  After two hours of treating the horse and alot of blood because of the number of times the tube had to be reinserted, believe me oil and water will always be added to each of my horses feed everyday and every meal.  I really comtemplated putting my old friend down because of the severity and length of the treatment.  Fortunately by the time I was ready to call it quits and have the horse put down, we were successful.  The enitre esophagus was plued from the throat to the cardiac sphincter of the stomach.  It was not a head shaking to dislodge it amount.  It was a complete blokage.  

Signs and symptoms?? This horse suddeenly quit eating and was trying very hard to swallow.  I could see his throat and neck attempting to continually swallow.  I immediately realized before all the nasal drainage stuff started that he was choking.  His airway was clear.  I tried to irrigate his throat to wet the feed if it was a small amount.  After three attempts, I knew I was in need of a vet.  My vet came and the rest is history.  We tubed for two hours followed with preventive treatment for colic.  He got banamine, lasix, prednisone (or the likes), some anti-aspiration/anti-reflux medication, pincillin and sulfa drugs (incase, he aspirated).  Frostfire looked rough for a few days, but his weight picked back up  and his grey winter coat is shedding. This Arabian horse is number 95 on the AERC registry.  He's not gone yet.  He's wonderful and still likes the trail.  Thank God for the vets!!   Sonya