Choke questions

[coyote]

My friend bought a connemara mare in March of this year. She has had choke three times. My friend comments that the mare has a short neck and thick throatlatch. She has had choke three times since then, but then yesterday and today, she has had two additional incidents.

Her response to the first three episodes was this:

"After the first choke I replaced using soaked alfalfa pellets with alfalfa chops in her beet pulp. When the second choke happened I blamed it on not having the beet pulp/chops hydrated enough. Since then I have served it completely soupy and it was last night. "

Last night she caught it right away and spent an hour dislodging it, gave her 10cc of banamine. This morning she was her chipper self and she gave her one gram of bute to fight any swelling.

She took the mare with her to work where she works for a vet, but the day turned out in such a way that he couldn't look at her. She'll go back tomorrow. In the meantime, though, she had another episode this evening.

She was turned out on grass with the other two for an hour and half. She then isolated her and fed her 1 cup of oats with 2 cups of the hydrated beet pulp and alfalfa chops in a pan on the ground.

My friend is pretty worried, and the mare will be at the vets in the morning, but any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.

I know Mikey had a serious problem with choke for a long time.

Thanks.

[gabbygator]

it sounds more serious than the choking issues I have with my gelding, but the first thing my vet recommended was to NOT feed him on the ground, so he has a corner feeder.......

[coyote]

Thanks gabbygator. I passed that along. It seems that the vet found ulcers where her teeth needed floating and that her trachea was sore. So, she's on meds to bring the swelling down. It this doesn't resolve the problem, they will scope her.

[ZenRider]

I was going to suggest looking at her teeth. If they can't grind their food it can make some of them choke.
Zen's had a few episodes since changing feed. The pellets are small and he has a slight overbite. Never a problem with oats, but well, sigh. We now feed him on the ground and water the feed and had his teeth done, he has not had an episode since. Most of the reading I've done about choke recommends feeding on the ground, as that is more natural for a horse and how their trachea works.

Here's some healing thoughts for your friends mare.

[coyote]

Well, that's interesting Zen, about the feeding on the ground in light of what gabbygator's vet suggested. When I passed along that information about not feeding on the ground, my friend asked why? I can see it working either way, actually, so have no idea - but I do think horses tend to stretch their necks downward to try to clear the obstruction. I appreciate the alternate opinion and will pass it along.

Thanks for the healing thoughts. We'll know a lot more after her meds end. My friend works for a vet, but she was very upset by these episodes, especially when the second one happened. Hopefully, it was just a dental issue. she will change her feeding program.

[TeachU2Ride]

An esophagus inflamed or permanently damaged by choke has a hard time moving the food along. Feeding from a high bucket takes some of the pressure off.

Since every choke can create more serious damage, finding out what's going on is really important. I'd advise a vet visit with an equine specialist (not a general livestock vet) and soon.

[coyote]

Thanks Teach. I'll pass your information along. I know she will follow up with her vet/boss after the meds are finished. I know he has a lot of horse patients, but he may be more general - I just don't know. Do you think she needs to have the mare examined by an equine specialist before that Dex treatment is finished?

[TeachU2Ride]

Yes.