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Expert
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Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | I ha gotten my mare out to ride her and I walked in the tack room and came back out and she had gotten ahold of a plant that is next to the tack room. The plant isn't poisonous so I didn't think anything about it. I put my pad on her and about the time my saddle hit her back she started choking. I was terrified and I didn't know what to do. Ive never seen in person a horse choke and have no idea what to do. I tried to call my dad to see if he could tell me what to do but she finally either got it up or down. What do I do next time this happens?
Edited by TessBelle 2014-08-21 11:23 PM
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | TessBelle - 2014-08-21 10:54 PM I ha gotten my mare out to ride her and I walked in the tack room and came back out and she had gotten ahold of a plant that is next to the tack room. The plant isn't poisonous so I didn't think anything about it. I put my pad on her and about the time my saddle hit her back she started choking. I was terrified and I didn't know what to do. Over never seen in person a horse choke and have no idea what to do. I tried to call my dad to see if he could tell me what to do but she finally either got it up or down. What do I do next time this happens?
Dont panic  |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | (sigh).... You put a growing plant in reach of a stalled horse??
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | Choking in horses is different than humans. They can still breathe, but they can't swallow and can cause serious damage to themselves trying to cough it up (bursting a blood vessel, or getting the food coughed up and then inhaling parts of it into their lungs). You usually need to call the vet, and make sure they don't eat or drink because it can make it worse. |
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | komet. - 2014-08-22 12:15 AM
(sigh).... You put a growing plant in reach of a stalled horse??
It's wild but no She was ground tied in front of my tack room. She eats everything even if it's not eatable. We was at a Josey clinic and was waiting in line to do our drill and as I walked past one of the rails she grabbed ahold of the yellow do not cross tape and ate part of it before I could get it from her. She can't be put in a stall with shavings unless she has feed or hay because she loves shavings a little too much and will eat them. My stalls are sand and when we strip them and add new sand she licks the sand. I know it can cause colic but I've tried everything to stop her. She can stand tied at the fence and will lick it especially if it's wood. She doesn't bite it, just licks it. But turns her nose up to a salt block. Sprite(has to be in a bottle) is her fav treat. She won't drink it if it's from a can. Manna Pros Butterscotch Nuggets are the 2nd best. No she doesn't have a mineral imbalance she's just weird.
Edited by TessBelle 2014-08-22 1:24 AM
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| TessBelle - 2014-08-21 10:54 PM I ha gotten my mare out to ride her and I walked in the tack room and came back out and she had gotten ahold of a plant that is next to the tack room. The plant isn't poisonous so I didn't think anything about it. I put my pad on her and about the time my saddle hit her back she started choking. I was terrified and I didn't know what to do. Ive never seen in person a horse choke and have no idea what to do. I tried to call my dad to see if he could tell me what to do but she finally either got it up or down. What do I do next time this happens?
Take her to a vet. |
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 The Vaccinator
Posts: 3810
Location: Slipping down the slope of old age. Boo hoo. | Is her feed fortified, i.e. does it provide all the standard minerals and vitamins a horse needs? Does she have access to free choice salt and minerals? Does she have a hanging ball or something safe to nose and play with in her stall? |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | Bed her down with straw before you get a bad case of sand colic.
I have a sand eater too- a week in the hospital with him and I was darn lucky he didn't need surgery. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | I wouldnt take it to lightly and Id keep her in pasture 24-7. sand is serioius if shes eating it and so is shavings.. |
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | I have a choker.
You did the right thing. Watch the situation. There's really nothing else to do besides go ahead and call your vet. You can also try to rub their throat, but I've never been able to make a difference with that.
It's super scary to see one choke. But, they won't fall over dead right away...Most of the time, in my experience, the horse has to be tubed and the bolus has to be washed away a little at a time. Tedious and time consuming.
Also, once a horse chokes, they are more prone to choke again. Especially if they damaged their esophagus.
Glad everything turned out okay!
Edited by just4fun 2014-08-22 8:46 AM
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 Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
Location: Displaced Iowegian | just4fun - 2014-08-22 8:45 AM
Glad everything turned out okay!
Unfortunately, this "may" not be true....Take her to the vet and have her scoped....she could STILL have blockage and it will only cause you further problems. Usually, a horse licks because they are mineral or vitamin deprived...Have her tested before we read about a MORE serious problem here....licking sand WILL cause colic..... |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | TessBelle - 2014-08-22 1:15 AM komet. - 2014-08-22 12:15 AM (sigh).... You put a growing plant in reach of a stalled horse?? It's wild but no She was ground tied in front of my tack room. She eats everything even if it's not eatable. We was at a Josey clinic and was waiting in line to do our drill and as I walked past one of the rails she grabbed ahold of the yellow do not cross tape and ate part of it before I could get it from her. She can't be put in a stall with shavings unless she has feed or hay because she loves shavings a little too much and will eat them. My stalls are sand and when we strip them and add new sand she licks the sand. I know it can cause colic but I've tried everything to stop her. She can stand tied at the fence and will lick it especially if it's wood. She doesn't bite it, just licks it. But turns her nose up to a salt block. Sprite (has to be in a bottle ) is her fav treat. She won't drink it if it's from a can. Manna Pros Butterscotch Nuggets are the 2nd best. No she doesn't have a mineral imbalance she's just weird.
Most horses that do this will still eat loose minerals.
Sounds like an imbalance to me too. |
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | Delta Cowgirl - 2014-08-22 7:46 AM
Is her feed fortified, i.e. does it provide all the standard minerals and vitamins a horse needs? Does she have access to free choice salt and minerals? Does she have a hanging ball or something safe to nose and play with in her stall?
Yes and she's been tested no imbalances. Yes they have a mineral block in the pasture and salt in there stall. She has a hanging milk jug with a couple rocks in it but she's terrified of it. The wind can blow it and she will about kill her self trying to get away from it. |
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Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | NJJ - 2014-08-22 9:16 AM just4fun - 2014-08-22 8:45 AM
Glad everything turned out okay!
Unfortunately, this "may" not be true....Take her to the vet and have her scoped....she could STILL have blockage and it will only cause you further problems. Usually, a horse licks because they are mineral or vitamin deprived...Have her tested before we read about a MORE serious problem here....licking sand WILL cause colic.....
If the horse is eating and drinking, it is no longer choking.
IMO, one choking episode that quickly cleared does not necessitate a scoping. There are risks with scoping, too. I had one that developed a severe infection afterwards.
As far as licking, my opinion is that some horses just lick. And sometimes we'll never know why. If the horse has a balanced diet, is in good condition, and the vet has found nothing wrong, I don't understand the urgency, besides addressing the environment.
Choking IS urgent, and again, I'm glad the horse is okay. I've been down that road MANY times.
For the OP: you do need to soften your horse's grain (preferably pellets) to a mash consistency for a while now 
eta: some loose minerals are not very palatable. All of mine went crazy over ADM GroStrong mineral block, even after they had been offered loose minerals forever. After quickly consuming several blocks, they are back to only licking on it occasionally. Maybe try offering this type, or others that are more palatable. Or, you can also add a measured ration to your horse's diet (such as Formula 707s Daily Essentials). That way you know for sure they are eating their required daily intake. Also, always keep salt available (sounds like you do) or they will eat the minerals just for the salt intake.
Edited by just4fun 2014-08-22 12:36 PM
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 Playing the Waiting Game
Posts: 2304
| Knowing what they are choking on is half the battle... When mine choked, I had 2, at different times on different things. The first one I was heading to the vet and she got it out before we got there. I was dry beet pulp. My bad I didn't know she could reach the bucket, I had set down, when I went to get the water. The other horse it was a cattle cube whose owner didn't know better. One of those big ones almost 1" in diameter. I knew right away what he had done. On him I ran the hose in his mouth a little at a time trying to soften it up enough to pass. I wouldn't reccommend this to a novice person, as I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for thier horse to get water into the lungs. But I'm confident enough in my experience to do what I did. |
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Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
Location: Displaced Iowegian | just4fun - 2014-08-22 12:25 PM NJJ - 2014-08-22 9:16 AM just4fun - 2014-08-22 8:45 AM
Glad everything turned out okay!
Unfortunately, this "may" not be true....Take her to the vet and have her scoped....she could STILL have blockage and it will only cause you further problems. Usually, a horse licks because they are mineral or vitamin deprived...Have her tested before we read about a MORE serious problem here....licking sand WILL cause colic.....
If the horse is eating and drinking, it is no longer choking.
IMO, one choking episode that quickly cleared does not necessitate a scoping. There are risks with scoping, too. I had one that developed a severe infection afterwards.
As far as licking, my opinion is that some horses just lick. And sometimes we'll never know why. If the horse has a balanced diet, is in good condition, and the vet has found nothing wrong, I don't understand the urgency, besides addressing the environment.
Choking IS urgent, and again, I'm glad the horse is okay. I've been down that road MANY times.
For the OP: you do need to soften your horse's grain (preferably pellets) to a mash consistency for a while now eta: some loose minerals are not very palatable. All of mine went crazy over ADM GroStrong mineral block, even after they had been offered loose minerals forever. After quickly consuming several blocks, they are back to only licking on it occasionally. Maybe try offering this type, or others that are more palatable. Or, you can also add a measured ration to your horse's diet (such as Formula 707s Daily Essentials ). That way you know for sure they are eating their required daily intake. Also, always keep salt available (sounds like you do ) or they will eat the minerals just for the salt intake.
Edited by NJJ 2014-08-22 1:40 PM
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | If a horse has true choke then most likely will have scar tissue from it and it can happen again . Id give soaked and watered down grain or beet pulp for awhile or add water from now one .. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | How is your horse doing this afternoon? |
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 Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | I had a mare choke while in the trailer once. Not sure how long she had been choking, drive home was about 35 minutes and when I went to unload her I realized what was happening. There was saliva and spat up hay all over the major. I got her unloaded, I was frantic, tried calling my vet (it was midnight so no luck), instinct was to stick a hose in her mouth full blast, not deep but in there. Seemed to help loosen whatever it was and it came back up. I called my vet the next day and he said to keep an eye on her, and she may have a cough for about a week (which she did) and that eventually went away.
Edited by Three*C*Champs 2014-08-22 6:10 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | Southtxponygirl - 2014-08-22 5:34 PM
How is your horse doing this afternoon?
Besides being ill she's fine but that's not unusual for her here lately. She's eating and drinking. |
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | TessBelle - 2014-08-22 7:23 PM Southtxponygirl - 2014-08-22 5:34 PM How is your horse doing this afternoon? Besides being ill she's fine but that's not unusual for her here lately. She's eating and drinking.
she is ill? |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Did she get sick after she choked? Hope shes not to bad? |
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Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | TessBelle - 2014-08-22 6:23 PM
Southtxponygirl - 2014-08-22 5:34 PM
How is your horse doing this afternoon?
Besides being ill she's fine but that's not unusual for her here lately. She's eating and drinking.
Yeah.. but WHAT is she eating?? Horses are a major cause of stress!!! ARGggHH!! |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | Yes it's the scar tissue that forms in the esophagus from the bolus that was stuck. After the initial event, the area may scar up and decrease the diameter of the esophagus.
The next time it happens you really just need to call the vet, and pull hay, feed, water, grass, anything he can eat away from him. The horses know something isn't right so they try and wash it down or keep eating…They can drown on their own saliva from all the food and water not making it down. Or they can aspirate food into the lungs, and rupture the esophagus and get food into the chest cavity.
Usually horses choke because they bolt feed, or they eat something that is easily balled up. There can be other reasons that are more scary but less common... Changing your diet and/or soaking feed before you feed it really helps. But since you knew she ate something she wasn't supposed to, I would think that's the obvious reason.
I've been out on a couple choke calls… it was tedious and gross and I ended up with goop on me, but the horse ended up okay. THE BIGGEST THING IS DONT WAIT TO CALL THE VET. We had a call one AM where a horse started choking the night before. They left him out in the pasture while he was choking and didn't pull the feed and water away from him. They called the next AM for an appointment and said they would call back with an address so we could head out there. In that time of waiting for an address the horse died. Talk about a horrible way to die. |
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | if it was a choke she may need antibiotics to.. if it aspirated into her lungs.. she will start getting ill in a few weeks and coughing and fever.. be aware.. and raspy breathing.. |
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | Bibliafarm - 2014-08-22 6:28 PM
TessBelle - 2014-08-22 7:23 PM Southtxponygirl - 2014-08-22 5:34 PM How is your horse doing this afternoon? Besides being ill she's fine but that's not unusual for her here lately. She's eating and drinking.
I guess I would have clarified it more. Ill like moody. Not ill like sick. She made it clear she was in no mood to be messed with. She's not mean like kicking or biting but she will let you know if thens a good time or if you should come back later lol.
Edited by TessBelle 2014-08-22 10:55 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | komet. - 2014-08-22 6:36 PM
TessBelle - 2014-08-22 6:23 PM
Southtxponygirl - 2014-08-22 5:34 PM
How is your horse doing this afternoon?
Besides being ill she's fine but that's not unusual for her here lately. She's eating and drinking.
Yeah.. but WHAT is she eating?? Horses are a major cause of stress!!! ARGggHH!!
Her feed and grass. Nothing there at the moment that she's not suppose to eat. |
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