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I'll Be Your Huckleberry
Posts: 1488
  
Location: Arizona | I bought an OTTB gelding in February of this year who I absolutely love. However, 2 weeks ago he had what I would describe as an episode of choke. Coughing pawing saliva from both nostrils almost immediately after feeding. I was able to loosen it with massage and flushing with water he hacked up some well chewed green hay and was fine. Since this incident it has happened 3 more times. Each time it was about a 5 minute episode that I was able to help with. I switched him to soaked pellets and he has not had an incident. I also free feed him Bermuda and it is a non issue. It only happens when I feed him alfalfa. He was vetted before purchase and had a dental done about 1 year ago and the vet said his teeth were ok. My question is could this be allergy related? He does not bolt his feed. He eats slowly and always has hay in his feeder. I am treating him with ulcer medication but that is it. The pellets I am feeding him are alfalfa/Bermuda and like I said no issue. I am having a dental done on him anyway next week and if his teeth are good will have the vet out and see what tests need done. I was just wondering if anyone had experience with something like this? He is 5 years old. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| If he hasn't had his teeth floated in a year, that is where I would start. And I would use the best, most experienced person I could afford. The worst float jobs I've had were done by vets. The best jobs have been by vets and lay people who got special education to learn proper dentistry. Also, some horses need to be done more often than once a year. |
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I'll Be Your Huckleberry
Posts: 1488
Location: Arizona | I am hoping this is all it is. I have a very good equine dentist who I use and she is heading this way from OK next week. I will have her check him and go from there. This scares the crap out of me. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| MsDuchessGoTe - 2017-07-09 2:13 PM
I am hoping this is all it is. I have a very good equine dentist who I use and she is heading this way from OK next week. I will have her check him and go from there. This scares the crap out of me.
I agree it is very scary! Let us know how it goes. |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I had one do the same thing. But I can't tell if it was the Sr cookie (large and round but pretty much melts from saliva) or the literally hand full of Sr feed I gave him so he would eat his Pill. I gave him this in a rubber tub and walked away. Came back a few minutes later to a 1/2 gallon of snot on the floor and him freaking out. It was aweful. I called the vet asap and they walked me through some things. I went out and he was already over it. No more cookies and I watch him eat his grain and so far so good.
I do plan to get his teeth done soon though. It's been a yr and he is around 16 or so. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I would get him scoped to rule out any masses causing the choke |
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I'll Be Your Huckleberry
Posts: 1488
Location: Arizona | cheryl makofka - 2017-07-09 3:22 PM
I would get him scoped to rule out any masses causing the choke
Yes that will be my next step once I get the all clear on his dental. That is the pretty much the only other thing I can think of. I can't feel anything palpable but I am praying it is a simple fix and not something needing intense treatment but we will see. |
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 Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | That's what I would do. Double check the teeth to make sure he's able to chew his food properly and if that doesn't work, get an endoscopy to see what's going on in there. When my pony got real old (I know he's not old) she was missing a lot of teeth and even with soaked food, started choking. The vet said the choking itself then causes more choking because it can cause irritation and scar tissue. Hopefully it's just his teeth and then the next best case scenario would be something lodged in there that they can get right out. Good luck. Choking is a scary thing to see. |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Unfortunately once they have a episode of choke Scar tissue can develop and it will happen periodically.. maybe scope him.. even if it wasnt severe after you bought him he may have had a severe one before you bought him.. goodluck.. my mare had episode and after she had alot of issues.. food got in her lungs etc..infection and pneumonia.keep a eye on horses breathing few weeks after episodes to be safe |
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I'll Be Your Huckleberry
Posts: 1488
Location: Arizona | Bibliafarm - 2017-07-09 10:34 PM
Unfortunately once they have a episode of choke Scar tissue can develop and it will happen periodically.. maybe scope him.. even if it wasnt severe after you bought him he may have had a severe one before you bought him.. goodluck.. my mare had episode and after she had alot of issues.. food got in her lungs etc..infection and pneumonia.keep a eye on horses breathing few weeks after episodes to be safe
Yes that is what I am afraid of. Thankfully it has not been severe yet. I asked the trainer I bought him from if he had any issues and she said no but she only had him 3 months. Who knows...I have never had a horse with this kind of issue. He doesn't have a great appetite either like I said leaves his feed and takes all day to finish it. I was hoping the ulcer meds would help that but now am wondering if its related to the choking? |
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 Saint Stacey
| You need to have him scoped, draw blood and make sure there is no infection that could turn into pneumonia. Then I'd feed him in a slow feed hay net.
I have no idea on if it could be an allergy thing. |
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Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | If he leaves his feed and takes all day to eat it, it may in fact be his teeth. Something may be hurting him and he is not chewing properly and could choke on the partially chewed-up food. |
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