Page 712 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

obstructed. A tracheotomy tube is inserted into the trachea at the junction between the upper

and middle third of the underside of the neck. The tube can be removed and the wound left to
VetBooks.ir heal when it is no longer needed. The shorter the time the tube is in position, the lower the
risk of healing complications resulting in tracheal stricture when it is removed. While it is in

place, the tube needs to be checked and cleaned twice daily to prevent the build up of mucus.

A tracheostomy is a more permanent operation involving removal of a piece of several
tracheal rings to create an opening directly into the trachea. The disadvantage of these
procedures is that the air that enters the trachea has not been filtered and humidified by

passing through the nasal passages. Combined with the disruption to the normal mechanisms
for clearance of mucus from the trachea, this may have an adverse affect on lung function.

Care must be taken to keep these horses in an environment that is as dust-free as possible and
to avoid foreign material (bedding and water) from entering the trachea.

Bilateral laryngeal paralysis does occur but is very rare. It may occur as a result of lead or

organophosphate poisoning, severe liver disease or severe electrolyte imbalances.

DORSAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE SOFT PALATE (DDSP)

This condition is often referred to as ‘gurgling’, ‘choking up’ or ‘swallowing the tongue’. It

occurs most in 2-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses during fast work or just after they have
pulled up.

Clinical signs

• During a race, the horse may suddenly slow down or stop in its tracks.

• This is usually accompanied by a loud gurgling or choking sound as the horse struggles
to breathe.

• The horse recovers as soon as it swallows.

Why does this happen?

The horse is an obligate nose breather. This means that he can only breathe efficiently
through his nose and not through his mouth. Air passes through the nostrils, along the nasal

passages and into the nasopharynx. From there it passes through the larynx, down the trachea
and into the lungs.

The pharynx of the horse is separated into two parts by a flat sheet of muscular tissue