Page 746 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

time, it can be gently irrigated with warm water. The horse is sedated to keep its head low so

all the fluid and food can drain back out of the mouth rather than entering the trachea
VetBooks.ir (windpipe). In some stubborn cases this is performed under general anaesthesia with an
endotracheal tube in the horse’s trachea and careful positioning of the head to prevent

aspiration pneumonia.

MEDICATION

Initially this is likely to include:

• a sedative

• a muscle relaxant.

If the choke persists for any length of time:

• antibiotics are given to treat or help prevent aspiration pneumonia
• tetanus antitoxin is administered if the horse’s vaccinations are not up to date

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help to control the pain and inflammation

• intravenous fluids keep the horse hydrated while it is unable to drink.

In very persistent cases surgery may be performed to remove the obstruction.

Complications

These include:

• aspiration pneumonia due to inhalation of food material

• oesophageal ulceration: if this is severe, scar tissue may cause permanent narrowing of
the oesophagus (known as a stricture), predisposing to future episodes of choke

• rupture of the oesophagus: this is very rare but is a potential complication if a stomach
tube is used too forcefully in attempts to clear the obstruction.

Aftercare of the patient

Once the obstruction has been relieved, the horse should be allowed to graze or offered small,
soft, moistened feeds several times a day. Cubes should be thoroughly soaked or avoided

altogether for a few days. If the obstruction took some time to clear, grazing is preferable to
consuming large quantities of hay. Small quantities of soaked hay can be re-introduced after

48 hours. Hard, stemmy hay should be avoided.
If the choke was prolonged and damage occurred to the oesophageal wall or food