When Is Choke Not A One-And-Done Emergency For Horses?

Choke in horses is always an emergency. Though some horses may resolve a choking episode on their own, others may behave as if they're colicking, throwing themselves on the ground. Horses may hold their necks out and down, in odd positions. Often the only signs a horse has a blockage in his esophagus are a frequent cough or s a mix of feed and saliva dripping out through his mouth or nostrils. Sometimes the obstruction can actually be seen as a lump on the side of the neck. 

Unlike a choking human, a choking horse is not at risk of imminent death because the organs used to swallow food and to deliver air to the lungs are not shared in the same way there are with people, so a food obstruction will not hinder a horse's breathing. Still, a choking horse should be kept quiet and away from food and water, either until he passes the obstruction or until a veterinarian can be called in to assist. A vet will pass a tube down the esophagus and try flush the blockage down with water. 

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If a horse chokes repeatedly, it's worthwhile to investigate the cause, Dr. Melina Freckleton tells EQUUS. The first step is to check the horse's teeth, in case dental problems are inhibiting the horse from chewing and swallowing properly. 

If that doesn't uncover a cause, it's time to dig a bit deeper and see if he has physical or behavioral issues that are causing him to choke. Look first at how the horse is fed — is he fed in a quiet stall with no neighbors harassing him, or is he fed on a fence line where he must bolt his food to get anything to eat? A horse that eats too quickly is more inclined to choke.

To determine if there is a physical issue that's causing a horse to choke, taking a closer look at the esophagus is key. The vet will snake a long endoscope down the horse's esophagus to see if any injuries have caused scar tissue that make the esophagus more narrow, causing food to get trapped. In other cases, the esophageal wall can weaken, allowing a pocket where feed can accumulate.

A horse that chokes repeatedly can cause and worsen damage to his esophagus, and potentially develop aspiration pneumonia, a serious health issue. It's imperative to find out why a horse is choking and to make management changes to prevent its recurrence. 

Read more at EQUUS magazine. 

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Scar Tissue Issues In Horses May Be Resolved With Standing Surgery

A horse that has experienced a hind-end injury such as a kick, fall or other trauma can develop a mechanical restriction from scar tissue that does not allow him to take normal strides, called a fibrotic myopathy, which can affect his athletic ability. The condition, which is not usually painful, is diagnosed by palpation and ultrasound around the horse's thigh.

The veterinary hospital at the University of California, Davis, did a retrospective study that used 22 horses with the condition that had a standing fibrotic myotomy performed. Drs. Charlene Noll, Isabelle Kilcoyne, Betsy Vaughan and Larry Galuppo reviewed the horse's long-term comfort and return to athletic endeavors.

Tenotomy is a more-standard treatment for this type of issue, but a standing myotomy is less expensive and less invasive. The horse can also be moved about during the procedure to assess the response to the incision into the fibrotic tissue.

Only two of the horses in the study developed complications during the surgery. There were additional complications in 18 percent of the horses, which included issues with drainage or infection that caused sutures to reopen.

After the surgery, the horses were on stall rest for two weeks and hand walked for 10 minutes three times a day. Once sutures were removed, the horses began trotting for five minutes each day and work was increased incrementally from there.

Four weeks after the surgery, canter work was added to the rehabilitation program. Passive range of motion exercises were also recommended twice daily throughout the rehabilitation time. Two months after the surgery, the horses could go back to regular work and could get turned out.

Follow up calls and questionnaires were sent to the horse owners between 6 months and 11 years after the surgery was performed. Ten of the 16 owners said they were satisfied with the long-term outcome of the surgery. Eight of the horses had a recurrence of issues, and eight of the 12 athletic horses returned to their previous level of use.  The other four athletic horses needed repeat surgery.

The research team concluded that standing myotomy for fibrotic myopathy leads to fair outcomes with minimal complications, but proper rehabilitation was imperative to the surgery's success.

Read the full article here.

Read more at EquiManagement.

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