Choke in horses refers to an obstruction of the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. The most common sign of choke is feed material coming from the nostrils, although horse owners might also notice hypersalivation, retching, not eating, acting colicky, or coughing. Chokes can have serious consequences, so it is important to have your veterinarian evaluate your horse as soon as possible.
Most commonly, chokes occur when horses eat concentrated feed too quickly without chewing it appropriately. The feed does not get softened with saliva and forms a firm bolus that gets lodged in the esophagus. However, esophageal obstruction can also occur with hay or straw, hard treats, carrots, or nonfood objects. Anatomical problems, such as poor dentition and abnormal esophagus anatomy, can also predispose a horse to choking.
While waiting for the veterinarian, it is important to keep your horse from eating. Hand-walking or muzzling can prevent continued feed intake. Also, do not administer oral medications. Finally, it is an old wives’ tale that you can and should resolve a choke by shoving a garden hose in your horse’s mouth – this only increases the risk of serious complications, especially aspiration pneumonia.
Upon arriving, your veterinarian will conduct a physical exam. Most choking horses are sensitive to esophageal palpation, and in minor chokes, the obstruction could be visible on the left. Horses with choke are usually given specific medicines to help relax their esophagus, which may include a sedative to keep them calm and encourage them to keep their heads low (which helps the saliva to drain from the nose and reduces the risk of food and saliva being inhaled into the lungs). They may also be given anti-inflammatories and pain relief (eg ‘bute’ or flunixin) as the esophagus can become inflamed and sore. It is important to monitor horses for any signs of coughing, high temperature, or depression in the days after an episode of choke. In rare cases, the esophagus can also form a permanent narrowing (stricture) after having choke – this may predispose the horse to further choke episodes.
