RECURRENT CHOKE
Q:My daughter’s 16-year-old Welsh pony has fairly recently become prone to choke. We’ve owned him for half his life and he never choked until this year. Now, however, it occurs frequently---he has choked four times this year. Twice the blockage cleared on its own, but twice we needed to call the veterinarian and have him flush the feed out with a tube and water.
We now make sure to soak the pony’s feed to the point of it being a sloppy mush, and he only gets chopped hay. But I’m worried there is something else going on. We’ve had his teeth checked by a veterinarian and they are fine for a pony his age. Is there anything else we should be looking into?
Mary Ellen Watkins
Stockton, California
A:Choke is a scary thing to see. As you already know, when we say a horse or pony has choked, it is not the same as in people. Equine choke can be serious but it does not pose an imminent risk of death: The problem is a blockage of the esophagus (the passage from throat to stomach) but the horse’s windpipe---and ability to breathe---is not affected. In contrast, choking in people refers to a blockage of the trachea (windpipe), a problem that quickly becomes fatal if not resolved.
The signs of equine choke are distinctive. The horse will look uncomfortable and may extend his neck and hold it at an awkward angle. A slimy discharge, mixing chewed feed and saliva, may also drain from his nostrils and mouth. If choke doesn’t resolve quickly on its own (many cases do), your veterinarian will need to come and flush the blockage out as you describe.
Now, what to do with a repeat offender? Having a veterinarian with dental training and experience examine a horse’s teeth is a vital first step.
Then providing feed in a form less likely to accumulate into a blockage is good too. Since you have already covered those basics, I would next focus on two other considerations: behavior and physical condition.
On the behavioral side, step back and consider whether your pony’s