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  Discussion on Is this normal after choking?
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New Member:
whoda

Posted on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 - 10:51 am:

I have a 17yo TWH mare. She had a choking episode 2 weeks ago. We put her on Gentocin as a precautionary measure to head off complications if she developed asperation pneumonia. Approximately 5 days after she developed a putrid smelling, thick, cardboard colored nasal discharge. We changed to a stronger antibiotic, Naxcel, and the thick discharge has subsided. She still has nasal discharge but it is relatively clear and watery but still putrid. A few days later she started shifting her weight from foot to foot, front to back and developed an 103.8 degree fever! We put her on Banamine, 10cc initially and 5cc every 12 hours thereafter and are continuing the Naxcel 10cc once daily. I have been charting her temperature and she has maintained a normal temp for a couple of days. This morning she has a 101.4 degree temp and seems to be dragging her toes when she walks. Otherwise she seems normal. She is not depressed, she is eating and drinking, using the bathroom, etc.. Does this all stem from the choking episode or should I be concerned about Wobbles, EPM, ....? I should also tell you that I have only had her since Thanksgiving and she was very, very thin when she came here. She has gained a good amount of weight but is still very thin. She has had a colt every year since she was 4yo. Her last colt was weaned in September and this is her first year not being bred back.
New Member:
whoda

Posted on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 - 1:29 pm:

Dr. O -
I was reading another posting where a 20 something year old stallion had all the same symptoms, nasal discharge, dragging of the back feet, etc. EXCEPT for the putrid smell. In your response you recommended 1g of Bute twice daily for esophogeal pain and overall weakness. Is that something that I should implement as well? Also, you stated in the same posting that the sinuses do not drain well. My vet said that the grain that she choked on and had aspirated was more than likely rotting and coming out in the form of the stinky snot. Does that sound correct and if so how long can I expect this to linger?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 5, 2008 - 6:46 am:

Welcome Amy,
In response to your first post, you describe some symptoms, but these may accompany many diseases. You do not have a diagnosis for those symptoms and this must be arrived at by a thorough exam.

In response to your second post I agree with your veterinarian, it is likely that all of this has stemmed from the choke episode if there has been contamination of the respiratory tract with foreign bodies (food, saliva, water, other?) or damage to the upper respiratory tract or esophagus. His exam should have gone a long way to localizing the problem. The questions is how far down the tract is the contamination and if in the lungs how extensive the problem is.

As you note often following a choke episode there is contamination of the sinuses with a smelly snotty nose that may persist for several weeks. However fever and severe putrefaction are not typical and I consider them a sign of serious disease.

Overall, to answer your questions on prognosis and proper therapy you need to determine: where is the infection (odor and fever) coming from and why is she dragging her legs? Pleuritis (infection of the lungs lining) can cause stiffness when walking because of pain but I cannot rule out many problems including pain from the pharynx or esophagus, those you list without an exam. For more on diagnosing infection in the lungs see, Diseases of Horses » Respiratory System » Pneumonia & Pleuropneumonia.
DrO
New Member:
whoda

Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 11:12 pm:

To give an update on my mare, I took her to an Equine Specialist in AL after being dissatisfied with the progress she was making under the care of my local vet. Although she trailered fine the trip was very hard on her. We got her checked in and began to unload her and she was completely disabled. She could stand but not walk and was falling all over the place. Honestly it took an act of God to get her in a stall!!! No fever but her breathing was labored and her heart rate was elevated. Her color went from being slightly pale to bright raspberry pink. As sick as she was when we left home she was 10,000 times worse when we arrived there! We immediately took blood and put her on fluids, steroids and cranked antibiotics in her. Standing she was very straight. Her back and neck were all at the same level and she kept lowering her nose to the ground and fluid would drip in a steady stream from her nose. I agreed to leave her there, of course, and they were going to ultrasound her chest and try to remove fluid after they got her a little more stable. The vet called a few hours later and said there was no real change good or bad and they were continuing fluids. A few hours later I got another call. She was down and couldn't get up, was in a great deal of pain and not responding to pain meds and that he thought we were simply prolonging the inevitable. I agreed to end her suffering. The specialist said that we weren't even scratching the surface with the minute amount of antibiotics that my vet had prescribed. He said we should have been giving her at 40cc of Naxcel and 30cc of Gentocin twice daily in addition to Banamine and Bute. Even though she was only with me for a couple of months it is hard to not become emotionally attached to something that you spent at least 14-16 hours a day with for almost a month trying to cure her. She was just an old brood mare that knew nothing about love, that she had a personality, how to eat treats out of your hands, etc... until the last couple of weeks. This anxious, nervous, skinny and otherwise unloveable horse became a funny, very sweet, calm and lovable horse who loved attention and would follow me around like a puppy or would stop and steal a bite of hay before she went in her stall. Although she is gone and her happiness was short lived, at least she got to know love and show love before she left me. I have to say it felt pretty weird not sleeping in a stall last night and not having to get up extra early to clean her up and give her meds before I got the kids off to school. The old girl taught us all a lot of lessons in a short amount of time. I definitely miss her and and her silliness!
Member:
juliem

Posted on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 - 11:50 pm:

So sorry you lost this mare. Bless you for giving her those good months, with your love and care. Sorry to welcome you to this "community" with such a sad start. Do you have other horses? Someone with as much compassion as you is certain to be "found" by other animals and though it's so sad to say goodbye, that's the price we pay for the joy they bring and the things they teach us.
Member:
paul303

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 1:26 am:

So very, very sorry.
Member:
pbauer

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 2:38 am:

Dear Amy,


This baby was so very fortunate to have found you after experiencing (it seems) a life lacking in love, security and proper care.

Thank you for the love, compassion and comfort you gave to her. Without question, she regained the respect and dignity due her, if only for a short while.

Amy, you finished the way you started...with a promise...to try and do the very best for your beloved companion. Please believe...you did.


Sincerely,
Tonya
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 6:25 am:

My condolences Amy, I guess the outcome determined the diagnosis of aspiration pleuropneumonia.

I am a little upset with your referral veterinarian who seems to imply this is somehow the result of too little antibiotic administration by your personal vet. Many cases of aspiration pneumonia are just not treatable. I also disagree with the comment that gentamicin should be given twice daily: it is actually MORE effective and LESS toxic when the total daily dose is given as a single injection every 24 hours. Then again I do not know how much was being given if aspiration pleuropneumonia diagnosed would need to be at the high end.
DrO
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 6:58 am:

(((hugs))) Amy.
Member:
eoeo

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 7:40 am:

So very sorry. She is at peace now and she knew you loved her. Just the human contact and caring did her so much good. Here is a link to a very nice poem that might help. Hope the link works. https://faeriekeeper.net/poetry4.htm.
EO
Member:
canter

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 8:09 am:

My condolances, Amy.
Member:
annes

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 10:48 am:

Amy, I am so sorry for your loss.
Member:
shirl

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 2:59 pm:

Amy, My sympathies also and may many blessings come your way for the wonderful compassion you gave to this special animal.
Shirl
Member:
mysi

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 6:00 pm:

Amy, so sorry for your loss. she was very lucky to have you come into her life and learn to love!
Member:
gwen

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 6:54 pm:

So sorry, Amy.
New Member:
whoda

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 9:41 pm:

Thank you all for the messages! I am overwhelmed by them all! It's so funny how all the other critters know I'm sad and to want to make me feel better too! They all understand that life is full of gains and losses, unlike my husband who thinks we should sell all the animals because I get too attached! I feel sorry for him though! He just doesn't know what he is missing out on by not having the same kind of relationships with them! The funny thing is that I have really handled this very well. Although I am still sad, a little withdrawn and cry when I go to the barn, or when I don't have to go back to the barn to sleep, etc. he's lucky it wasn't one of the horses that we've had for years and are truly members of the family! I cry just thinking about it! Anyway, thanks again for all of the messages! Friends are amazing!
Member:
srobert

Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 - 10:06 pm:

Amy
Many of us have lost our horsie friends in bad circumstances and we know the pain and sorrow it inflicts. I am still dealing with the sudden and violent loss of my beloved boy last April. Take time to cry and to love the animals who are still with you and who want to share their love with you. Your mare will have plenty of friends waiting for her on the rainbow bridge. I already have a herd waiting there for me. Someday we'll all go riding off into the sunshine together. Smile when you can and know you were her angel here on earth! God Bless You. Shari
Member:
lilo

Posted on Saturday, Feb 9, 2008 - 9:41 am:

So sorry for your loss, Amy. You gave it your best, and at least the horse knew it was loved and cared for until the end.
Lilo
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Saturday, Feb 9, 2008 - 12:17 pm:

Amy, I am deeply sorry for your loss. You did your very best to care for and love this mare and she was very fortunate to have you. If those greater amounts of antibiotics HAD been used, I don't believe the outcome would have been any different. Your mare was in very grave condition due to the seriousness of aspiration. Years ago, I had a horse receive twice daily gentamicin injections for a different condition, which made him very sick and miserable.
Member:
erika

Posted on Saturday, Feb 9, 2008 - 1:00 pm:

Amy, my condolences. Thank you for finally giving this mare some loving care.
Erika
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Feb 9, 2008 - 1:38 pm:

Amy thank you for taking such good care of this mare and showing her so much love. I wish there were more people like you in the world who are willing to risk their hearts. I'm so sorry about the final outcome.
Member:
carlaa

Posted on Saturday, Feb 9, 2008 - 8:47 pm:

That is so sad. I am so sorry.
Member:
quatro

Posted on Saturday, Feb 9, 2008 - 11:10 pm:

Sending condolences as well. Having just been through helping an old horse get through a sickness, I know how your heart aches. We are all here for you.
suz
Member:
jowidner

Posted on Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 - 12:56 am:

Amy, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you find comfort in knowing that your love and care gave this mare some sweet days prior to her illness, and that you did all you could for her in her time of need.
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