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  Discussion on Choke treatment
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New Member:
lisabr

Posted on Monday, Jun 29, 2009 - 12:52 pm:

We had a horse trailered in late on Saturday the 20th and he appears to have choked while in the trailer. At first we thought it might me flu or strangles. (Rescue horse) He had green discharge from his nose mostly on one side. But the snot had food in it and would drain while he ate and a little water came out his nose when he drank.

He was not really off his food so at first no knowing about the choke we gave him dry hay. He was switched to soaked hay and pelted grain made into a mash. By Monday he was a bit off his food and his rear leg was swelling. (He had a cut and that we treated by flushing out with benadine solution and had put triple antibiotic on.)

We had the vet out on Monday morning 22nd. She said it looked like choke. She and put tube down his throat and it appeared to be clear. She floated his teeth (he had hooks) and examined his mouth. He also had a slightly infected leg wound. No temperature. He was given a tetanus shot and put on 20 ml procaine penicillin G 2x day for 7 days and 1 gram of bute once daily. We also had a culture taken to test for strangles. It came back negative.

We put him on a soft diet only grain mash (pelted complete feed) and soaked alfalfa cubes from Friday 26 evening until Sunday night 28th hoping this would help. We also gave him 1gram bute AM & PM. While eating his grain there is little to no nasal discharge but with the alfalfa there is a green discharge which appears to be saliva with some mucus.

Today is the last day for the antibiotics. He has had no temperature and the swelling in his leg is 95% gone. (no heat) We tried giving him soaked hay this morning. He still has some green discharge when eating soaked hay or soaked alfalfa cubes from mostly one nostril very little discharge on one side.

How long would discharge last after a possible prolonged choke. When could he be scoped (sp)? I've read you have to wait anywhere from week to month? Should we keep him on the complete feed only? Will the nasal discharge cause a bacterial infection?

I'll be checking in with the vet today but would love a second opinion and some advice. I've never dealt with choke before.

Thank you
Lisa
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009 - 7:21 am:

Hello lisabr,
The best answer is it will drain until the sinuses are clear of foreign material and how long that will take depends on the amount and character of the stuff in there. Normally following a choke the sinuses clear quickly and so does the nasal discharge, just a few days.

Taking your other questions in order:
1) Why do you need to wait to scope the horse?
2) I don't see a need for special feed unless you find recurrent choke a problem.
3) Nasal discharge is the result of inflammation/infection not the cause of it.
DrO
New Member:
lisabr

Posted on Friday, Jul 3, 2009 - 12:14 pm:


Dr O,

The vet started Reggi on SMZ 12 2x day on Monday. He is also getting probiotics,MSM and a gram of bute. Feeding dry hay and his pellets are being made into soft mixture with his medications added in.

Currently the discharge is mainly from one side of his nose. It is clear or mixed with food it is green. It has very little mucus in it and has no bad odor. Some water still comes out his nostrils when drinking as he lifts his head mostly on the one side. After eating and drinking he has little to no discharge. No temperature and his appetite is good. The side with most the discharge is itchy. That is he rubs that side and likes you to rub his head on that side too.

Oh, should have said before he could not nicker at all when he first arrived now he can nicker but not too strong of a nicker. Larynx damaged from the choke?

We are going to make an appointment to get him scoped. Can you give me recommendations on what to request for his examination.

After browsing around the site I discovered that we live not to far from you in Mocksville.

Thanks for your help
Lisa

Previous post question/responses:

1)I read due to swelling you may have to wait. It didn't make sense to me. That is why I asked

2) We thought soft food would help by not irritating his throat and possibly reduce swelling.

3)I thought the back washing of saliva and food particles in his nasal cavities may cause a secondary infection. As the particles may not be flushed out setting up a breeding ground for bacteria.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jul 3, 2009 - 9:34 pm:

Hello lisabr,
I would ask for a good physical examination prior to scoping particular with respect to the head and throatlatch region. Let that drive any particulars of the scoping. After that point you can only ask for a complete exam and honest appraisal. If the scoping indicates a sinus problem but cannot be visualized you should consider a radiographic exam.
As to your other points:
1) If the nasal passages are swollen this may be a concern but see no reason to suspect this from the post.
2) If there is pharyngitis this might be a concern but again this is not indicated from your post. Unilateral discharge is more likely sinusitis.
3) If the discharge you are seeing is saliva and food the most likely explanation is your horse would be choking at the moment, this does not seem to be so from your post. I suspect your discharge is from already present infection.
DrO
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