Practical Horseman

How to Handle Choke

Perhaps your horse routinely bolts his ration. Or maybe he’s in the habit of greedily gulping treats. Then one day you notice him hanging his neck low while saliva spills from his mouth and a bright greenish discharge drains from his nose. Your horse is choking, and it’s time to call your veterinarian for help to resolve the problem.

One of the most common equine emergencies, choke in horses is quite different from choking in people. In horses, the problem occurs when a mass of chewed feed or a piece of something too large to swallow becomes lodged in the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food from

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