If feed components or foreign bodies become stuck in the horse's esophagus, the surrounding muscles cramp up and a blockage occurs. Due to the risk of pneumonia caused by inhaling feed residues (aspiration pneumonia), a blockage is always a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate veterinary treatment.
The first symptoms of throat obstruction can include head shaking, excessive salivation, and coughing. The horse stretches its neck downwards and large amounts of foamy saliva mixed with feed residues are expelled from the mouth and nostrils. If the obstruction persists, circulatory problems, increased breathing rate, and increased sweating may occur. There is a risk that feed residues mixed with saliva may enter the respiratory tract and cause life-threatening pneumonia.
Good intentions are not always good. Horse owners who constantly reward their horses with food are not always doing the right thing. Horses that are very greedy and gobble their food should be fed with care. Leftovers from food eaten hastily, small pieces of carrots or beet pulp that has not been pre-soaked can get stuck in the horse's throat. The horse's esophagus is a long muscular tube that transports food from the larynx to the stomach through muscle contractions. If a piece of food that has been swallowed too hastily gets stuck here, the muscles work even harder to move this lump further along. This causes severe cramping of the muscles, which leads to a blockage of the esophagus. If this piece of food also presses on the windpipe, the horse will also cough.
If you suspect a blockage in the throat, always call a veterinarian immediately so that they can treat it correctly. Until the veterinarian arrives, the horse can be moved carefully at a walk if it allows.
After a thorough examination and diagnosis by the veterinarian, medication may be administered and a nasal-pharyngeal probe may be used to check the patency of the esophagus. Before inserting the tube, antispasmodic and pain-relieving medication is administered to relax the muscles. A mild sedative also helps to calm the horse and makes it easier for the veterinarian to insert the nasogastric tube, which can be used to flush the esophagus. The veterinarian will attempt to dissolve the stuck food and transport it further into the stomach. If this is not successful, the horse must be taken to a clinic immediately. There, the obstruction can be surgically removed in an emergency and the horse can receive intensive care afterwards.
If you know that your horse tends to gobble its food, measure out its feed more carefully and follow these tips to minimize the risk of choking:
If you suspect that your animal is exhibiting unusual eating behavior for medical reasons, please consult your veterinarian and have your horse examined.
Narcolepsy is a pathological sleep disorder in which animals initially appear to be dozing, but then suddenly fall asleep and sometimes collapse without support. In most cases, this sleep disorder is associated with a loss of muscle tone, known as cataplexy.
Wobbler syndrome describes a complex of symptoms caused by nerve damage in the cervical spine. The often typical ataxic (irregular) gait of affected animals gave the disease its name, as the English word "to wobble" means to sway or stagger. It occurs particularly often in Dobermans and Great Danes, but other large breeds of dog can also be affected. Male dogs are twice as likely to develop the condition as females.
Dourine is a worldwide, notifiable horse disease that is transmitted through mating. It is highly contagious, spreads very quickly and is almost always fatal. It occurs mainly in Asia, North and South Africa. Thanks to appropriate control measures, the disease is now considered to have been eradicated in Australia, North America and Central Europe.
X-ray fluoroscopy is an imaging examination method that uses X-rays to create a series of moving images of the part of the body being examined. The X-ray machine is freely movable thanks to a C-shaped arm (= C-arm), allowing the body part or organ to be viewed from all angles in real time on the monitor.
Distemper is a long-known and highly contagious viral infection that can affect various carnivorous wild animals as well as dogs and ferrets. It is also known as Carré's disease, after its discoverer, Henri Carré. Since the introduction of protective vaccination in 1960, outbreaks and mortality rates have been significantly reduced. However, with declining vaccination rates and the constant increase in dog imports from Eastern Europe, distemper is once again on the rise in Germany.
Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining that can occur in dogs as a result of superficial or deep injuries. Persistent irritation of the stomach lining can lead to chronic inflammation and ultimately to a stomach ulcer. The disease can take an acute or chronic course.
This condition, also known as "cold tail," has been known for some time but remains largely unexplored. It occurs mainly in the summer months, is characterized by a distinctive tail posture, and is very painful.
This disease, which has only been known for a few years and is feared by warmblood breeders, is a hereditary genetic defect that leads to connective tissue weakness in newborn foals. It is estimated that WFFS has existed for 170 years and affects approximately nine to eleven percent of all warmbloods.
For many horse owners, this is a sad moment. The diagnosis "unrideable" abruptly ends the dream of experiencing more wonderful moments in the saddle with your horse. But even if riding is no longer possible, the horse should not be any less valuable as a friend. After all, there are wonderful alternatives for spending time together.
For horses, which are flight animals, the eye is an important sensory organ, but it can also be very sensitive to internal and external influences. Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye disorders in horses. It can occur as a separate disease or as a result of a general illness.
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi (the airways in the lungs). It is one of the most common respiratory diseases in dogs.
Coccidiosis, caused by parasites, is a common disease in rabbits. A distinction is made between liver coccidiosis and intestinal coccidiosis. Young, stressed, or weakened animals are particularly at risk.
