DISEASES OF THE MOUTH AND THROAT 555 



swallowing ; the muscles are unable to contract upon it with sufficient force, 

 and it becomes lodged, or, in the case of long hay or straw, it may be 

 entangled among the long and ragged molars at the back of the mouth. An 

 apple, round, smooth, and slippery, may pass beyond control of the 

 tongue, and lodge in the pharynx or any part of the oesophagus ; so also with 

 pieces of turnip or whole eggs, administered by the groom for conditioning 

 purposes. Nails, pins, needles, and other foreign bodies finding their way 

 into the manger are also occasional causes of choking. The term is further 

 applied to obstructions in the windpipe. 



The SymiJtoms are very distressful ; the animal suddenly ceases feeding, a 

 spasmodic contraction of the throat and neck muscles gives him the appear- 

 ance of having a stiff neck, the nose is poked out, the breathing hurried and 

 loud, the eyes bloodshot, and gulping efforts alternated with attempts at 

 vomition and coughing. 



Treatment. — The patient's fear and excitement must be allayed as far as 

 possible by a soothing manner on the part of the attendant, and an immediate 

 effort made to ascertain the nature and situation of the obstacle. A glance 

 at the left channel of the neck may show an enlargement, or an examination 

 of the mouth may lead to the detection of the offending body, or it may be 

 so low down in the thoracic portion of the gullet as to be invisible. If seen 

 from the outside and felt to be of a compressible nature, it may be so mani- 

 pulated as to pass on with but very little mechanical aid. It often happens 

 that only a very slight additional power is needed by the muscular tube 

 which for the moment has become paralyzed ; failing to remove the obstacle 

 with gentle pressure, other measures should be adopted. A little linseed oil 

 poured into the throat, and repeated in a few minutes, may alone accomplish the 

 purpose by lubricating the passage and softening the pellet. If it fail to do so 

 and the obstruction is not discovered to be in the pharynx, the mouth speculum 

 should be adjusted to enable the operator to pass a probang. This is a long 

 tube either of coiled wire or other material, covered with leather, and having 

 a cup-like portion at one end, and a ball at the other. The end chosen for 

 insertion should be oiled and passed over the tongue with gentle but con- 

 tinuous force until the object is reached, when, if the resistance is not too 

 great, it should be pushed on without hesitation right down to the stomach, 

 and the instrument withdrawn. It may be necessary to remove the probang 

 and give a little more oil and pass it again : the operator, unless he is an ex- 

 perienced veterinary surgeon, being liable to fall into the error of too much 

 haste. An obstruction such as an apple will often yield at the second 

 or third attempt, when the oil has had a softening effect. Nails, needles, 

 and the like, cannot of course be removed in this way, and must be carefully 

 sought. They do not cause such acute symptoms, and if not lodged in the 

 chest portion of the gullet may be found and cut down upon. 



After treatment consists in abstinence, sloppy food, and if there is reason 

 to suppose that the lining membrane is injured, small quantities of oil or 

 glycerine and water may be given in sips or small "go-downs." Linseed tea 

 at frequent intervals will be found to have an emollient effect. If a horse is 

 subject to choking, it is not worth while keeping him, as it may be due to a 

 sacculated condition of the gullet for which there is no remedy. 



