DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 47 



again is prone to be followed b}' constriction (narrowing-) of the gullet. 

 The mechanical trouble of choking is quite common. It may occur 

 when the animal is suddenly startled while eating apples or roots, and 

 we should be careful never to approach suddenlj^ or put a dog after 

 horses or cows that are feeding upon such substances. If left alone 

 these animals very rarely attempt to swallow the object until it is suifi- 

 cientl}^ masticated. 



Choking also arises from feeding oats in a deep, narrow manger to 

 such horses as eat very greedil}' or bolt their food. Wheat chaff is 

 also a frequent cause of choke. This accident may result from the 

 attempts to force eggs down without breaking or from giving balls 

 that are too large or not of the proper shape. 



Whatever object causes the choking, it ma}" lodge in the upper part 

 of the esophagus, at its middle portion, or close to the stomach, giving 

 rise to the designations of p/ia?'i/ngeal, cervical, and thoracic choke. 

 In some cases where the original obstruction is low we find all that 

 part of the gullet above it to be distended with food. 



The sy7n2)toms vary somewhat according to the position of the body 

 causing choke. In p^iaryngeal choke the object is lodged in the iipi^er 

 2)ortioii of the esophagus. The horse will present sj^mptoms of great 

 distress, hurried breathing, frequent cough, excessive flow of saliva, 

 sweating, trembling, or stamping with the fore feet. The abdomen 

 rapidly distends with gas. The diagnosis is completed by manipulat- 

 ing the upper part of the throat from without and b^^ the introduction 

 of the hand into the back part of the mouth, finding the body lodged 

 here. In cervical choke (where the obstruction is situated at any point 

 between the throatlatch and the shoulder) the protrusion caused by 

 the object can be seen and the object can be felt. The symptoms here 

 are not so severe; the horse will be seen occasionally to draw himself 

 up, arch his neck, and make retching movements as though he wished 

 to vomit. The abdomen may be tympanitic. Should there be any 

 question as to the trouble a conclusion may be reached by pouring 

 water into the throat from a bottle. If the obstruction is complete 

 you can see the gullet become distended with each bottle of water by 

 standing on the left side of the horse and watching the course of the 

 esophagus, just above the windpipe. This is not always a sure test, 

 as the obstruction ma}^ be an angular body, in which case liquids 

 would pass it. Solids taken would sbow in these cases; but solids 

 should not, however, be given, as the}" serve to increase the trouble 

 by rendering the removal of the bod}- more diflicult. 



In thoracic choke the symptoms are less severe. Food or water may 

 be ejected through the nose or mouth after the animal has taken a few 

 swallows. There will be some symptoms of distress, fullness of the 

 abdomen, cough, and occasionally retching movements. Sometimes a 

 horse that is choking is heard to emit groans. The facial expression 



