DISEASES OF THE GULLET. 47 



DISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, OR GULLET. 



It is rare to find diseases of this organ, except as a result of the 

 introduction of foreign bodies too large to pass or to the administering 

 of irritating medicines. Great care should be taken in the administra- 

 tion of irritant or caustic medicines that they be thoroughly diluted. 

 If this is not done erosions and ulcerations of the throat ensue, and 

 this again is prone to be followed by 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 suddenly 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 sufficiently masticated. 



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

 such horses as eat very greedily 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. 



"\Miatever object causes the choking, it may lodge in the upper 

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

 giving rise to the designations of fliaryngeal^ 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 symptoms vary somewhat according to the position of the 

 body causing choke. In pharyngeal choke the object is lodged in the 

 tipp)er portion of the esophagus. The horse will present symptoms 

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

 of saliva, sweating, trembling, or stamping with the fore feet. The 

 abdomen rapidW distends with gas. The diagnosis is completed by 

 manipulating the upper part of the throat from without and by 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 j^oint 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 occa- 

 sionally 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 con- 

 clusion 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 wind- 

 pipe. This is not always a sure test, as the obstruction may be an 

 angular body, in which case liquids would pass it. Solids taken 

 would show in these cases; but solids should not, however, be given, 



