48 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



as they serve to increase the trouble by rendering the removal of the 

 body more difficult. 



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. Some- 

 times a horse that is choking is heard to emit groans. The facial 

 expression always denotes great anxiety and the eyes are bloodshot. 

 The diagnosis is complete if, upon j)assing the probang (a flexible 

 tube made for this purpose), an obstruction is encountered. 



Treatment. — If the choke is at the beginning of the gullet {pharyn- 

 geal) an effort must be made to remove the obstacle through the 

 mouth. A mouth-gag, or speculum, is to be introduced into the 

 mouth to protect the hand and arm of the operator. Then, while an 

 assistant, with his hands grasped tightly behind the object, presses 

 it upward and forward with all his force, the operator must pass his 

 hand into the mouth until he can seize the obstruction and draw it 

 outward. This mode of procedure must not be abandoned with the 

 first failure, as we may get the obstacle farther toward the mouth by 

 continued efforts. If we fail with the hand, forceps may be intro- 

 duced through the mouth and the object seized when it is just beyond 

 the reach of the fingers. Should our efforts entirely fail, we must 

 then endeavor to force the obstruction downward by means of the 

 probang. This instrument, which is of such signal service in remov- 

 ing choke in cattle, is decidedly more dangerous to use for the horse ; 

 and I can not pass this point without a word of caution to those who 

 have been known to introduce into the horse's throat such objects as 

 whipstalks, shovel handles, etc. These are always dangerous, and 

 more than one horse has been killed by such barbarous treatment. 



Cervical choke. — In this, as well as in thoracic choke, we must 

 first of all endeavor to soften or lubricate the obstruction by pouring 

 oil or mucilaginous drinks down the gullet. After this has been done 

 endeavor to move the object by gentle manipulations with the hands. 

 If choked with oats or chaff (and these are the objects that most fre- 

 quently produce choke in the horse), begin by gently squeezing the 

 lower portion of the impacted mass and endeavor to work it loose a 

 little at a time. This is greatly favored at times if we apply hot 

 fomentations immediately about the obstruction. Persist in these 

 efforts for at least an hour before deciding to resort to other and more 

 dangerous modes of treatment. If unsuccessful, however, the pro- 

 bang may be used. In the absence of the regular instrument, use a 

 piece of inch hose 6 feet long, or a piece of new three-quarter-inch 

 manila rope well wrapped at the end with cotton twine and thor- 

 oughly greased with tallow. The mouth is to be kept open by a gag 

 of wood or iron and the head slightly raised and extended. The pro- 



