Respiratory Distress vs. Choke
There are subtle differences between respiratory distress and choke in horses. Identifying these differences lead to significant differences in how to treat your horse.
Respiratory Distress:
Your horse will have rapid, shallow breathing, and will likely appear very stressed. Look for an anxious expression and exaggerated respirations, visible from the flanks and the chest. To treat, you’ll need to keep your horse quiet and attempt to calm her, and remove any allergens. With respiratory distress, timeliness is key with veterinary assistance. A tracheotomy may be necessary to help your horse continue breathing.
Equine Choke:
Choke is just what it sounds like – there’s some blockage which is preventing your horse from swallowing. However, your horse can still breathe. A common cause is pelleted feed – when your horse eats that feed very rapidly, the feed can combine and create a blockage in the esophagus. Similarly, if your horse hasn’t had appropriate dental care recently and struggles to chew his food, a blockage may develop.
Nasal discharge is a common sign of choke – the discharge will often be feed colored, which can give you a very big clue as to the problem. Your horse is likely disinterested in feed at this point. And, as with respiratory distress and all other equine emergencies, he will likely appear stressed. Remove your horse’s feed so that he doesn’t make the problem worse, and attempt to keep him calm. You’ve got a little more time with choke than respiratory distress, so it’s ok to wait and see if your horse is able to resolve the blockage himself.