google4061d021f6e2e028.html
It was the last day of November. Jean-Luc and I had been working extremely well together on our side pass and simple teamwork. We’d been such a team that last day I felt we should just have an “easy” day. I wanted to pick up my new horse partner, aka Dad, and my newest little man, Teddy, the beagle-mix, and head out to the barn. Dad and I were going to catch up, while Teddy was introduced to all things “barn” and Jean-Luc ate some delicious grain and apples. We were going to brush Jean-Luc. I was going to show off a few of his new moves, and that was it. That was the plan. Short. Simple. Sweet. However, that was the last thing that happened. . . I looked down to see my horse was starting to cough. “It’s okay boy,” I said. “What’s wrong? You’re fine.” But he wasn’t fine, and I didn’t know what was going on. Soon Jean-Luc started to cough harder and twist his neck. “This isn’t good,” I said aloud to my father. I immediately look Jean-Luc to the indoor arena where I could walk him around. There he began to get wobbly as if he would fall over to one side. Not knowing what to do I began walking with him in slow circles? My limited horse medical knowledge had me thinking perhaps this was some kind of colic, and that seemed to be the right thing to do. I would later come to learn that Jean-Luc was experiencing a very bad choke. People say you often don’t know how you’ll react to something until it actually happens? Well, I am not proud to say that my reaction was essential “Deer in the Headlights.” I just kept moving, but little else. I felt helpless as I watched my 1200 lb critter painfully toss up his grain multiple times. My cell phone had no service, and I was too afraid to stop moving to get to some. I yelled at my Dad, please Call Bitty #3! He promptly did, however, she was in the middle of her own mini-family emergency and unable to assist. After about 30 min, LIZ showed up and came to my rescue. After she parked her car, I’m sure she could tell I was a bit freaked. “I think I need help,” I told her. She quickly came inside to see what was going on and Jean-Luc took that opportunity to lose his lunch out of his mouth and even his nose. “We need to call the vet, now,” she stated. Her manner was direct, concerning, and exactly what I needed to hear to bring me back down. I’m sure she could tell I was scared. This was my kid here. He couldn’t tell me what was wrong. And unlike many, Liz knows that about 15 years ago I lost my first horse in a freak accident that we still aren’t entirely clear on what went wrong (likely colic). In no time at all, she was on the phone and I was informed that it would be an emergency vet visit, but they could be out immediately if I wanted. The Vet on the other end of the line was very gracious, and upfront about what the bill would be. They also gave me the option to wait to see if it would pass if I wanted. I did not want to wait. Again, after losing a horse to an unknown cause, the last thing I wanted to do was lose this one to a stupid mistake like waiting to call the vet. While I waited for them to arrive, Liz talked me down and I believe sympathized with what I was going through. I did as the vet suggested and strongly stroked Jean-Luc’s neck to encourage the blockage to pass. Before I knew it, Allegheny Animal Hospital was pulling in the driveway. By this time, Jean-Luc was not making the awful suffocating noise he had been and I was thinking I may have called the vet out for nothing? Sure enough, the bugger passed the blockage after nearly an hour. Regardless, I consider their visit worthwhile since we got a full physical (something I wanted to be done soon anyway), and I was able to learn one on one about “choke,” and what that means for a horse. For example, I had no idea a horse could still breathe for several hours if they are choking. Nor did I know what would happen if Jean-Luc did not pass the blockage on his own. Apparently, he would need to be sedated and the blockage would be removed with a tube that goes up to his nose. This is not something a vet ever wants to have to do, I was told because it makes it harder for horses to pass a future choke. Eventually, after a somewhat pricey yet well worth it, vet bill Jean-Luc was released back into the herd. My dad knew how concerned I was and even went out the next morning while I was at work to take a few photos of him munching on grass and roaming the fields. Future feedings have been changed to a mash indefinitely and per the vet’s recommendation a much heavier grass-based diet. You haven't heard much about Jean-Luc in the past few days either because I felt a few days off wouldn't hurt (And I've been working a second seasonal job). It was honestly an event I never care to relive.
The following morning, I was at work when I ran into Bitty #3. She apologized for not being there and understanding how nerve-wracking something like that was. Together we were able to laugh it off by simply saying, “Ah the joys of being a horse mom!”
8 Comments
aw i'm sorry, choking is so scary!! :( glad he passed the blockage himself and didn't have any repeats (sometimes after a bad choke their esophagus will be a little swollen and they'll be prone to choking again, but it sounds like it's already been a while since the first time). my guy is kinda prone to choke, plus he has a tie back surgery so his airway is always open - meaning all sorts of nasty junk can easily get into his lungs. so all his food is soaked and he is fed on the ground to help reduce the chances of either happening. soaked food really can make a huge difference!
Reply
Chelset
12/8/2017 12:06:52 pm
Thanks Emma. It was rough, but alls well. Learning curve for sure.
Reply
Chelsey
12/8/2017 12:13:42 pm
I hope you never do! We are also glad all is well. Thank you!
Reply
Choke is very scary, and almost always a reason to call a vet. Horses cannot throw up so any time something is coming out the mouth or nose is a medical emergency. With choke, the best thing you can do is get their heads down (usually through sedation). If a horse is badly choked, they can inhale food particles, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia, a potentially fatal complication. Since horses are not designed to eat hard grains (they are supposed to graze and eat forage) it can be a choke risk! Any horse that has a history of choke should be fed wet grain to prevent future episodes.
Reply
Chelsey
12/18/2017 05:35:36 am
Thanks so much. Ya, doing all I can to not relive that one.
Reply
lytha
12/18/2017 01:55:26 am
I've been through it 3 times with 3 different horses and 3 different food types. For some reason the vets always want to tube them, even though they resolved on their own, two of them. The other one almost died. There seems to be no rhyme or reason - my mare choked on HAY! I asked the vet about it and she said the only horse she had die from choke died because of a chopped up carrots. Sorry you had to go through that. It's terrifying. Definitely massage the neck after calling the vet.
Reply
Chelsey
12/18/2017 05:36:22 am
My Lord,
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorMy name is Chelsey. HorseGenerator's Cuevo Gold, or as he's known around this barn, "Jean-Luc Ponycard", was foaled in 2004 from Generator's Hurricane & Cheyenne's Little Bit. Top 10 Blog Favs.Archives
January 2019
Categories
All
|