OklahomaHorses Magazine September 2020

September/October 2020 • OklahomaHorses 23 There are several things that can be done to help prevent choke. The first is to make sure a proper dental has been done. Sharp points and abnormal chewing surfaces can prevent proper chewing and create chokes. Most horses choke on pelleted foods due to taking a large bite, which gets stuck in the esophagus. By spreading the feed out in a bigger pan or adding a salt block they have to eat around, their ability to eat quickly may be reduced. In addition, either soaking the pellets prior to feeding or using a grain product that can’t swell to reduce chokes may be beneficial. Talk to your veterinarian about proper dental care and ways to help reduce chokes in your horse. Pelleted feeds often are the cause of chokes due to the amount of swelling they undergo when wet. To reduce the chance of choke, you can soak feed in water ten minutes prior to feeding. Photo credit: Grace Owen, DVM The choke is lavaged with water through a nasogastric tube to gently remove the impaction.