BABUSHKA – a 20 year old grey polo pony mare

The above mare was admitted at 10am on the 11^th August 2013 for treatment of an oesophageal obstruction (choke). The mare had been found in the field coughing and with food material discharging from both nostrils. On admission the mare was quiet with a low temperature (35.6^oC) she continued to cough and had a mixture of food material and mucous discharging out both nostrils. There was a palable oesophageal obstruction just proximal to the thoracic inlet although passage of a nasogastric tube located the most proximal aspect of the obstruction to extend to approximately 10cm caudal to the pharyngeal region. The mare was given Buscopan Compositum, Acepromazine and Flunixin intravenously and monitored intensively overnight. The mare remained comfortable but failed to pass the choke overnight

Using a gastroscope an obstruction was found at the top of the oesophagus just behind the larynx which was cleared using a warm water lavage. Because of the unusual location of the choke, which are normally further down the oesophagus, gastroscopy was also performed and no lesions were seen in the oesophagus. The filly was discharged the following day having been treated with antibiotics and anti- inflammatories and should slowly be returned to normal feed.