Choking

[TCRanch]

What do you do when a cow is choking? And how long does it take for them to suffocate?

Yesterday morning I was checking the newly weaned calves and giving them some cubes when one of the heifers started making funny noises. Her eyes were huge, it was clear she was scared, she was kind of convulsing and I realized she was choking. She normally follows me around like a dog so I ran over, thinking I could dislodge or grab whatever was in her throat with my hand (probably not wise) but she wouldn't let me anywhere near and naturally she wasn't remotely close to the corral/chute. Just as I was getting ready to call my husband (and panicking) she started coughing and harked up a large wad, followed by what looked like bile. We both just stood there, shocked, then she shook it off and resumed eating. Well, okay then! Checked on her multiple times yesterday and she appears perfectly fine.

But what should I have done? If I have to doctor a calf in the pasture I generally rope them, tie the end to the bumper of the Polaris, then switch to a halter. It seems counter productive to put something around their neck when they're choking but if I had a rope (which I didn't at the time), that was my first plan. I didn't have a Plan B. And it would have taken Hubby at least 15 minutes to get to that pasture. Would it have been too late?

Got lucky this time but I once lost a steer that choked on a hedge apple.

 

[Bright Raven]

I have seen them get choked on their cud. It occurs when they are belching up the next cud from the rumen. They cough, gag and then spit it out. A big wad of cud - like wet grass that has been soaked. There is rumen fluids with it but it is not actually bile.

If one gets choked on a stick or something like that, there is not much you can do. The neighbor found a cow dead with a stick stuck in her throat. I doubt you could save one without a sedative. Unless, I was right next to the facilities, there is nothing I could do. Sticking your hand/arm in a cows mouth is not wise. You could easily suffer the loss of a digit.

 

[Redgully]

An old lady told me once if you have a choking cow get on the motorbike and chase them and it will cause them to cough it out. Obviously i am sceptical about that one but worked for her so i wouldn't dismiss it either. I've been told you can push a pipe down their throat like a hose and try and push it in but my fear would be pushing it into the lungs. I had a heifer choking once and she was in a real bad way, froth everywhere. I haltered her to a post and was about to ring a mate for help when another heifer (who was her arch rival) decided it was her chance to get one up in their war and head butted her hard in the ribs which somehow dislodged whatever she was choking on. Then as anothe heifer joined the fray i was wrestling three heifers intent on killing each other while trying to untie one. Was an interesting five minutes. So as you can see i don't have a clue!

 

[TCRanch]

An old lady told me once if you have a choking cow get on the motorbike and chase them and it will cause them to cough it out. Obviously i am sceptical about that one but worked for her so i wouldn't dismiss it either. I've been told you can push a pipe down their throat like a hose and try and push it in but my fear would be pushing it into the lungs. I had a heifer choking once and she was in a real bad way, froth everywhere. I haltered her to a post and was about to ring a mate for help when another heifer (who was her arch rival) decided it was her chance to get one up in their war and head butted her hard in the ribs which somehow dislodged whatever she was choking on. Then as anothe heifer joined the fray i was wrestling three heifers intent on killing each other while trying to untie one. Was an interesting five minutes. So as you can see i don't have a clue!

Yikes! Glad you made it out (presumably) unscathed! And yet I'm getting a visual of you in the middle of the heifer version of WWF. ;-)

So it appears a swift kick or rush of adrenaline and moving around may prompt them to either swallow or dislodge. It's just such a helpless feeling and I would have been devastated to lose an otherwise perfectly healthy heifer (plus one of my faves).

 

[76 Bar]

Not funny at the time for sure but your heifer escapade made me laugh Redgully
I've heard about the hose down the throat deal as well. One of those lesser of two evils/kill em or cure em deals.
TLC Ranch...what part of only otherwise healthy & favorites are more subject to wrecks don't you grasp? :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: And for a variety of reasons please think twice before sticking your bare hand/arm into a mouth. Good intentions aside, your well being trumps all else. :heart:

 

[Ebenezer]

Don't feed straight soyhull pellets if you don't like seeing them gag.

 

[TCRanch]

Not funny at the time for sure but your heifer escapade made me laugh Redgully
I've heard about the hose down the throat deal as well. One of those lesser of two evils/kill em or cure em deals.
TLC Ranch...what part of only otherwise healthy & favorites are more subject to wrecks don't you grasp? :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: And for a variety of reasons please think twice before sticking your bare hand/arm into a mouth. Good intentions aside, your well being trumps all else. :heart:

I see what you did there :heart: .
And I know, it's never one that's on the cull list - or even the short list. But look at that face!! (not so much the bad pic & the fact she's slobbering all over my ride).

 

[TCRanch]

Don't feed straight soyhull pellets if you don't like seeing them gag.

Never fed them but good to know, thanks.

 

[wbvs58]

You have to know what you are doing to put your hand down. Need to get a good hold of the slippery tongue and hold out the side so it is between the molars. You also have rabies to deal with over there. Fortunately most times they resolve things themselves. A length of electrical conduit can be usefull if things are looking terminal and the fight has gone out of them.

Ken

 

[TCRanch]

Well I just happened to see my vet today and Redgully, you actually nailed it. Or rather your heifers did.

If the choking animal is down press on its side, think Heimlich maneuver. Or if there's any way to contain it in a chute or even between gates, panels, against your truck, etc. try to apply the same type of pressure. Use a rope around the neck only as a last resort. Yeah, got the lecture for even thinking about sticking my hand in her mouth. And while a tube is sometimes used to push the object down the throat you need to be aware of the potential of getting either their cud or object in the lungs (especially additional fluid) or damaging the esophagus.

 

[Redgully]

Well I just happened to see my vet today and Redgully, you actually nailed it. Or rather your heifers did.

If the choking animal is down press on its side, think Heimlich maneuver. Or if there's any way to contain it in a chute or even between gates, panels, against your truck, etc. try to apply the same type of pressure. Use a rope around the neck only as a last resort. Yeah, got the lecture for even thinking about sticking my hand in her mouth. And while a tube is sometimes used to push the object down the throat you need to be aware of the potential of getting either their cud or object in the lungs (especially additional fluid) or damaging the esophagus.

As they say, sometimes better to be lucky than good!

 

[snoopdog]

Yep, and I may have told this before, about a cow choking and a bunch of guys trying to cut , a pear, I believe out of her throat. Jammed a rake handle down her , and bought her for 5 bucks. An old tale , that was probably true.

 

[76 Bar]

I see what you did there :heart: .
And I know, it's never one that's on the cull list - or even the short list. But look at that face!! (not so much the bad pic & the fact she's slobbering all over my ride).

Was definitely teasing and when I hit send & worried that you might misconstrue my intention. Whew.
Yep, can't kill the ones you wished had't been kept no matter how hard you try! ;-)
You'll get no argument from me...that's a sweet heifer... how can you not love that kind of inquisitiveness & gentleness!

 

[snoopdog]

I see what you did there :heart: .
And I know, it's never one that's on the cull list - or even the short list. But look at that face!! (not so much the bad pic & the fact she's slobbering all over my ride).

Was definitely teasing and when I hit send & worried that you might misconstrue my intention. Whew.
Yep, can't kill the ones you wished had't been kept no matter how hard you try! ;-)
You'll get no argument from me...that's a sweet heifer... how can you not love that kind of inquisitiveness & gentleness!

True, but I saw one of my prime steers that just wouldn't go in the catch, globbing a dang horse apple,and it just made me sick, still alive, but watching him trying to eat that thing just almost made me want to shoot him, right there.

 

[TCRanch]

I see what you did there :heart: .
And I know, it's never one that's on the cull list - or even the short list. But look at that face!! (not so much the bad pic & the fact she's slobbering all over my ride).

Was definitely teasing and when I hit send & worried that you might misconstrue my intention. Whew.
Yep, can't kill the ones you wished had't been kept no matter how hard you try! ;-)
You'll get no argument from me...that's a sweet heifer... how can you not love that kind of inquisitiveness & gentleness!

True, but I saw one of my prime steers that just wouldn't go in the catch, globbing a dang horse apple,and it just made me sick, still alive, but watching him trying to eat that thing just almost made me want to shoot him, right there.

Horse apple? As opposed to hedge apple? Eweeee! Not sure the elevated status of "prime" is warranted on that boy. ;-)

 

[greggy]

So what size are we talking about here to avoid ?

I feed a lot of fruit and veg, tennis ball size apple, potato that are hard and round, I try and cut, things like tomato, if soft, I do not worry.

But sometimes they sneak through.

It must be a lot of luck too, and if the animal is in a rush to get it down...which seems like most of them most of the time....lol

Golf ball size should not be a prob ? Or anything large fist size that requires them to break it up, like a whole cabbage or lettuce?

 

[TCRanch]

Greggy, I think it all boils down to luck. I cringe every time I see them noshing on a hedge apple but the cows take their time and break it up (calves, not so much). I have a couple girls that fight over a banana peel every morning (bonus if they're too soft & they get the whole thing) and they take maybe one bite & swallow them. Cattle are indiscriminate eaters. Why else would they consume rocks, plastic bags, mylar balloons, glass, machinery parts . . . . :bang:

 

[greggy]

Yeah, that is right.....

But certain size must be more risky, I do not know the size of a cows throat and airway.

A tennis ball sized apple or potato prob is much worse than say banana.

It would be handy to have a cheap machine for chopping though, would save me a lot of time

 

[76 Bar]

I cringe every time I see them noshing on a hedge apple

Had no idea what a hedge apple was. Did some internet sleuthing. Glad I don't have em in my neck of the woods! Have enuff problems with run of the mill apples!

 

[Redgully]

In the past we fed stonefruit by the truck load, never had any problems as long as you start slow and build their stomachs up to it. When they chew their cud they leave a pile of stones.