Obstructed throat...

[Wisteria Farms]

Hey all,
I have a yearling bull who I THINK might have a problem... This morning I put his grain in his stall and rather than "go to it" he stood there and spit out a hunk of partially chewed hay. I thought it was odd he didn't want his grain but decided to wait and see if it was gone tonight. Just went out and grain is still there and it doesn't look like he touched his hay. He is on his feet and doesn't look distressed or bloated but did walk over to the wall and scratch his neck on the post. I was going to put him in the chute and stick my hand down his throat but decided to come in and do a little research first...glad I did... as I'm reading it could possibly be rabies.

What do you all think? Risk it... and see if I can dig anything out of his throat? What is your experience with this? Until last week he was out with the other bulls but he kept getting bullied by them as he's the smallest so we moved him to a stall to feed him seperately. I really can't see him getting any twine or anything but its been so windy ANYTHING could have blown into that stall. I'm also wondering about beet pulp. We had a bag that we had bought for another animal and decided to mix in with the grain just to use it up... could that have possibly expanded in his throat and caused this?

Looking for suggestions. He's not bloating (yet) so I'll probably call the vet in the a.m. but just wondering if anyone would go ahead and go down his throat.
Thanks!

 

[angus9259]

stick a stiff hose down his throat not your hand.

had a cow with an apple stuck once. pushed it back down into her rumen and she was right as rain.

 

[Wisteria Farms]

Just a quick note on the beet pulp...hubby corrected me and it was a couple weeks ago when the beet pulp was mixed in the feed...so thats a non issue. Thanks Angus9259 for the reply... do it like I'm tubing? I won't risk shoving something into the lungs right?

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Oh crap!!!! I had a post, all typed out and I see that it never posted!!

Anyhow, I'll try to remember what was written.

The only time I've ever dealt with "choke" was with horses. With them its fairly obvious, discomfort, distressed look, slobber, crud coming out of their nostrils.

Is it possible that he's "off his feed" due to some illness other than Rabies? Has he been drinking his water? Does he have a fever? Does he look "sick"?

I sure hope its not Rabies. Just to be on the safe side, if possible, instead of running my arm down his throat, I would wait for the vet to come out and get their assessment.

Skyhightree had an issue with Rabies, if I remember correctly it was with a calf that eh thought wasn't getting enough milk. Maybe he'll chime in here.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Usually with an obstruction, they will drool. If they are unable to swallow there is some type of distress. They may even try to cough it up.
I think that you would want to be safe and ask the vet about Rabies first. Of course if it is rabies, you will see other symptoms soon.......

 

[angus9259]

Just a quick note on the beet pulp...hubby corrected me and it was a couple weeks ago when the beet pulp was mixed in the feed...so thats a non issue. Thanks Angus9259 for the reply... do it like I'm tubing? I won't risk shoving something into the lungs right?

Yes - like tubing. Or, more directly, like if you've ever let the air out of a bloated cow. I don't think you can get in the lungs. The one I had with a stuck apple didn't give any evidence she was in distress. Just started getting thin and I'd see her standing by the water tank for too long. Take a mouthful and put it back. She would graze and it would come right back out. No idea what was going on. Someone on these boards told me "stuck apple" so I ran a hose down her through and she was great. Hit the water tank for 15 minutes.

I guess I don't KNOW it was an apple. but there WAS an apple tree in the pasture - now gone.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

**BUMP**

Wondering what's going on with the bull. What did vet say? How is he doing?