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===Description===
Impaction/obstruction of the oesophagus or 'choke' is the most common oesophageal disease of cattle and horses.
*The most common sites of obstruction are the '''thoracic inlet''', '''the base of the heart''', and the '''hiatus oesophagus''' of the diaphragm. In horses, causes of choke include consumption of unsoaked sugarbeet, rapid ingestion of roughage (hay), indadequate mastication of food, or rarely the ingestion of a foreign body (e.g. corn cob). Horses that are poorly fed or have poor dentition are more prone to the condition.
===Clinical Signs===
Although the presentation of a horse with choke may be dramatic, it does not constitute an emergency. Affected horses often present with regurgitation of food and salive through the nostrils. Acute onset pain may manifest through alterations in posture such as an arched neck or abducted elbows. The horse may grunt frequently and make repeated attempts to swallow.
====Horse====
====Horse====
====Cattle====
====Cattle====