coughed up grass

[Marsha Cassada]

Sometimes I find little clumps of wet, chewed hay. I haven't actually seen him, so not sure if it falls out of his mouth or is coughed up. I found a few laying in the lot this morning, but a couple of times I've found them in the food dish. I noticed it first with soaked timothy pellets, and now I see it with dry bermuda hay.

His teeth are good, though I do think he is chewing funny and have an appointment with a chiropractor, in case it is tmj. Maybe he is eating too fast? Is there anything inside his mouth I could look for?

He is a good drinker and has large. moist poop. He is not due for teeth again until September.

None of my other horses have done this, so I dont' even know if it is "normal". He is my rescue horse, so there are always little things about him I am discovering (good and bad).

Maybe I am a worry wart...

 

[Boinky]

I'd get a second oppinion on those teeth.. that's usually a sign of tooth issues. Could also be like a couple i've had where they ball the feed up in their cheeks.. but my guess is teeth.

 

[Brandi*]

Yes I would have his teeth checked again. He might have little pouches on the sides of his mouth that fill up with food as he eats.

It is my understanding that once a horse swallows food, it can't come back up so not sure about the coughing food up idea.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Okay, I will make an appointment for his teeth again. I was wondering about it balling up in his cheeks. Is that just an idiosyncrasy of a particular horse, or is that something bad?

I know they cannot vomit, but I thought there might be something going on as he swallows that would make him cough it up.

He definitely has something going on with eating, but I was trying to check all the options, and I had his teeth done last September, so I was planning to wait a few more months. Another horse I had chewed much better after being treated for tmj. I am thinking the tooth issues CAUSED the tmj in the first place. So that is why I want to check that out on this horse.

Not that he is losing weight!!

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Brandi*]

I hope you can figure out whats going on

Good Luck!

 

[Marty]

A really good power float helped that situation here. I had her teeth done just 8 months prior but then the new vet did it and said it needed to be repeated and then the problem stopped.

I never heard of a horse with temporomandibular dysfunction good heavens what next OH!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I found out it is called Quidding. I am calling the vet again this week for another look at the teeth, or anything else he might see that is a problem.