Ella’s Mystery Gagging Solved

When Vet Jessica examined Ella, the signs strongly suggested there was an irritation or foreign material somewhere in her upper airway. To get a clear look and keep Ella comfortable, Jessica induced her and carefully checked the back of her throat and nasal passages.

That’s when the culprit appeared. A long blade of grass was lodged high up in Ella’s nasal passage. The team first tried flushing the area with saline to loosen it, but the grass was firmly stuck. With steady hands and a lot of patience, Jessica was able to remove it safely.

Once out, the grass blade measured around 10 cm in length, which explained why Ella was gagging and producing froth. Ella went home with Metacam to keep her comfortable, and we expected her to feel much better quickly now that the irritation was gone.