April marks Pet First Aid Month, and throughout recent weeks we’ve published content on pet first aid and emergency response procedures. This presents an ideal opportunity to learn proper protocols should you discover your pet experiencing distress. Today we’re providing another essential tip regarding choking that we encourage you to share with your entire network.
We’ve all dined at restaurants or entered school cafeterias and observed posted instructions explaining what to do when someone chokes, but what about your canine? Would you recognize what steps to take upon noticing your dog choking? Today we’re offering guidance that will assist you should you encounter your dog struggling with an obstruction.
Dogs lack discrimination about what enters their mouths, so treat them similarly to young children who sample objects while discovering their environment.
Should you discover your dog choking on an item, attempt to stay composed. Becoming distressed can worsen the circumstances because your dog will already be experiencing panic.
Choking dogs may begin pawing at their mouths as though attempting to extract the item suffocating them. If your dog displays this behavior, you’ll need to follow these steps:
- You’ll need both hands to separate your dog’s jaws. Position one hand on your dog’s upper jaw while positioning the other on the lower jaw.
- Grip your dog’s jaws firmly and press his lips across his teeth ensuring his lips rest between his jaw and your fingers. He’s already panicking from breathing difficulty and may attempt to bite you.
- If the object is visible inside his mouth, attempt extraction with your fingers.
- If finger removal proves unsuccessful, you may require a flat-handled spoon. Utilize the spoon to pry the obstruction from your dog’s throat.
Should you own a small dog:
For a small choking dog, you’ll need to gently invert your dog while applying pressure to his abdomen, directly below his ribcage.
For a larger dog:
If you own a larger choking dog, avoid lifting him as you risk causing additional injury. Rather than lifting him, attempt the following:
- Your dog is upright: wrap your arms around his belly. After encircling him, form a fist. After forming a fist, press firmly upward and then forward, directly behind his rib cage. When possible, position your dog on his side.
- If your dog is positioned horizontally, you’ll need to position one hand on his back for stability while employing your other hand to compress his belly, upward and then forward.
- Examine his mouth to determine if you successfully removed the obstruction suffocating him. Extract what you can from his mouth using your finger. If the obstruction became embedded deeply in his throat, you may need to probe with your fingers for removal. You should also consider visiting your veterinarian or emergency animal hospital, particularly if you’re administering CPR to your dog.
If the obstruction remained in your dog’s throat for any duration, your dog may require several days of monitoring at the veterinarian. They will examine for throat damage along with any neurological damage that may have developed from oxygen deprivation.
As stated above, the optimal method to prevent your dog from choking involves monitoring him during chewing activities. Eliminate items that expand when moistened, such as sticks or water-saturated toys. Additionally, divide large food portions so your dog doesn’t choke during meals.
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Happy Tails!
