Would you know what to do if your dog started choking? My reaction was put to the test a few months ago when my Chihuahua, Diego, got a little too excited over a piece of food and tried to swallow the whole thing in one bite. I thought my heart stopped when I saw him lean forward with his mouth open, attempting to cough up the food. But he couldn’t cough. He couldn’t gag. He started pawing at his face and I felt fear and panic overwhelm him. Luckily, I knew what to do and was able to dislodge the food while he was still conscious.
Dogs can choke on large pieces of food, bones, balls, toys, or other random household items. Since an emergency can happen in the blink of an eye, it’s important to know what to do (and hope you never have to use it).
Warning Signs Your Dog Is Choking
If a foreign object has blocked your dog’s airway, the warning signs are pretty similar to a choking human:
- Opening his/her mouth and lunging the body forward in attempt to dislodge the object
- Inability to breath
- Pawing at the face
- Panicking
What To Do If Your Dog Is Choking
- Keep your dog as calm as possible by maintaining a calm demeanor yourself. If you start freaking out then your dog will too, which will just make the situation worse.
- Using both hands, open your dog’s mouth and check for a foreign object.
- If you clearly see something stuck in your dog’s throat – and you feel confident that your dog won’t bite you – carefully attempt to remove it. Gently remove the object with your finger or a large clean pair of tweezers. Be cautious not to push the object further down your pup’s throat.
- If you are unable to remove the object with your hands, grab onto your dog’s hips and suspend him in the air with his head toward the floor. For small dogs: Get a good grip on his upper thigh/ hip area, lift him in the air, and gently shake in a downward motion several times. For large dogs: If your dog is too large to lift up into the air, simply pick his back legs up like a wheelbarrow.
- If the object doesn’t dislodge, it’s time to perform the Heimlich maneuver. Wrap both hands around your dog’s abdominal area. Make a fist with one hand and place it just behind the rib cage. With your other hand on top, push up with enough force to dislodge an object (do this up to 5 times). Watch the video below for a quick demonstration of what to do/where to place your hands.
- Open your dog’s mouth again and look for a foreign object. If you see the object then put your fingers in your dog’s mouth and attempt to scoop it out. Again, be careful not to push the object further down your dog’s throat.
- If the object doesn’t dislodge within a few minutes then get to your vet ASAP.
- If your dog goes unconscious and you are finally able to dislodge the foreign object (either with your fingers or tweezers), you may need to perform CPR.
Visit The Vet
Even if you’re able to dislodge the foreign object by yourself, it’s still a good idea to seek veterinary care after the incident. Your vet will check to make sure there is no damage to your dog’s throat or need any further medical care.
