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How to Help a
Choking Dog |
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Dogs are always picking up objects in their mouths, such as balls, sticks, bones, etc. If your dog suddenly starts to run around in circles, pawing at his mouth, is acting in a wild and disoriented manner, he might have something stuck in his throat which he is attempting to dislodge. This article explains how to figure out whether your dog is choking, and what to do if this is the case.
1. Check for signs of choking.
- Is the dog pawing at his mouth?
- Is the dog coughing forcefully, constantly?
- Is the dog drooling or gagging?
- Is the dog wheezing, gasping for breath?
- Are the dog's gums or lips turning blue or white?
- Is the dog vomiting?
- Is the dog whimpering as if in pain? Is the dog in obvious discomfort? Is he/she frantic?
2. Seek help quickly.
- If you think your dog is choking or you have any doubts at all as to whether your dog is able to breathe (he/she won't be able to cough or make noise if he cannot breathe), immediately call the emergency number for your veterinarian - you may be talked through first aid procedures while waiting for emergency help and likely you will be asked to bring your pet in immediately.
- If you cannot reach your vet, look for emergency, 24 hour vets. Their number will usually be in the phone book, or you can call a local animal welfare or rescue agency for details. Emergency vets or animal hospitals are usually available in major towns and cities.
- Your local emergency number will be able to give your the vets emergency number. They will have an emergency vet to give you help on the phone.
- Continue helping your dog until you can get him to veterinary help.
3. Initially, if your dog is capable of coughing, wait a few moments to see if your dog can manage to cough up the obstruction on his own. Only wait for this possibility if your dog seems to be able to breathe well still. If any of the other symptoms are present (namely, wheezing, struggling, gasping for breath), start helping immediately.
4. Commence helping your dog the best you can while getting him to medical help. Try to look in the dog's mouth and see what is present. Pull your dog's mouth open gently, move the tongue out with your fingers if needed, so that you can look into his throat. If it's dark, do this using a flashlight.
- Restrain a larger dog before opening his mouth wide. Do this by grabbing the scruff of hair between the ears and holding the dog's head steady.
- If you can locate the obstruction, grasp it with pliers or tweezers and remove the obstruction gently.
- Unless you can clearly see and grasp the obstruction in a larger dog (namely, it is easy to grab and pull), and your dog is not frantic, it is not advisable to stick your fingers into your dog's mouth, as you risk lodging the object in even deeper if you accidentally push it without being able to see it. In addition, you risk being bitten badly if the dog is frantic. In the case you are not able to remove it with certainty, proceed to the next step.
5. Help your dog to dislodge the obstruction.
- Small to medium size dog - Pick up a small or medium dog by his/her hind legs. Hold the dog upside down and try to shake the object out of his/her mouth with the benefit of gravity.
- Large dog - Hold the dog upside down but instead of holding the whole dog upside down (next to impossible!), keep his/her front paws still on ground or a bench and lift up his hind legs (in the same manner as holding a wheelbarrow) and tilt him forward.
6. When you cannot remove the object, try back blows.
- Using the heel of your hand, deliver 4-5 sharp blows on the dog between the shoulder blades.
7. If nothing else helps while you still have not gotten your dog to help, and your dog cannot breathe, you might consider performing the Heimlich maneuver on him/her, in the hope of quickly removing whatever is blocking his/her throat. Only start the Heimlich maneuver if you see your dog put something small into his mouth, and then immediately begin pawing at his face, or throat, trying to vomit or has an obvious breathing problem.
- Place your arm around the dog's waist. Ensure that your dog's head points down.
- Form a fist and bring your other hand around and cover your fist with it. Your two handed fist should be placed between the dog's abdomen and its ribcage (the soft spot just under the ribcage). The size of the dog will affect the exact positioning of your hands. But if you have a small to medium sized dog, you will want to use 2 fingers with the same amount of force so you do not damage your dog's ribcage.
- Quickly and firmly give three to five thrusts inwards and upwards.
- Repeat as often as is necessary to dislodge whatever is blocking your dog's airway.
8. If you are able to remove the object, make sure that your dog is breathing normally. If not, then start artificial respiration on him immediately.
- If your dog has no pulse, commence CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) on your dog.
9. Repeat the above procedures while getting your dog to the vet. Keep your pet calm and get your dog to the vet as quickly and as safely as possible.
Tips
- Before proceeding to take first aid action on your dog, be certain that your dog is actually choking as he just might be having a problem breathing. Check the symptoms with care.
- Fish hooks can be removed from a dog's mouth or tongue by cutting off the barbed tip using pliers. However, this should only be performed by a veterinarian under a tranquilizer.
- If you are alone when this happens call a neighbor or someone who can help you fast!
Warnings
- Take care removing bones. Bones that can splinter easily can cause even more problems, including puncturing the airway, etc.
- The Heimlich maneuver can cause serious injury to your dog if he is not really choking. Do not use it unless you are absolutely certain that he is unable to breathe.
Things You'll Need
- Gloves (optional)
- Pliers or tweezers
- Vet emergency numbers (always keep handy on fridge or similar place)
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How to Help a Choking Dog
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