If a person is choking, they may be unable to talk, but most people know the universal sign for choking and will wrap their hands around their neck to indicate they need help. Dogs, on the other hand, are obviously unable to give the same type of signal, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need help if they aren’t able to breathe. Knowing what to watch for and, more importantly, what to do if your dog is choking can be life-saving skills.
What Causes a Dog to Choke?
When a person or animal is choking, their airway is obstructed. In people, this most often occurs when a piece of food goes down the trachea instead of the esophagus. In dogs, meals can cause choking, but so can toys and other small objects in your home.
Normally, when a dog swallows something it goes down the esophagus and into the stomach. When a dog chokes, the item that was swallowed goes down the trachea, which leads to the lungs.
Signs Your Dog is Choking
There are several serious signs that may indicate your dog is choking. Coughing or hacking is usually the first sign if they were in the middle of eating or chewing on something.
Coughing may be followed up with attempts to take large breaths without the chest rising and falling. Your dog may paw at its mouth or rub its face on the ground in an attempt to get the item out of its throat.
If your dog is unable to get air past the item in its trachea, it will collapse or fall over and become unconscious due to being unable to breathe. The normally bright pink gums will pale and turn white or blueish in color the longer your dog is unable to breathe due to the lack of oxygen.
Without prompt resuscitation and removal of that from the airway, death will unfortunately occur.
How to Help Your Dog if it is Choking
There are a few steps you should take if your pet is choking. The trachea is for breathing and the esophagus is for eating, so if food or another item goes down the wrong tube, choking results.
- First try to get your dog’s attention by calling their name. If the coughing stops and your dog appears to be breathing and swallowing normally, they may not be choking or they could have dislodged the item already.
- If your dog is unable to breathe, you’ll want to try and dislodge the item from the opening of the airway. If you are able to do this with your hand or finger without getting hurt, take a quick swipe deep in the back of your dog’s throat.
- If that doesn’t work, firmly pat on your dog’s chest with cupped hands as though you were clapping your hands on your dog’s ribs.
- If your dog is still choking and it is a larger dog, pick up their hind legs so they are in a “wheel barrow pose” or a handstand. If it is a small dog, you can pick them up and hold them upside down with their nose pointing towards the ground. While your dog is upside down, firmly push your hands into your dog’s abdomen underneath but toward the ribs five times. Alternatively, you can wrap your arms around your dog’s tummy just below the ribs and push your fist up into the abdomen and towards the ribs. This is the Heimlich Maneuver for dogs and forces the diaphragm to compress the lungs and push air out from the trachea in an attempt to dislodge whatever is stuck.
- Check your dog’s mouth for the dislodged item by sweeping your fingers in the back of their mouth.
- Repeat the steps until the item is dislodged.
Sometimes a blockage can cause choking that isn’t enough to completely prevent your dog from breathing. If the item moves it could suddenly cause severe respiratory issues. In these cases, if you are unable to successfully dislodge the item yourself and the choking is continuing, you should get your dog to the vet as a matter of urgency.
How to Prevent Your Dog From Choking
Items that are small enough to be swallowed by your dog should never be left accessible to them. The size of the item will vary depending on how large your dog is, but be aware of things like small pieces of chew toys and bones, treats that are a little too big for a tiny dog, cat toys, and various household items that your dog may want to put in their mouth.
Finally, if your dog eats too quickly and is prone to choking, use a raised surface and a cookie sheet or special slow feeder bowl designed to spread the food out. Tennis balls, large rocks, or other items that are too big to be swallowed can also be placed in your dog’s food dish to force them to eat slower due to having to move around the items.
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