Choking is a very serious matter that requires immediate assessment and intervention. Before you do anything, you should determine whether your dog is actually choking or if they’re just coughing. But how do you know if a dog is choking? Though choking and coughing may look similar, if your dog is choking, they will have difficulty inhaling and may make high-pitched squeaking or whistling noises when they try to take a breath. Episodes of something called reverse sneezing are also often confused with choking in dogs but are generally nothing to worry about.
If you hear your dog coughing and gagging but they are able to inhale normally, you should still make an appointment with your vet. In addition to difficulty inhaling, if your dog is choking, they will also display other signs of distress and require immediate assistance. These may include:
- Retching
- Drooling
- Pacing
- Pawing at their mouth
We understand how scary it is if your dog is choking, but you’ll be better able to help them if you stay calm. We will guide you through exactly what to do if your dog is choking.
Why is Your Dog Choking?
There are several things that could cause a dog to choke. No matter the cause, choking is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate veterinary intervention. Here are some of the most common reasons:
- Your dog has something stuck in their throat. Dogs learn about the world through their mouth. This means that they may pick up things that pose a choking risk, such as a stick or rock that could get stuck in their throat. Additionally, it’s best to discard toys that aren’t the correct size for your dog to play with safely. Interactive toys are safer as long as you choose ones specifically designed for your dog’s size.
- Your dog is having an anaphylactic response. This could be because they ate something toxic or something they are allergic to. While most people know that grapes and chocolate are toxic to dogs, many foods can lead to an allergic response.
- Your dog has a medical condition. Certain infections, laryngeal paralysis, tracheal collapse, or kennel cough could cause difficulty breathing. All require a visit to your vet.
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What To Do If Your Dog Is Choking
Take these immediate first-aid steps as soon as you notice signs of choking, including retching, drooling, pacing, and pawing at the mouth.
Step 1: Open your dog’s mouth to check their airway
Only do this if it’s unlikely your dog will bite you. If you believe your dog may bite, skip this step.
How do you open a dog’s mouth? Put your hand around the upper side of your dog’s muzzle with your thumb and forefinger behind the top canine teeth and lift the upper jaw. Keep your other fingers up and out of their mouth. Take a look and see if there is anything caught in their throat that could be obstructing
Step 2: Can you see the object? Try to dislodge it
With your free index finger and thumb, carefully try to remove the object from their airway. You can also use long tweezers, tongs, or even needle-nose pliers to grasp and dislodge the item. Just be VERY careful not to push it further down your dog’s throat.
Step 3: If that doesn’t work, see if gravity helps
If manually dislodging the object doesn’t work, try using gravity to get it out by holding your dog with their head facing the floor.
For a small dog: Pick your dog up by their hind legs so that their head is upside down. Check to see if this dislodges the object.
For a large dog: Hold your dog’s hind legs up like a wheelbarrow, with their rear side up higher than their body height. Check to see if this dislodges the object.
If the object is still stuck, you will need to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre.
Step 4: Perform the Heimlich manoeuvre
How to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre for small dogs:
- With your dog on your lap, gently roll them onto their back or hold your dog with their back to your front
- Feel for the soft spot just under their ribs
- Make a fist with one hand, place your other hand on top of it, and push firmly IN and UP five times in a thrusting motion. You want to create short blasts of pressure with the air that’s already inside their lungs to pop the object out.
After performing the Heimlich manoeuvre, roll your dog on their side and check their mouth for the object.
How to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre for large dogs:
- With your dog on their hind legs, hold them with their back to your front
- Put your arms around your dog’s belly
- Feel for the soft spot just under their ribs
- Make a fist with one hand, place your other hand on top of it, and push firmly IN and UP five times in a thrusting motion. You want to create short blasts of pressure with the air that’s already inside their lungs to pop the object out.
After performing the Heimlich manoeuvre, roll your dog on their side and check their mouth for the object.
*Should all of this fail, immediately head to the nearest emergency vet.*
What to Do if Your Dog Doesn’t Resume Breathing
Once the object is dislodged, it is critical to assess your dog carefully. Check for breathing and a heartbeat. If your dog doesn’t resume breathing, you must immediately begin CPR with chest compressions and head to the nearest emergency vet.
How do I know if my dog is breathing?
There are several ways you can check for breathing.
- Place your hand on your dog’s chest and feel for it to rise and fall
- Hold a tissue in front of your dog’s nose to see if it moves as your dog breathes
- If you happen to have a stethoscope at home, this is the most effective way to determine whether your dog is breathing and if they have a heartbeat
How do I check my dog’s heartbeat?
If your dog isn’t breathing, you will need to check for a heartbeat by feeling for a pulse. This is how to check your dog’s pulse:
- Flexing your dog’s elbow and determining where it meets their chest. You should be able to feel a pulse in this spot by placing your hand firmly on their chest.
- Placing your fingers on the inside of their rear leg at mid-thigh. You should be able to feel pulsing near the surface.
How do I know if I have to perform CPR?
If your dog is not breathing and does not have a heartbeat, you will need to perform CPR on the way to the vet. CPR consists of two parts: rescue breathing and chest compressions.
Instructions for rescue breathing:
- Place your dog on their side
- Open your dog’s airway by tilting their head back slightly
- Place your mouth over your dog’s nose creating a seal. You may need to place your hands around your dog’s muzzle and your mouth so air doesn’t escape.
- Exhale into your dog’s nose until you see their chest rise
- Give a second rescue breath
After ensuring an open airway, begin chest compressions.
Instructions for CPR:
CPR for small dogs: Place your hands around the circumference of your dog’s chest. Squeeze the chest at the rate of 120 times per minute with two rescue breaths every 30 compressions.
CPR for large dogs: If your dog is on their side, place your hands on the widest area of the chest wall. If they are on their back (the best position for barrel-chested dogs), place your hands on the breastbone. Depress the rib cage 1.5 to 4 inches (depending on the dog’s size) at the rate of 120 times per minute with two rescue breaths every 30 compressions. It helps to perform compressions to the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees.
Continue until you reach the vet or your dog starts breathing on their own.
FAQs
Does water help a choking dog?
Water will only help your dog after the episode. You can offer small sips of water only once the emergency has been resolved.
Does a dog still need to go to the vet if they seem fine and is no longer choking?
You will need to take your dog to the vet for an examination, even if they seem fine. Choking can cause significant injuries, and the object might have damaged your dog’s mouth or throat.
Anatomy of a dog’s throat
Food travels from the mouth, through the pharynx, into the oesophagus, and then down to the stomach. Essentially, the pharynx is the junction of the respiratory (trachea) and digestive (oesophagus) tubes. The larynx is the upper opening into the trachea. It guards the entrance of the trachea and closes when a dog swallows.
If a dog chokes, these organs may suffer short or long-term damage. Your vet may prescribe medications to reduce pain, minimise swelling, and prevent infection.
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How Can You Prevent Your Dog From Choking
It’s much better to prevent choking in the first place than to have to act in an emergency. Because dogs are curious creatures by nature, avoiding situations that could lead to choking is best. Here are things you can do right now to minimise the chance of your dog choking.
Know how to recognise the signs of a choking dog
Please review the details above so you know what to watch for. If your dog is choking, the sooner you react, the better.
Rid your home and garden of potential choking hazards
Things to look out for include:
- Balls of all types: Any ball that can fit past your dog’s front teeth is too small and poses a very high choking risk.
- Chew toys: Chew toys can be safe as long as they are appropriate for the type of chewer your dog is. Supervising your dog while they’re busy with any type of toy is important.
- Rawhide: It’s best to avoid rawhide altogether.
- Kids’ toys: Toys are very common items for dogs to choke on. Keep them up and out of reach of your dog and put them away when not in use.
- Rocks, sticks, and acorns: Although it’s impossible to keep these things completely out of your garden, do your best to keep it as free from these common choking risks as possible.
- Human foods and table scraps: These include bread, hard candy, bones, and gristle.
- Plastic wrap: dogs are notorious for getting into the garbage. If plastic wrap has something tasty on it, your dog may try to eat it.
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Mealtime Safety
Dogs can choke while eating, so following these suggestions can help keep your dog safe while they’re’s gobbling up their food.
- Feed the right-sized food. Small dogs could choke on large pieces of food intended for bigger dogs. Kibble is available in several sizes, so be sure to choose the one best suited to your dog.
- Monitor your dog at mealtime. Stay nearby while your dog eats so you are there to intervene should a problem arise. Discard leftovers so your dog can’t return and snack unsupervised.
Training can help
Commands such as ‘leave it‘ can go a long way. If you find your dog with something they shouldn’t have in their mouth, it can be a lifesaver if they’re well-trained.
Hopefully, if you’re still reading, your dog is absolutely fine and you are just being proactive in case your dog ever does choke. If you are in an active emergency, your dog requires immediate assistance. Sadly, a dog can choke to death and can only go three to five minutes without oxygen before suffering permanent brain damage. If there is the slightest chance your dog is choking, take action now and head to the nearest emergency vet if you can’t get the situation under control at home.
