April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, so our veterinarians at Jacksonville Community Pet Clinic wanted to take a deep dive into one of the most common reasons dogs need first aid—choking. It’s a widely known fact that dogs love to chew, and chewing can often lead to choking. Their inquisitive nature encourages them to chew on anything and everything they can–from sticks and rocks to socks and toys. They can choke and panic very quickly in their zeal at playtime or their hurry to devour a food they love.
When is Dog Coughing Actually Choking?
Choking happens when something obstructs your dog’s airway. A partial blockage may leave your puppy retching, pacing, and pawing at its mouth. If the airway is totally blocked, they will not be able to make any sound at all and will quickly become unconscious. Dogs can choke on anything—from plastic bags to kibble they eat too fast. Knowing what to do quickly and effectively in a choking situation is critical to opening a blocked airway.
Always Consider a Choking Episode to be an Emergency
Whether you can reach in and free the obstruction yourself or rush your dog to a veterinarian immediately, choking should always be taken seriously. In this blog post, our vets offer advice for safely rendering first aid to a choking dog. The American Red Cross provides first aid training online and through its Pet First Aid App.
Step 1: Gently Restrain Your Dog to Prevent Being Bitten
Your first instinct might be to muzzle a dog that is threatening to bite you, but that’s the worst thing you can do in a choking situation. Never muzzle a choking dog. A dog that’s struggling to breathe is already in panic mode. It’s often best to put your dog on its side. It’s also best to have someone help you hold your dog down so it can remain as calm as possible.
Step 2: Open Their Mouth Widely and Do a Finger Sweep
Often you can see the object at the back of the throat. You can reach in with your hand or use a long tweezer, tongs, or even needle-nose pliers to grasp and dislodge the item. Just be VERY careful not to push it further down the throat.
Step 3: If You Can’t Dislodge The Item, Perform a Heimlich Maneuver
On puppies and small dogs, this means picking them up, their head up and paws down, and holding their back against your stomach. Then find the soft hollow under the rib cage and push up with your first.
For larger dogs, you would lay them on their side and kneel behind their back. Place your closed fist under the hollow under the rib cage and push upward and inward sharply toward the dog’s head. This should force air out of the lungs to help expel the invader. Remove the object once dislodged.
You can also try a maneuver by holding their back legs up in the air with their down as if in a wheelbarrow. This option helps gravity work for you to dislodge the blockage.
Step 4: If Your Dog Doesn’t Resume Breathing, Perform CPR
You can help restore your dog’s breathing by performing rescue breaths and chest compressions. It may also be necessary to continue performing CPR on the way to the vet. Should this not work, quickly take your dog to the nearest veterinarian. Be sure to call first to let them know you are coming so they can be prepared to help upon arrival.
Remember, there are different locations for chest compressions on different dogs. Dogs with round chests, such as Labrador retrievers, require you to lay the dog on its side and focus the compressions over the broadest part of the chest. You want to push directly over the heart of dogs with deep, narrow chests, like greyhounds. For small dogs, do compressions with only one hand to minimize the chance of breaking a rib.
Step 5: Always Take Your Dog For a Follow-Up Vet Visit After a Serious Choking Incident
He or she may have damage to the mouth and throat, or other items might have made their way into the digestive tract. At Jacksonville Community Pet Clinic, we typically treat choking after-care with medications to help prevent infection, manage swelling, and reduce pain.
What If Your Dog Seems to Choke on “Nothing”?
Sometimes, choking isn’t a result of a foreign object at all and could be due to an allergy or toxic substance such as a plant, essential oil, or other. If a dog goes into anaphylactic shock, it can cause the same symptoms as choking as the airway is compromised.
We can help you determine if your dog has chewed on a toxic plant or perhaps has absorbed chemicals like fertilizer or pesticides. By assessing fecal samples, blood tests, and physical veterinarian exams, our vets can help you determine the cause of the discomfort and provide the proper treatment.
Every Dog Owner Needs a First-aid Kit for Their Canine
Just as you should always have a first-aid kit at the ready for the people in your home, your dog is no different. Here is a list of items to include:
- Vaccination, medical records, and emergency phone numbers
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Antibiotic ointment
- Gauze, scissors, tape, and rubber gloves
- Wet or grooming wipes
- A towel or blanket
- Collapsible travel bowls
- Water and small packages of food
- Medications
- A comfort item, such as a favorite toy or stuffed animal
- Leash, collar, and poop bags
- Flashlight
- Guidebook for pet first aid
With these items available, you can either handle an injury or stabilize your pet in just about any emergency, making them more comfortable until you get them to the vet.
Your Dog’s Safety is Our Priority
At the Jacksonville Community Pet Clinic, we aim to help your dog stay healthy for many wonderful years of love and companionship. Our veterinarians can help guide you in the basics of first aid for your dog so you can better help your fur baby in times of distress.
