What to Do When a Dog Chokes on Food

1 Overview

Intro

An unpleasant truth: any solid can lodge in a dog’s throat.

Never lower your guard about anything that can enter a dog’s mouth, including kibble.

Symptoms

Few notice choking at once, so if a dog shows these signs, open its mouth to check immediately:

Gagging

Swallowing

Repeated swallowing

Drooling

Preparation

Best is two people and a flashlight.

More people help, especially for large dogs. A phone light works if no pro oral light.

Oral objects matter too

Finger sweep

Many objects sit just deeper in the mouth, so do not fear.

If alone, hold the dog, support it with your arm, hold the upper jaw with one hand and lower jaw with the other; when removing, use the upper-jaw hand and keep the lower jaw closed.

With help, one holds the dog and pulls the tongue out while the other checks at angles.

Note: if you cannot see the object, go to the hospital at once.

Gravity method

Some objects sit in the throat but will not come out.

Small dogs: lift head-down and pat between the shoulder blades to help expel.

Large dogs: lift the hind legs so it stands on front paws, and pat between the shoulder blades.

If the dog is too big or heavy for this, skip it and read on.

Any ultimate move?

Heimlich

Yes, the human Heimlich maneuver.

Hold the dog to your chest, head forward; make a fist below the rib cage, press rhythmically with the other hand.

The Heimlich uses residual chest air to push out the object; do not skip learning it, as it saves countless choking people yearly, and dog cases show

The Heimlich works on dogs too.