How To Rescue A Choking Dog

Dogs are known for their tendency to put all sorts of objects to their mouths.  Canines often seem to find some kind of object that doesn’t in their mouths and put them in there! Dogs enjoy picking up all kinds of things, from rubber to small stones, little toys to pieces of clothing, really any item they think might be nice to play with.

Regrettably, there’re plenty of instances when dogs swallows those types of objects by accident and it gets stuck in their throat.  If this item isn’t taken out right away then there’s a possibility that the animal will stop breathing and fall unconscious.

Because this phenomena is rather common in all kinds of pets, you would be wise to learn some simple techniques that can help your dog stop choking.  This gives you a better chance of saving your pet’s life.

Following are the fundamental First Aid steps that are useful for helping a choking dog:

If The Dog Is Choking, But Not Unconscious

1. Using both hands, open the pet’s mouth and have a look inside to look for the object.  If you see it, try to remove it if you can.

2. If the object isn’t visible, lay your dog on its side and raise its hind legs.

3. Then put your hand under the rib cage and the other on the dog’s back.  Push in and then up, all in one fluid motion. Continue pushing until the animal coughs up the object.

4. If the article doesn’t come out then your dog might go unconscious.  If that occurs, then move on to the steps below.

If The Dog Goes Unconscious

1. Like we said up above, make sure that your dog is placed on its side and elevate its hind legs.

2. Open the airway and make sure the dog’s tongue is pulled as far out as possible and placed to the side.

3. Now make several compressions in the same area that you previously tried to press in the rib cage.  After 2-3 compressions, look in the mouth for any objects by with your finger.

4. Now provide the dog with a few breaths of artificial respiration.

5. Repeat this cycle of compressions, finger sweeps, and artificial respiration breaths until the canine begins breathing on his own and the object is dislodged.