Choking in Dogs

First things first, try to stay calm if you see your dog choking on something. Scary as the sight may be, your pet needs you to have your wits about you. There are some common causes that are responsible for choking in dogs:

• Bones: Try not to give leftover bones to your dogs, no matter how much they plead and beg. Tiny pieces of bone can get stuck in the windpipe. Further, the sharp edges of the bones can do damage to their throats.
• Toys: Small chew toys and small balls are more likely to get stuck in your dog’s throat. While this can happen at any age, young puppies who are excitable are especially susceptible. Make sure that the toys you give your pets are big enough to avoid choking hazards. 
• Sticks and bits of furniture: If you leave your dog unattended outside, he/she is more likely to gulp a piece of wood or a stick, which might choke his/her windpipe. If your puppy is gnawing on furniture when he/she is teething, he/she could get sharp bits of wood stuck in their throat. One way to protect your puppy and your furniture is to cover up your sofas and chairs till your dog is done teething.
• Collapsing trachea: Small breeds like Shih Tzu, poodle and pug are more likely to suffer from collapsing of the trachea (the windpipe). You might see your dog gasping and wheezing for breath and if not treated immediately it could be fatal.
• Constricting collars: An often overlooked cause of choking in dogs is a collar that is too tight or a collar that becomes tight when a dog pulls on the leash. Try to avoid choke chains, as they can cause choking and injuries to your dog's neck and oesophagus.

The signs of choking can be confusing, as sometimes what sounds or looks like choking is actually an indication of another condition. For instance, you may mistake kennel cough, reverse sneezing, gagging or vomiting as signs of choking.

It is good to take note of these signs and take immediate action, as choking can kill a dog within minutes in some cases. A choking dog may present with the following symptoms:

• Gasping for breath or pacing: If you find your dog is gasping for breath or pacing anxiously, inspect your dog’s mouth and throat immediately for any blockage.
• Tongue and gums turning blue or white: This change may be caused by a lack of oxygen, signalling that your dog is not getting adequate air to breathe. This is a bad sign. (See below for Dog Heimlich Manoeuvre and Dog CPR).
• Making loud, rasping sounds: If your dog is making a high-pitched squeaking sound or you notice a whistling sound coming from their nose and mouth as they try to allow air to pass through their breathing canal, these may be signs that a dog is choking.
• Pawing their face: Your dog cannot communicate with you, so when he/she is pawing his/her face or throat, pay attention to these cues and inspect his/her mouth and throat immediately.
• Acting anxious or agitated: When you find your dog more anxious than ever, along with other signs, then he/she might be choking.
• Loss of consciousness: Your dog may lose consciousness due to the absence of air supply for a long period of time. This is an emergency condition and needs immediate medical intervention.

The first thing you should do when you find your dog choking is call for medical help. It's a good idea to identify veterinary doctors who do home visits or are able to take emergency cases in your area beforehand. Save their numbers in your phone so you can find them quickly, even when you are slightly panicked.

• If your dog is conscious, he/she might be anxious because he/she can't breathe. Stay calm and do not stick your fingers in his/her mouth because you might get bitten or push the object obstructing his/her throat farther in. Try to dislodge the object by thumping the dog between the shoulder blades. If your dog is standing up, you can try to lift your dog's hind legs to help them cough the object out.
• If your dog is unconscious, the first thing you need to do is open their mouth, place your finger along the inside of the mouth, sliding it down towards the centre of the throat over the base of the tongue, gently sweeping towards the centre to remove any foreign material.
• If this doesn’t help, then you may have to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre to dislodge the object choking your dog. The Heimlich manoeuvre is a technique of providing abdominal thrusts to a person or animal choking on something.
• You must have proper training before you perform this technique correctly on your dog. Moreover, do not perform this technique until you are 100% sure that your dog is choking.

Our dogs can be excited, playful or just hungry when they choke on things. It doesn't hurt to be extra cautious when you have a pet in the house. These are some of the preventive measures you can take to avoid an episode of choking in your dog:

• Although it’s nearly impossible to stop your dogs from putting things in their mouths, try to keep an eye on what they’re chewing, especially when they are outside.
• Give large chunks of food so that they don’t end up choking on them.
• Do not give your dogs small balls or toys which can easily fit inside their mouths.
• Do not give them cooked meat bones or T-bones which have the highest chances of getting stuck somewhere in your dog’s throat.

One of the symptoms of kennel cough, or infectious tracheobronchitis, in dogs is a hacking cough that sounds like the dog is choking. However, the two are different conditions with different treatment protocols. Here's how you can tell the difference:

• A dog who is choking will seem more stressful. Their cough is sometimes accompanied by gagging.
• Though the coughing in kennel cough is usually constant, some dogs may experience episodic coughing. In dogs who are choking, the coughing usually stops when the obstruction is removed.
• Dogs with kennel cough tend to have a hacking cough. The choking noise is more like a high-pitched squeak to ask for help.