Knowing a little bit of veterinary first aid will come in very handy if you think a dog looks choked - it's even something that can save your pet's life at such times! Whether it's because they ate too quickly or tried to swallow something they shouldn't have, coming across a choked dog in the house is always a nerve-wracking moment for any pet parent. Not knowing how to resolve thishe situation is super common and, at the same time, a dangerous habit: you never know when you will need to help your friend at home. To help you solve this problem if it happens, we talked to veterinarian Renata Bloomfield: after all, what to do when the dog chokes?

How to unstick a dog: the Heimlich maneuver is also used on animals

When it comes to choking, it's hard to think of what to do with a choking dog. But if you've ever helped a choking friend or been the person who needed help in this case, you know what the Heimlich maneuver is: to help someone expel what's stuck in their throat, you "hug" the person from behind and apply pressure to their abdomen. The principle is the same with dogs: "When we want to help a dogWe just need to be careful with the intensity of the pressure that will be made on the animal's abdomen because, depending on the breed, they are smaller than us, "explained Renata.

When doing the maneuver, it is also good to be careful with the ribs of the pet. The ideal is to position your arms below the bones (the dog should be standing, with his back against your chest). Because you don't know what is making the dog choke, the ideal is that you avoid giving him something to eat or drink at that moment, ok?

What to do when the dog chokes: step by step of the Heimlich maneuver

Step 1: To help the choking dog, you should hold it with its back resting on your chest;

Step 2: You should "hug" the dog from behind with your hands positioned below the rib;

Step 3: Press on the animal's abdomen trying to push up whatever has made the dog choke;

Attention: don't forget to be careful with the force you exert on the pet at these times. It is no use just learning how to degas a dog, but especially in the case of small dogs, it is good to pay extra attention not to hurt the pet.

Choking dog: what to do? See other techniques besides the Heimlich maneuver

Knowing what to do when your dog is choking is very important, but only in emergency cases where there is no time to take him to the vet so quickly. Therefore, in addition to the Heimlich maneuver, it is worth learning other methods to help your dog in moments like this. Manual removal, as well as the strategy of lifting the pet's hind legs, can help a lot,including in the case of a choking puppy. Learn how to de-stress a puppy by following these techniques:

• Manual removal

Step 1: Carefully check the mouth of the choking dog with the help of a light (it can be the flashlight of your cell phone, for example);

Step 2: When you detect the reason for choking, ask someone to help you keep the pet's mouth open;

Step 3: With great caution and subtlety, take a pair of sterilized tweezers and, with the light still on, try to remove what caused the choking by hand.

Obs: Be careful not to end up pushing the object further down the dog's throat. If the animal becomes very restless and agitated, it is better not to insist on this technique, or the situation may worsen.

• Raising the dog's hind legs

In this case, it is very simple to learn how to unstuff a dog: just lift the pet's hind legs, so that the force of gravity can help him cough and expel the reason for the choking. In the case of small breeds, it is indicated to make this movement very gently. In the case of medium or large dogs, a tip is to try to suspend the animal's hind legs in such a way thatlet the animal lean fully forward.

What is the best way to identify that your dog is choking?

"My dog is coughing like he's choking": if you've ever found yourself thinking this or something similar while watching your friend, it's worth checking out. Chances are, he really is. As much as coughing can mean a number of things, it's one of the main indicators of dog choking. "The dog coughs to get a foreign body out. Sometimes,they just make a little noise that is less than a cough, but it makes it clear that there is discomfort in the cervical region. Still, the dog coughing choking is the symptom that appears most, since it is an involuntary reaction of the body to help expel whatever is there ".

To identify a choking dog, symptoms below are quite common:

• Cough
• Vomit
• Fever
• Sialorrhea (excessive salivation)
• Breathing difficulty
• Bluish or whitish gums
• Crying and howling
• Constantly bringing the paw to the mouth

What to do with the choking dog when the Heimlich maneuver does not work?

If you cannot solve the problem of the choking dog by applying pressure to the abdomen, the ideal is to go to the vet immediately, as Renata says: "this choking can close the dog's air passage, so you should go to the vet so that he can clear it." After everything is resolved with the help of the professional, the ideal is to continue paying attention to the behavior of the dog.animal.

If you notice that he is still coughing as if he were choking, go back to the office: "when this cough prolongs the return is necessary because some part of the foreign body may have remained there or the animal may have hurt the esophagus in the process of clearing it. The veterinarian will enter with some medication to relieve this symptom and examine the situation ", indicated Renata.

Dog with something in its throat: what to do after rescuing your pet?

Even if you know how to choke a dog with the Heimlich maneuver or other methods, veterinary consultation is indispensable after the incident. After all, nothing better than having the guarantee that everything is right with your pet's health, right? So be sure to make an appointment as soon as possible to check if all the material that left the dog choking was reallyThis also helps to see if, during the moment of rescue, the object formed any bruises in the animal's esophagus, which is something that can leave the dog with constant choking for a few days. When in doubt, a professional assessment is always welcome!

The best way to prevent a choking dog in your home

Anxiety, common to many animals, is one of the main causes of choking in dogs. "It happens that, sometimes, they are in a hurry to eat or end up swallowing too quickly some object they have taken and the owner wants it back just so they can keep it," said Renata. With the cause explained, it is simpler to think of a way to prevent it, right?

The professional gives the tip: "the main precaution to avoid a choking dog is to teach this animal to be less anxious. If he chokes a lot eating food, for example, the owner can use interactive feeders, which have an 'obstacle' so that he eats more slowly. With regard to objects, the ideal is to teach your dog to bring everything he picks up to you and drop it in your hand. This has toIt has to be a constant job: you have to praise even if he lets go of something that is yours. The guardian has to have a little patience, but it is safer for the animal."