Seeing an animal choking can be a frightening experience for any owner. Knowing how to react can make all the difference between saving your pet’s life or facing a more serious emergency. In this post, we’ll cover what to do if your animal is choking, how to identify the signs, and when to seek professional help.
Signs of Choking in Animals
Before taking any action, it’s crucial to recognize the signs of choking in animals. These may include:
- Constant coughing and gagging: The animal may attempt to cough repeatedly to dislodge the object.
- Attempting to vomit: It may appear that the animal is trying to vomit, but nothing comes out.
- Increased salivation: Excessive drooling may occur.
- Trying to paw at the mouth: This could indicate that something is stuck in the mouth or throat.
- Difficulty breathing: Rapid, shallow, or labored breathing.
- Blue tongue or gums: A sign of lack of oxygen.
First Aid for Choking Animals
- Stay calm and assess the situation: Make sure the animal is truly choking and not just coughing or dealing with something minor.
- Attempt to remove the object (with caution): Open the animal’s mouth carefully and see if you can locate the object. If you can see it and it’s easily accessible, try to remove it with your fingers, taking care not to push it further in.
- Heimlich maneuver for small animals: Hold the animal upside down by the hips. Apply firm pressure just behind the ribs with brisk forward and upward thrusts.
- For large dogs: Stand behind the dog and wrap your arms around its belly. Make a fist with one hand and place it just below the rib cage, with the other hand covering the fist. Pull firmly inward and upward.
- Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if necessary: If the animal is unconscious and not breathing, begin CPR while someone transports the animal to the hospital.
Count on All 4 Pets Emergency Hospital
We are a 24-hour emergency hospital, operating 365 days a year, providing reference service with highly qualified professionals in their areas.
We have a diagnostic center with computed tomography, X-ray, ultrasound, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, hematology and urinalysis and we have large and comfortable ICUs and two operating rooms.
Our offices are designed and developed for the comfort of our clients. In addition to a generous wooded outdoor area, designed for dogs to relax with their owners during the visit. Our entire environment is prepared and equipped with what your pets need, when they need it. We seek to offer great comfort and hospitality in our services.
