What Do I Do If My Dog ​​gets Stuck

Everything seems to be quiet with your pet until suddenly he starts coughing loudly and gasping for air as he tries unsuccessfully to expel something that seems to be stuck in his throat. Don’t lose your cool. We tell you how to proceed if your dog gets stuck.

What to do when a dog gets stuck

The choking is caused by an object that the animal swallowed but that got stuck in its windpipe. It can be a bone, a toy or an infinite number of elements that the furry man put in his mouth.

Faced with this situation, it is natural for the dog to get nervous, complicating the picture even more. That is why the first thing you should do is reassure him with words and caresses. It is that the more the furry is disturbed, the stronger it will breathe and will cause the object that was swallowed to enter even more in its respiratory system. What’s more:

• Call an emergency veterinarian for instructions on how to handle yourself. This will tell you if you can take the animal to the office or you should proceed to save its life, depending on the urgency of the case.
• Ask for help from another person, to collaborate with the different maneuvers that you will have to perform with the dog.

How to maneuver so that your dog expels the object that is choking

When the dog gets stuck, then, it is very likely that you will have to act, if possible, following telephone instructions from a professional.

You will surely have to perform an action similar to the Heimlich maneuver, adapted to animals, to try to get your pet to open its respiratory system. How to do it? Raising the back legs of the dog to favor the exit of the element that is suffocating it.

Then, lift the back legs of your dog and support them with your legs. Also use your arms to hold it. The idea is that the rear third of the animal is raised, although it does not need to reach the vertical position.

This action should be enough for the dog to expel the choking object.

Other issues to consider when the furry is stuck

Only if you have experience in first aid for animals can you try to apply dry pressure to the end of the dog’s rib cage to help it release the element crossed.

But if you are not sure how to do it, refrain, as the action may not only be ineffective, but also dangerous. For example, if the pressure causes vomiting, the dog’s airway can become even more blocked.

Also, unless the item that is jamming your furry is very visible, do not put your hand in its mouth to try to remove it. If you do:

• You will make him more nervous.
• You will block the air intake even more.
• You run the risk of being bitten, as he is upset and in pain from the situation he is going through.
• You can cause the object to go even deeper into their respiratory system

How to prevent your dog from choking

If, thanks to your help, your four-legged friend overcomes the choking, you should still take him to the vet to control it and check if there is any remains of the object in the windpipe that should be removed.

After the fright, take measures so that your pet does not get stuck again. It is that you must be very careful with the elements that you leave within reach of your dog. Keep in mind that out of curiosity he can put them in his mouth and end up on the verge of suffocation. Then:

• Explain to your children that they don’t have to leave small or easily broken toys within reach of the four-legged friend.
• Use trash cans that the dog cannot uncover and thus extract dangerous objects.
• If you leave your furry alone, make sure it is in places where it does not have elements that can easily break (upholstery, clothes, shoes, etc.).

Taking these details into account, your dog will surely run less risk of suffocation due to choking.