Is Dog Choking an Emergency?

If your dog is choking, they need help right away.

There is no doubt about that. The bottom line, however, is that they need help much faster than you can get them to a vet. You need to perform first aid before seeking veterinary assistance.

Is Dog Choking an Emergency?

First aid for a choking dog

You need to man up (or is it person up now?) and try and help your dog.

Choking is a result of a blocked airway. The difference between choking and coughing is that, unlike with coughing, your dog will have a hard time breathing in.

The first aid for choking is removing the object that is blocking the air. You can try and see whether you can reach and remove the object with your finger. If you cannot find or reach the object, the next step is the Heimlich maneuver.

Do you know how to perform a Heimlich maneuver for your dog?

One of the reputable websites that outline first aid for a choking dog well is petmd. also recommend you brush up on your first aid knowledge and skills, while at it because this is one of the times when what you do is vital.

Do you know how to perform CPR?

If your dog became unconscious, you will need to perform CPR as well.

What to do after you resolve the immediate crisis

After the whole ordeal is over, it is still the best idea to take your dog to an emergency vet in most cases.

I admit that when Cookie started choking on a dental rawhide, I did not rush her to a vet. Firstly, it rawhide got stuck to the soft palate, partially blocking the air but not entering the airways. Cookie could still breathe, just with difficulty. Cookie never stopped breathing or lost consciousness. I was able to remove the whole thing quickly, and Cookie was immediately back to her normal self.

Seeking veterinary help after a choking incident might be a judgment call but always err on the side of caution.

If my dog stopped breathing or lost consciousness at any point, I’d proceed to the emergency clinic. If my dog continued to have difficulties I’d see a vet right away. If there were any doubt that the whole object might not have been removed, I’d be on my way.

Related articles:
Reverse Sneezing in Dogs: Is My Dog Choking?
Beware of Choking Hazards: C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Chews For Dogs CAN Be A Choking Hazard

Further reading:
How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver for Dogs if Your Dog Is Choking

Categories: Choking • Emergencies • Symptoms

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Countless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that merely seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners. What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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