How to clear your pet’s airway in case of emergency

Unfortunately, and for various reasons, our four-legged children are also subject to problems that we ourselves go through. Dr. Valéria Correa, a veterinarian, teaches how to clear a dog’s airway and states that, although uncommon, choking can happen to pets.

Depending on the situation, these chokings can even cause serious problems, such as pneumonia and esophageal perforation. Below, find tips on how to clear a dog’s airway.

After all, why do dogs choke?

As mentioned above, according to Dr. Valéria, choking is not a problem seen so frequently in veterinary clinics. In fact, she says that the most common issue is that pet owners often struggle to differentiate between choking and a reverse cough or sneeze.

But choking can happen. In this regard, the veterinarian says that the most common reasons for this are eating too quickly during meals and destroying toys whose parts can end up being swallowed by the pet.

Why is choking dangerous for dogs?

Almost everyone has choked at least once in their life. If it has happened to you recently, you must remember the unpleasant sensation caused by difficulty breathing and how our body does its best to get rid of the obstruction.

In the case of dogs, it’s the same thing. But, just like with us, their bodies don’t always succeed in expelling the obstruction. “In the case of choking, we often notice difficulty breathing, coughing, and attempts to vomit,” says the expert in concluding how to clear a dog’s airway with a bone.

“In some cases, they may aspirate this content, leading to a pneumonia condition,” she adds. According to the veterinarian, depending on what was ingested, by aspirating the content, the pet may even have its esophagus perforated.

Step by step: how to clear a dog’s airway

While some accidents allow for veterinary care to be awaited, others require immediate first aid. This is the case with choking.

Since the ingested content can cause obstructions, making breathing difficult, when you notice that the pet’s body is not able to expel the content on its own, the owner must act immediately to assist. In this regard, the doctor recommends two techniques on how to clear a puppy’s airway:

Manual removal of content

• The first step in how to make a dog choke is to inspect the pet’s mouth and see if something is stuck in its throat;
• If the suspicion is confirmed, ask someone to keep the pet’s mouth open;
• Gently use clean tweezers and a flashlight to remove the obstructing content,
• Be very careful not to hurt the pet and not to push the object further.
  

Heimlich maneuver

• To know how to clear a dog’s airway, the first tip is to immediately hold it with its back against your chest;
• In this position, embrace the pet, keeping your hands below the ribs;
• Apply force, always pressing upward to push what is blocking the dog’s airway.

The veterinarian advises that even if successful in how to clear a small dog’s airway, it is important to take the pet for a veterinarian consultation afterward. Remember that, in some cases, the object may injure the animal internally. So, be sure to check!

Finally, keep in mind that prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, if your friend tends to eat too quickly, how about buying a slow feeder toy for him, which creates obstacles for the pet to eat more slowly?

Another tip is to only purchase products that are resistant and specifically designed for dogs. And always supervise playtime! This significantly reduces the risk of accidents.

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