7 Most Common Choking Hazards for Dogs and Ways to Deal it

Well, as a dog parent, you may have experienced your furbaby choking while swallowing non-food items or even food. If your dog hasn’t choked ever, you must know that it can happen any time in the future.

So, to avoid any such problem, it is recommended for you to know the possible items that can let your dog choke. So, keep reading this article to find the most common items in your home that your dogs can choke on. But let’s first find answers to some most important questions about choking in dogs.

Choking in Dogs FAQS

How to know if my dog is choking?

If your dog is coughing badly, drooling, making choking sounds, rubbing his face along the ground, or touching his mouth with his paw, he may have stuck a foreign object in his throat. Take a quick look to find out if your dog has tried to eat something it wasn’t supposed to eat.

Is choking dangerous for my dog?

Yes, it is a life-threatening emergency and can let your dog collapse eventually. And if you don’t act on it accordingly, it may take your dog’s life.

My dog often chokes while taking routine meals, what to do?

Well, there are certain foods that can cause choking in dogs, so, you can divide their meal into several parts and feed them accordingly. Also, keep supervising them until they finish their meal. If any of their favorite food results in choking, better to avoid it or ask your vet for the solution.

Read Human Foods For Dogs

What should I do when I see my dog choking?

Visiting your nearest vet should be the first and the best option if you find your dog choking. While as first aid, you can try the Heimlich maneuver for the dog to avoid any disaster.

Heimlich maneuver needs special training so if you don’t know how to do it, rush to a vet immediately. Also, the Heimlich maneuver process is different for small and large dogs so it may not be a good idea to do it yourself until you are trained to do so.

What will the vet do with the choking dog?

Most probably the vet will perform a quick procedure named tracheotomy that allows your dog to breathe through a breathing tube until the choking hazard is removed.

My dog has stopped choking, should I still see a vet?

Yes, you are still recommended to take your dog to the vet if it has stopped choking because sometimes a part of the foreign object is still stuck inside that may lead your dog to bite its own tongue. So, don’t take a risk on it and get your dog checked by the vet.

So, these were some important questing regarding choking in dogs, let us now check out the list of possible choking hazards for dogs.

Common Choking Hazards for Dogs

Electric cords

Electric cords are almost in every room of the house and it is nearly impossible to hide them. These cords are among the easiest objects for dogs to chew and they can even swallow them which is deadly. Mobile phone cords are also easily accessible to dogs.

Cooked Bones

you may have seen dogs enjoying their bones in popular cartoon serials but in fact, the cooked bones are very dangerous for them. Instead of cooked bones, give them appropriate chew toys that can also be filled with treats.

Tennis and Rubber Balls

Tennis balls are among some of the items that your dogs are passionate about. Although the tennis balls look harmless, your dog can compress and lodge them into his throat. Try to supervise your dogs while they are playing with tennis balls.

The rubber ball is even more dangerous than tennis balls because it is easier to swallow so it’s better not to give them rubber balls or kids’ rubber toys.

Kid’s Toys

Image is taken from Flickr: SvartaBaskern

Children’s toys made of plastic, rubber, or fabric are equally dangerous for a dog. Also, the lego blocks are potential choking hazards for your fur baby. Almost every dog tries to chew anything which is accessible to it easily so it is highly recommended to make your house dog-proof or puppy-proof and keep such items out of their reach.

Various Dog Toys

Yes, it is also possible. Dogs’ jaws are very strong and they can tear apart squeaky toys that could turn into possible choking hazards. Also, the small toys could easily be swallowed by your dogs and turn into a disaster.

Plastic Wrap and Plastic Bags

Plastic wrap can easily let your dog choke and collapse if not treated immediately. Your dog can find and try to eat plastic wrap from the trash or may find it while digging deep in the ground. Also, the dog may play with a plastic wrap in such a way that it may be wrapped around your dog’s neck resulting in an accident.

Stick

While chewing the stick, your dog may break it off into small pieces that can be stuck in your dog’s throat. Avoid giving your dog a stick or keep an eye on it while it plays with the stick.

Small Rocks and Stones

Sounds weird? Well, it must be. A lot of cases have been witnessed while many owners admitted that their dogs love to play with rocks and eat them. You must know that a rock can easily be lodged in their throats and if by any chance they swallow the rocks or stones, it may result in an intestinal blockage that requires surgery to remove.

How to Avoid Choking in Dogs?

So, while your dogs are playing, make sure they won’t try to eat or swallow such items. Apart from these items, if your dog chokes when eating its normal meals, you should try the following to get rid of this issue.

Divide the meal – Instead of feeding your dog large portions of the meal, divide the meal into two or three servings.

Don’t feed before or after the exercise – If you feed them immediately before or after the exercise, they are most likely to choke, as well as, suffer from stomach aches.

Keep looking while they eat – There are various foods that can form a ball while they eat them such as rice. Also, wet or dry dog food may also cause choking rarely so the best practice is to keep an eye on them while they eat.

Final Words:

So, this was the important information you need to know about choking in dogs and the most common choking hazards. Remember one thing, if you feel your dog is choking, don’t waste your time treating it by yourself or asking people on social media, instead, visit your vet as soon as possible.

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Source:
AnimalWised
PetMD