If your pet is choking on a piece of food, a treat, a toy, or another object, you must act quickly. If your pet can’t breathe, you only have a few minutes to act. Being able to recognize the signs of choking in your pet and react quickly can help you save your pet’s life. Here are the most common choking hazards for cats and dogs, the signs your pet is choking, and what you should do if your pet is choking or can’t breathe.
Most Common Choking Hazards for Cats and Dogs
The most common choking hazards for cats and dogs are toys, bones, food, and household objects:
- Small toys, especially ones with tassels, string, rope, or detachable parts
- Toys that are made of materials that can break apart into pieces when your pet chews them
- Rawhide bones or chews that can splinter into pieces
- Food like grapes, raisins, chocolate, nuts, bread, cookies, animal bones, carrots, or hot dogs
- Rubber bands, twist ties, window blinds, tassels, hair ties, hair elastics, string, rope, or yarn
- Plastic bags, paper clips, staples, bottle caps, wine corks, and aluminum foil
Warning Signs Your Pet is Choking or Can’t Breathe
If your pet is choking or can’t breathe, they may cough, gag, paw at their mouth, act frantic, or rub their face or mouth on something. Other signs your pet is choking or can’t breathe are:
- Coughing or wheezing
- Gagging or retching
- Trying to breathe, inhale, or cough unsuccessfully
- Pawing at their mouth
- Drooling
- Acting frantic or running around
- Rubbing their face or mouth on something
- Asking you for help
- Losing consciousness
What to Do if Your Pet is Choking
You must act quickly if your pet is choking, as even a few minutes without oxygen can have catastrophic effects. If your pet is choking, try to open their mouth and locate the obstruction. Try to sweep it away with your finger, but don’t push or pull it as you might end up pushing it further down into their throat. If you can’t see anything, try performing the Heimlich maneuver:
- Put your pet on their back
- Locate the soft spot under your pet’s ribcage
- Use the palm of your hand to apply firm pressure in an upward thrusting motion
- Repeat at least five times
- Roll your pet back onto their side and check their mouth
Finding Emergency Pet Services for Choking Pets
Even if you are able to clear the blockage from your pet’s mouth or throat and they are breathing again, you still need to take them to their regular veterinarian or an emergency veterinary hospital. Your pet may have long-term damage or an injury as a result of choking or loss of consciousness.
At Pet Emergency Trauma Services, we specialize in pet emergency services, urgent pet care, and after-hours medical care for pets in Bozeman, MT. We open at 7:00 a.m. on Fridays and provide 24/7 emergency care through Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m. We are closed from 7:30 a.m. on Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:00 a.m. Call us now to let us know you’re coming in for a pet emergency.
