choke animal

Question
how do you treat choke in animals.

Answer
Hi Hamza,

Before administering any first aid, make absolutely certain your pet is actually choking. Many people confuse difficulty breathing with choking. If you witness your pet ingesting an item and then immediately begin pawing at the face, the throat, acting frantic, trying to cough and having difficulty breathing, only then should the Heimlich maneuver be considered. If your pet is not really choking, the Heimlich can cause serious injury.

The quickest, safest and fastest way to remove anything that might be blocking your dog's throat is by performing the Heimlich maneuver:

1. Grasp your dog's lower jaw with one hand and its upper jaw with the other, leaving your forefinger free to reach the obstruction. Open your dog's mouth and try to see the object and pull it out with your finger. Remember that dogs have small bones in their throats; don't try to grab something that you can't see.
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2. Lie your dog on its side with the hindquarters higher than his head. A blanket or rolled up towel can be placed under her rear to lower the head if you can't lie it on a slanted surface.
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3. Grasp your hands under the lowest ribs and press in three to five times in a thrusting motion. Be careful of the ribcage; you need to be below the ribs to expel any air that's in his lungs.
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4. Remove the object from the dog's mouth immediately after it is expelled from the Heimlich Maneuver procedure, so your pet doesn't inadvertently swallow it again.
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5. Contact your veterinarian as soon as the crisis is over, in case your dog has suffered internal injuries that are not immediately obvious.

This website has illustrated directions:

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/how-to-give-first-aid-to-your-dog7.htm


Best of luck.
Patti