Choosing Better Veterinary Care

If you notice your dog panicking and pawing at its mouth, he or she might be choking. If the object causes your dog to pass out, the situation is dire and you will want to remove the object and take emergency actions.

Checking the Mouth

Use both of your hands to open your dog's mouth. Press your dog's lips over his or her teeth so that the lips separate your dog's teeth from your fingers. Look inside the mouth for anything that might be stuck and try to remove it. You may need to use a spoon to pry the object away.

Performing CPR

In some cases, you may not be able to see the object your dog is choking on. Also, your dog might be unconscious. What you should do next is based on how big your dog is. If you have a large dog, you should place your arms around its body and push upward and forward with force. Do this four times. Then, check the airway to see if the object has become dislodged. If your dog is unconscious, you will want to perform rescue breathing.

If you have a small dog, hold his or her body with the spine against your chest. Make a fist with one of your hands and thrust your fist against the sternum four times. Check your dog's airway and remove the object if you discover it. When performing rescue breathing, do not blow too much into your dog's lungs. You do not have to exhale all of the air in your lungs.

Taking Your Dog to the Clinic

Always know where the nearest Animal Emergency Clinic is located. When your dog is choking, he or she might suffer brain damage. However, if you rush your doctor to an emergency clinic, you might be able to minimize your dog's brain damage or prevent it altogether.

Putting Together a First Aid Kit

You should always have a first aid kit available. Use a stethoscope to listen to your dog's heart for a normal heartbeat. Even if your dog has a normal heartbeat, you should take your dog to the vet because he or she may have damaged his or her throat.

Preparing Your Dog for Future Mouth Inspections

Your dog might not be comfortable with a mouth inspection. After this incident, you should consider practicing with your dog so he or she can become more comfortable with mouth inspections. You will want to use counter-conditioning. However, this may not be possible if your dog is a large breed with a strong jaw.