Choking Dog
This is fortunately not very common, but that it Isa very dangerous and urgent condition requiring immediate attention will be appreciated when it is realized that death from asphyxiation can take place within two minutes.
Some dogs have smaller gullets than others and are even unable to swallow quite small pieces of meat without choking. Meat should be given in really tiny bits or in large chunks impossible to swallow whole.
Sometimes two pieces are joined together by gristle and this often causes choking.
Be careful what you give to dogs for playthings. Rubber toys are particularly dangerous; they cane fatal if wedged in the throat.
The symptoms of choking are alarming ; sometimes the dog makes little noise but falls over on his side and shows every sign of asphyxiation, with cyanosed tongue, and so on. Left untreated, he will die in a few moments. You must pries open the dog’s jaws—sometimes considerable force is necessary–by pressing on the back molars and pressing down the lower jaw with the other hand. Then, holding the mouth opens wide as possible, you must try either to hook up the offending object with your forefinger or, if this is impossible, push it down. Often the dog will vomit in the latter case and rid him of the meat, or whatever it is. You must be prepared to be bitten in a good cause as the dog will be frantic with fear and will not know what he is doing, but if you work at top speed, efficiently and decisively, you will probably be successful. If a friend is present who can hold the dog’s jaws open while you remove the obstruction so much the better, but it is usually an emergency to be tackled single-handed. This is a matter where only the dog owner can save his animal’s life—even if the veterinary surgeon lived next door it would be too late to call him—you must act immediately and at top speed, as only heroic measures are likely to be successful.
With bones, the need is not as a rule so urgent and although the dog will make definite choking noises paw at his mouth and be acutely uncomfortable, there is not usually much danger from asphyxiation. Once again the mouth should be opened and the bone should be removed if feasible, as gently as possible as the throat is easily lacerated. If it seems firmly wedged use no force but try to loosen it with your finger, but if it seems fixed it becomes a matter for a veterinary surgeon. Usually these cases call mainly for knack, but as pain and injury are so easily caused by clumsy handling it is always wise to call in professional assist-acne where difficulty is experienced.
To sum up, be careful what you give your dog (there is no point in running unnecessary risks) and if choking occurs drop everything and act AT ONCE.