If your dog swallowed food down the wrong pipe, it can be quite concerning…
And because there are some hazardous things that can happen to your dog, you might need to act quickly…
This article will help you determine if your dog needs immediate help and exactly what you should do about it…
It’ll also help you, by explaining what can happen if your dog ended up inhaling some of the food…
My Dog Swallowed Food Down The Wrong Pipe – What Can Happen?
There are mainly two dangerous scenarios that can occur if your dog swallowed food down the wrong pipe. First, your dog could be in danger of choking, but your dog could also be at risk of developing aspiration pneumonia, which is when there’s a bacterial infection in your dog’s respiratory tract…
Both of these scenarios can be very serious, so you should certainly contact a vet for help…
But if your dog is actively choking, you may need to deal with the situation before having a chance to talk with a vet…
What To Do If Your Dog Is Choking On Food…
If your dog is choking, he (or she) will try to expel the foreign object by coughing or forcing himself to vomit.
He’ll probably be pawing at his mouth and will be in noticeable distress. He might also rub his face along the ground while gagging and drooling.
If you notice behaviors like these going on for longer than a couple of seconds, you should step in to help your dog immediately by doing the following…
Check Your Dog’s Mouth…
If your dog is choking on something big, you might be able to manually remove it from his mouth.
Make sure to restrain your dog to prevent him from wresting away or even biting you in his panic.
Then, gently open his mouth and peer inside. If you can see the object blocking his throat, use your fingers to try and get it out.
If possible, ask for the help of another person because this can be a difficult process if your dog is large and strong.
And be very careful not to push the food even further down your dog’s throat. This might not only damage the tissues in the back of his throat but could cause your dog to choke even more.
Do The Heimlich Maneuver…
If you can’t manually remove the object from your dog’s mouth, you should perform the Heimlich Maneuver straight away.
Watch Video To Learn How To Perform The Heimlich Maneuver On Your Dog:
For those who aren’t aware, the Heimlich Maneuver is a first-aid procedure used to clear obstructions with abdominal thrusts, and it’s effective for both humans and dogs.
The Heimlich Maneuver for small dogs is a bit different than it is for large dogs. So here are some steps that might help you have more success depending on the size of your particular dog…
Small Dog Choking…
For small dogs like chihuahuas, pugs, corgis, and the like, here’s what you should do:
- Place your dog in your lap with his back facing you.
- Apply pressure beneath your dog’s rib using the palm of your hand.
- Firmly push your palm inwards and upwards five to ten times in a thrusting motion. You want to force air out of their lungs to dislodge the food. Don’t use too much pressure, though; you don’t want to injure your dog!
- Roll your dog onto his side and check if the offending food item has been removed. If not, try again.
For Medium to Large Dogs…
If your dog is fairly large, it’ll be difficult to place him on your lap. Here’s what you should do instead:
- If your dog is standing, wrap your arms around his stomach and intertwine your fingers together to make a fist.
- Firmly and swiftly push your hand up and forward five times in a thrusting motion, much like what you’d do in a regular human Heimlich Maneuver.
- Release your grip and check your dog’s mouth.
- Remove any loose food from your dog’s mouth so he won’t choke on it again.
If your dog is lying on the floor and you can’t get him to stand up, place a hand on his back for support and use the other to push his abdomen upwards and forwards five times.
Then, open your dog’s mouth and remove the food particle that has been dislodged in his throat using a finger or tweezers.
The Heimlich Maneuver has an extremely high success rate, but there’s always a slight possibility that it’ll fail.
If you’ve tried both of the options above and your dog is still choking, take him to the animal clinic as soon as possible so they can remove the item surgically.
What to Do After Your Dog Stops Choking…
Choking can cause significant damage to a dog’s mouth and throat, which might take several days to heal.
Your dog might find it difficult to eat and swallow food during this period, so make sure to feed him soft and easy-to-swallow foods.
If your dog is used to eating dry food, you might try running it through a blender with warm water before giving it to him.
Once your dog has calmed down, make sure to contact a vet as soon as possible…
The vet may ask you to bring your dog in for a full examination because there might be some damage to your dog’s throat…
…or you might have accidentally broken a rib or damaged an organ during the Heimlich Maneuver.
Watch For Signs Of Aspiration Pneumonia…
If your dog inhaled a piece of food, there is the possibility that he (or she) could develop a disorder called aspiration pneumonia.
Aspiration pneumonia is an infection that occurs when food goes “down the wrong pipe” and gets into your dog’s lungs and respiratory tract.
Your dog might not show symptoms immediately after choking, but some of the symptoms of aspiration pneumonia that you’ll want to watch out for in the days following include…
- Rapid breathing
- Difficulty breathing
- Problems with swallowing
- Faster heart rate
- Coughing
- Fever
- Nasal Discharge
- Weakness or Lethargy
If you notice any of these symptoms or any other unusual behavior from your dog, you should contact a vet immediately…
How to Prevent Future Choking Incidents…
Small dogs and dogs who eat too fast are usually at the greatest risk for choking. Therefore, make sure the food they’re eating is appropriate for their breed, age, and size.
If possible, switch them to wet food rather than dry (Click Here For My Favorite Dog Food).
And you can also try using a slow-feeding bowl or food puzzle to stop your dog from eating too fast.
Apart from food, dogs can also choke on toys and other foreign objects that they eat.
So if your dog loves putting stuff in his mouth, keep a close eye on him while he’s playing and consider obedience training to control his behavior for his own safety…
There are many great training programs out there, but I recommend the Brain Training For Dogs program…
…because it’s easy to follow, works very quickly, and can be accessed from the comfort of your own home.
The reason why it works so quickly is because it teaches you simple ways to redirect the natural intelligence that your dog already has…
If you’d like to learn more about how Brain Training For Dogs can help your dog become more obedient, click the link below…
Conclusion…
If your dog swallowed food down the wrong pipe, remember to act quickly because, in these situations, every second may count.
Remember to first try opening your dog’s mouth to remove the offending object with your finger, and quickly turn to the Heimlich Maneuver if you need to…
Also, remember to contact a vet afterward and watch for signs of aspiration pneumonia in case your dog inhaled some of the food. Good luck and stay safe!