Dog with something stuck in his throat - what to do

Content

• How to tell if a dog has something stuck in his throat
• What to do if you see the dog swallow something that gets stuck
• Possible treatments

Is there a more common situation that, while we are eating, the dog is sitting next to us without looking away and, at the first carelessness or false move, something falls out that he devours like a vacuum cleaner? Often it's okay because it was a small piece of food or crumbs, but what happens if he swallows a bone or a small children's toy? These cases are usually serious and of veterinary emergency. However, as tutors, there are a number of things we can take into account to provide first aid before rushing off to the nearest veterinary clinic.

At PeritoAnimal, we help you know what to do if you find the dog with something stuck in his throat, keep reading!

How to tell if a dog has something stuck in his throat

We can't keep up with our furry steps in everything they do, can we? Some animals are more energetic than others, some breeds more gluttonous than others, and sometimes we just notice suspicious signs that happen to our dog.

Dogs can cough for many reasons but in some cases they may have stuck objects like toys, bones, a plant or just something that is difficult to digest. Before continuing to delve into the topic, please note that the dogs chew very little or nothing. The guardians don't always remember this, especially with breeds that eat a lot by nature like the Labrador, the golden retriever, the beagle, among others.

However, we must also consider that if our dog coughs, it could be for another reason. There is a disease known as kennel cough or canine infectious tracheobronchitis that you may have heard of. See our article Kennel Cough or Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis - Symptoms and Treatment to learn more about this condition. The symptoms are very similar to those presented when the dog has something stuck in the throat like the cough and the goose bumps, possibly even vomiting. If you notice these signs, consult your veterinarian to perform the differential diagnosis and start treatment to avoid possible contagion from other animals.

What to do if you see the dog swallow something that gets stuck

If your dog has something stuck in his throat, try this advice before running to the vet:

• open his mouth immediately to observe the entire cavity and try to extract the object manually, To succeed try to extract objects with sharp points or edges such as bones, needles, scissors, etc.
• If we're talking about a small dog, you can put it upside down while trying to remove the object. In the case of large dogs, raising the hind legs will be very helpful.
• Heimlich Maneuver: stand behind the dog, standing or kneeling, putting your arms around him and supporting his paws on his legs. Press behind the ribs, paw in and up, so that you start coughing or shivering. The more he salivates the better, as this makes it easier for the object to slip and get out.
• Even if you can remove the object with any of these techniques, you should consult the veterinarian to assess possible injuries and treatments.

The ingestion of any object can cause serious digestive problems in the animal. Therefore, consider what possible damages to face given the type of object ingested. It may be a food or plant that is not good for his body and that causes certain characteristic signs such as:

• Sialorrhea (hypersalivation).
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea.
• Apathy or depression.
• Lack of appetite and/or thirst.

Possible treatments

We're talking about veterinary urgency since, if you've tested all of the above recommendations without success, must consult the veterinarian. The more time has passed. worse will be the treatment, being necessary to resort to surgery to remove the object that the dog has stuck in the throat.

First of all, it is essential to know where the foreign body is as soon as possible, which is done through an X-ray. Possible treatments will be discussed at the discretion of the veterinarian attending the emergency room. These are the most common treatments:

• In the first 48 hours since we know the episode occurred, it may be possible to remove the object with sedation and an endoscopy or with liquid vaseline orally, depending on its location.
• If more than 48 hours have passed, it is necessary to evaluate a surgery to extract the foreign body, since it will already have adhered to the walls with which it came into contact.
• If more than 48 hours have passed, we must evaluate one surgery to extract the extra bodyYes, because surely we will have adhesions to the walls with those that are in contact.

It is very important to consult the veterinarian and not medicate your pet with antidiarrheals, antiemetics or tranquilizers, as this only hides the problem and worsens the solution. So if you're wondering what to do in case of dog with something stuck in his throat, do not hesitate and consult a good veterinarian.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.