My Dog Has Something Stuck in Their Throat

It's not always possible to keep your eyes on your dog at all times. While we try our best to control our dog's diet, they are well known for their ability to ingest unexpected foreign objects. A busy house offers many different possible choking hazards, so too do many outdoor environments. Objects that can cause obstruction in a dog's throat include toys, pieces of food, bones, plant matter or anything else they find difficult to swallow or digest.

You may not know the exact cause, but you will notice signs that something is wrong. If your dog has something lodged in their throat, the most common signs include:

• Gagging sounds
• Excessive drooling
• Repeated swallowing
• Vomiting or regurgitation
• Restlessness
• Pawing at the mouth or throat
• Hacking cough
• Apathy or listlessness
• Loss of appetite
• Trouble breathing

The nature and severity of these symptoms will vary and depend on the object that is stuck in the dog's esophagus. Dry coughing and gagging in dogs is often among the first signs. While dogs may cough, vomit or show the other symptoms on this list for different reasons, it is always a good idea to rule out esophageal obstruction, that is something stuck in their throat.

Another important thing to keep in mind if you are trying to determine whether something is stuck in your dog's throat is to consider the breed. Some dog breeds are greedier than others or anatomically more prone to choking. Among the naturally gluttonous breeds are Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Beagles which may be more likely to eat something they shouldn't and end up choking when they are eating.

There are other dog breeds which are more likely to suffer problems related to choking. These are known as brachycephalic dog breeds and include Bulldogs, Pugs and some breeds of Mastiff. Due to breeding for certain aesthetic traits, these animals have an elongated soft palate, narrowed nostrils and a reduced trachea. This means that they have shorter throats which often leads to difficulty breathing.

Brachycephalic dog breeds may make wheezing sounds even if they are not choking, and experience airway obstruction even without swallowing foreign objects. While we may love individual dogs in this breed, there have been many calls by veterinary experts recommending that we stop encouraging these types of breeds due to the risks they pose to a dog's health^[1].

If your dog has something stuck in their throat, you will need to assess the risk. If the dog is choking and showing signs of asphyxiation, there will be a veterinary emergency. In other cases, the dog may gag a little and then dislodge the object themselves. There are certain steps you will need to follow if your dog is choking and they include:

• Try to remove the object by hand: immediately open their mouth to take a look at the entire cavity. See if you can remove the object by hand. Much will depend on what type of object has been swallowed. Sometimes you cannot remove the object yourself, and the dog will require veterinary attention. It is not advisable to remove objects with sharp points or edges, such as splintered bones or scissors, as you could hurt the dog. Likewise, if you feel any resistance, stop at once as you may do more damage by trying to remove the object yourself.
  
  
• Use gravity: you can also try use the help of gravity to get your dog to cough the object out by themselves. If you have a small dog, you can hold them head facing down and pat their back as you would do with a human choking. In the case of large dogs, raising their hind legs can be a great help. If your dog is too large or heavy, don't try this as you could injure yourself and the dog.
  
  
• Heimlich maneuver: to carry out the Heimlich maneuver in dogs, place yourself behind the dog, either standing or kneeling. Wrap your arms around them and and support their legs with your own legs. Apply pressure behind the ribs, inwards and upwards, so that they start to cough or retch. The more they salivate the better, as this will make it easier for the object dislodge from their throat and slide out.
  
  
• Visit the vet: finally, even if you've managed to remove the object through either of these techniques, you should go to your vet to assess any internal injuries and possible treatments. Swallowing a foreign object can cause your dog serious digestive problems, even if they do not choke on it. Therefore, the final and most important step is to take your dog to the vet for a check up.
  
  

Important! The Heimlich maneuver can be useful if your dog has something stuck in their throat, but it can be dangerous if the coughing has a different cause. Be careful not to exert too much pressure or cause any trauma. Those with dogs who may have a higher chance of choking should consider doing a canine first aid course to be well prepared to help their pet.

Even if the dog doesn't seem otherwise ill, getting something stuck in their throat or swallowing a foreign object can be a veterinary emergency. If you have tried all of the above without success you need to go to the vet. The more time that passes, the harder it will be to treat. The vet may even have to resort to surgery to remove the object from the dog's esophagus.

First of all, they will try to locate the foreign body. This is done by performing an x-ray as soon as possible. Treatment will be determined depending on a number of factors the vet will consider, including the nature of the object and overall health of the dog. Here are some of the most common treatments:

• If less than 48 hours have passed since the object got stuck, and depending on its location and position, the vet might be able to remove using an endoscopy. The dog is sedated, a tube with a camera is inserted into the throat, and a pincer can remove the object. The vet may also try orally applying liquid Vaseline if they think the object is more easily reachable.

• If 48 hours have already passed, the vet will assess the need for surgery to remove the foreign body. Part of the problem is that by this time there will already be adhesions in the digestive tract.

It is very important to consult the vet and not to medicate your pet with antidiarrheals, antiemetics or painkillers, because these will only hide the symptoms, not solve the problem.

How to prevent something getting stuck in your dog's throat

Finally, it is important to emphasize the role of prevention. This is the best way to keep your dog from suffering the ordeal of something lodged in their throat. Although you cannot supervise your dog at all times, here are some ways to lessen the risk of your furry friend chocking:

• Don't leave small objects lying around which your dog might accidentally swallow, especially in places where they can reach or are left unsupervised.
  
  
• Be careful what you feed your dog. Cooked bones, for example, can be very dangerous as they shatter easily and can get stuck in the throat. Avoid large chunks in their food, so that it is easier to chew and swallow.

It is important to know there is no magical home remedy solution to a dog choking. Whether you provide treatment at home or go to a veterinarian will depend on whether removing the object yourself will do more harm than good. If you are at all unsure, you should exercise caution. For example, some objects may seem like they are small, but part of them is not visible. Trying to pull them out by hand can cause serious internal tissue damage.

When a dog has something stuck in the throat, you may be able to treat them at home. You should follow this first aid protocol for dogs when they are choking:

• Stay calm: your dog can sense your emotions. Staying calm can help keep your dog calmer too.
  
  
• Check for obvious signs: look for signs of choking, such as coughing, gagging, pawing at the mouth, or difficulty breathing.
  
  
• Open the mouth: If your dog allows, carefully open its mouth and examine the throat. Use a flashlight if necessary to see if you can identify and reach the obstruction. Be very cautious not to push the object further down the throat.
  
  
• Perform Heimlich maneuver: for small dogs, you can try the Heimlich maneuver by applying upward pressure on the abdomen, just behind the ribcage. For larger dogs, you can lift the hind legs off the ground. This action can help dislodge the object.
  
  
• Don't use tools: avoid using tools or utensils to remove the object as you may accidentally push it further down or injure your dog.
  
  
• Seek veterinary help: if your dog is still choking, immediately take it to the nearest vet or animal hospital. A trained veterinarian can safely remove the obstruction.

It is important to remember that a foreign object in a dog's throat isn't the only reason they may make choking sounds or start coughing. The sound of a dog asphyxiating may not be too dissimilar to a dog coughing for an underlying health reason. Some of them may include:

• The cold or flu: while dogs cannot get our colds and vice versa, but there are many canine cold and flu viruses which can lead to coughing. Look at other symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing or shivering.
  
  
• Distemper: another viral infection, canine distemper is unfortunately much more serious than a cold. A key early symptom is watery or pus discharge from the dog's eyes. Immediate veterinary treatment is needed and it can be fatal if not addressed quickly enough.
  
  
• Kennel cough: scientifically known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis, this is often passed on by dogs in close proximity to each other. Its symptoms include a hacking cough which mimics the sound of something stuck in the throat.
  
  
• Heart disease: when a dog has heart disease, coughing can be one of the many symptoms. Make sure you look at other symptoms of heart problems in dogs and take them to the vet for diagnosis.
  
  
• Strangulation: strangulation of asphyxiation in dogs is usually due to neglect and sometimes even abuse from an owner. If a dog's collar gets caught, it can lead to strangulation. A technique known as ‘helicoptering’ may also be used on the dog whereby they are picked up by the neck and swung around^[2]. Unfortunately, many children who do not know any better may engage in this practice thinking they are only playing.
  
  
• Heartworm: this is a parasitical infection which affects the dog's heart. Its symptoms include coughing, accelerated breathing, weight loss and even fainting. Heartworm in dogs is very dangerous and requires immediate veterinary treatment.

It is important to know whether your dog is choking due to something stuck in their throat or for another reason, so keep an eye out for other symptoms. This also means considering the circumstance in which you first see the dog coughing. Is there a child nearby who could have done something? Are there pieces of a possible foreign object lying around or traces of food? Answering these questions will help you determine whether your dog has something stuck in their throat, so that you can act appropriately.

This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to My Dog Has Something Stuck in Their Throat, we recommend you visit our First aid category.