Why is my dog ​​coughing as if it's choking?

To avoid dangerous situations where your dog chokes on a swallowed bone, simply avoid feeding your pet such items. Owners are increasingly feeding their dogs chicken or other tubular or thin bones, which can become lodged in the throat, injure the gastrointestinal tract, or be ingested, sometimes resulting in death.

Tubular bones easily crumble, forming small fragments that damage the mucous membrane, causing inflammation and swelling. Not only the pharynx and esophagus are affected, but also the intestines: if damaged, the contents leak into the abdominal cavity, which can lead to peritonitis — it is not always possible to save the animal in such cases.

Furthermore, bone fragments accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, not being digested and providing no nutrients. Peristalsis is disrupted, food stops moving normally, and decay begins, leading to intoxication and a deterioration in the pet's health.

But besides a bone, other foreign objects can also get stuck in the throat (for example, a dog chewed on a stick, or a plastic toy (and even from a soft one) toys Cotton wool can get stuck, and a fragment of it can end up in the throat, and you never know what your pet might want to scratch its teeth on. That's why it's so important to watch what your dog grabs. Train it to avoid picking up anything from the ground. Dogs are very smart animals; they won't eat anything inedible (unless they're sick). Therefore If your dog is coughing, wheezing, or swallowing as if choking, you need to act quickly to prevent your pet from choking.

Signs that a dog is choking on a bone

First, the animal begins to actively swallow saliva, as if trying to dislodge the stuck object. If this doesn't help, the dog begins to cough constantly, often leading to vomiting. If the bone is small and lodged high up, coughing will help free the object from its throat.

You'll notice your pet panicking, agitating, and fidgeting. They'll run around, pacing back and forth, and coughing. Saliva may leak. If a foreign object (such as a bone) is lodged nearby in the throat, an oral examination may reveal the source of the cough.

Sometimes a dog wheezes when choking, and it becomes difficult to breathe. You'll notice the pet's neck stretching, gums turning blue, and weakness. You'll see the ribs moving, but breathing itself is almost imperceptible. If you don't provide immediate first aid to a dog with a bone stuck in its throat, it could die from lack of oxygen.

What to do if a dog is choking and suffocating?

The first step is to ensure that the cough is caused by a foreign object (which could be not only in the throat but also in the trachea, which is much less common). A cough itself isn't a disease; it's merely a symptom. It's a protective mechanism that helps clear the airways by contracting the diaphragm and forcefully expelling all the air from the lungs. In other words, the body is attempting to expel the foreign object with this forceful exhalation.

Dogs can cough when they have a stuck bone, are sick (with an infection or just a cold), have allergies, or have other causes. Only after confirming that the dog is coughing as if choking for this very reason can you begin rescuing it.

How to help a dog yourself?

Be sure to assess the situation, specifically whether you can handle it yourself or whether you need to seek immediate veterinary help. Wait a bit, let your dog cough, and the foreign object will "pop out" on its own. If this doesn't happen, you can try to help yourself. If breathing is compromised, act as quickly as possible.

1. The easiest way is to use tweezersBut this should only be done if you can clearly see the foreign object (to do this, you'll need to open your pet's mouth wide, or better yet, shine a flashlight) and are confident you can grasp it. Otherwise, you risk pushing the bone even deeper into the airway. Your pet should also be calm, not panic, and not struggle (it might bite).
2. Sometimes turning the pet upside down helps.Gently shake the animal (gravity can help if the foreign object is nearby). With larger dogs, you'll need to perform a "wheelbarrow" maneuver (hold the animal's hind legs in your hands and lift them off the ground so the head is lower). If none of these methods clear the pet's airway, you'll need to resort to the Heimlich maneuver. But remember, it can be harmful to the animal. Not everyone knows how to perform it correctly. And in an emergency, you need to help a frightened, choking animal.

If the problem is with a large dog

A large dog is coughing as if it's choking. What should I do? I'm sure many have seen rescues for people who have choked while eating (grasping from behind, securing the dog under the chest). The same principle applies to rescuing a large dog.

You need to grasp the dog from behind (it should be standing on all fours), clasping your hands together (sometimes it's easier to clasp them with your elbows tucked in), which should be positioned on the dog's tummy, where the sternum ends. Then, make a sharp (but gentle, don't overdo it) movement toward the dog's muzzle (that is, upward and slightly forward). You can do this 4-5 times in one go. Then, look into the dog's mouth to make sure the foreign object has lifted and can be removed.

If a thin bone (with sharp edges) is lodged in your dog's throat, you're unlikely to be able to dislodge it with these movements. It's likely to become firmly lodged, and only a veterinarian will be able to remove it. Furthermore, the longer the bone remains lodged, the more difficult it becomes to remove (severe swelling makes it difficult).

If the problem is with a small dog

My small dog is coughing as if it's choking. What should I do? Helping a small dog isn't easy. To cope, you need to act quickly and without fear. All your movements should be firm but gentle (after all, the bones are delicate, and you can injure the pet if you apply too much force).

So, you need to hold your dog's spine against you (head down). Place the fist of one hand under the sternum, and support the dog's head with the other. Press your fist five times, moving inward and toward the head.

Try very carefully removing the bone with tweezers if you see one. Don't pull too hard, especially if the foreign body is stubborn. Otherwise, you'll further injure the mucous membrane. If your dog wheezes as if choking, but breathing is not affected, it's best to seek veterinary attention immediately. Clumsy or overly abrupt movements can only worsen the situation (the bone will not move toward the "exit" but instead pierce the tracheal wall).

Other reasons for coughing attempts

Sometimes a dog coughs and wheezes, as if choking, but an examination of the mouth reveals nothing foreign (and the dog couldn't possibly choke on anything, it wasn't eating bones, and it wasn't chewing on anything). In these cases, the cause of the cough needs to be looked for elsewhere.

The structure of the nasopharynx

Most often, a dog's cough, as if choking, is caused by the anatomical structure of the nasopharynx (an excessively short mouth, a long tongue, or a very soft palate, as seen in pugs, Pekingese, and other short-muzzled breeds). The pet "chokes" when inhaling forcefully, causing the soft palate to "pull." The dog begins coughing, which causes the palate to return to its original position, and the cough subsides.

Infection

In particular, adenovirus, which causes a "kennel cough." It worsens when inhaling cold air. Therefore, this infection is often mistaken for an attempt to cough up a bone stuck in the throat.

Cardiac cough

It usually appears towards night. If your dog constantly coughs, as if choking on a bone, and this behavior occurs after exercise or in the evening, for several days or weeks, but your pet's appetite is intact and they can swallow normally, you should consult a veterinarian. Your pet may have heart problems. If you never want to encounter a similar situation, where your dog wheezes and coughs because of stuck bones, don't feed them to your pet. Pet stores are full of "safe" and much healthier "bones."

If a puppy coughs

There are many possible causes of a puppy's cough, but the most common are viral or bacterial infections transmitted through the air. If you notice a cough in your puppy, it's important to take them to the veterinarian as soon as possible, as it can be significantly more dangerous for puppies than for adult dogs.

Coughing in puppies can also be caused by congenital heart defects, which create complications for the respiratory system.

Preventing cough in dogs

To reduce the risk of your pet developing a cough, it is recommended:

• Conduct annual vaccination against major viral diseases;

• Do not allow the animal to become hypothermic;

• Do not smoke near your pet and avoid exposure to strong odors of household chemicals and perfumes;

• Avoid contact with unfamiliar animals during walks to prevent infection.

Congenital conditions such as tracheal collapse or BCS cannot be prevented. If symptoms of coughing appear, consult a veterinarian immediately for an examination and treatment.

Any questions? You can ask our website's staff veterinarian in the comments below, who will answer them as quickly as possible.

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