Choking incidents are terrifying, no matter who they’re happening to. You may know of, and hopefully, know how to perform, the Heimlich maneuver on people. You also need to know how to perform it on your dog. Dogs are notorious for eating things they shouldn’t, which can increase the risk of choking. It’s important to know what to do before something happens and be prepared in case it does. Here’s what you need to know about the Heimlich maneuver for dogs:

Signs Your Dog Could Be Choking

Dogs can’t necessarily tell us what’s going on with them. Often, they show us, and we have to figure out what’s going on and how to help. Some signs of choking are obvious in dogs, while others can overlap with illnesses or other things. These are some potential signs your dog could be choking:

• Panicked or frenzied behavior
• Choking sounds
• Trouble breathing or wheezing
• Pawing at their muzzle
• Rubbing their face on the floor
• Retching or gagging
• Excessive drooling
• Blue or pale gums
• Unconsciousness

If your dog begins choking on something they swallowed, they will typically panic. So, if you see your dog acting in a frenzied way, they may be having trouble breathing. If they are pawing at their mouth, check for an object that is blocking their airway.

Coughing, along with retching or gagging, can sometimes indicate choking, but these symptoms also overlap with other illnesses and conditions. If you see them, it’s a good idea to check their throat and make sure it’s clear. If you don’t see anything and are still concerned, call your vet.

Excessive drooling can be a sign of bloat in dogs, anxiety, and more. Your dog may even drool more than usual when they are happy and relaxed. When drooling is caused by a serious issue, there are usually other accompanying symptoms, and your dog will show signs of distress.

For example, a dog with bloat will usually have a swollen stomach that will often be hard to the touch. If gastric torsion has occurred (i.e., the stomach has flipped), then they will also usually have shortness of breath and will be drooling excessively because they usually cannot swallow. If you see concerning signs like these, get to the emergency vet immediately.

What to Do If You Think Your Dog Might Be Choking

If you think your dog is choking, try to remain calm and don’t panic. You don’t want to further distress your dog, and you need to focus on what to do next. Here’s what to do:

1. Restrain your dog, but do not muzzle them.
2. Position yourself to be able to see down their throat.
3. Gently open your dog’s jaws using both hands.
   1. One hand on the upper jaw and one on the lower.
   2. Gently fold or press your dog’s lips over their teeth, so you have a barrier between your hands and their teeth.
4. Look inside the dog’s mouth with a light to see if you can spot any obvious objects. Depending on what you see, you can:
   1. Use your index finger to do a mouth sweep and remove anything that can be easily removed (usually small objects).
   2. Check the roof of the mouth to ensure nothing is lodged across it.
   3. For small objects that you can’t easily remove with your finger, you can use small tongs or large tweezers to remove them, provided this will not push them further into the throat.
   4. For larger objects, like balls or toys, place your thumbs near the base of your dog’s throat under both sides of the jaw and press gently upwards to try dislodging it.
   5. Do not insert anything down your dog’s throat, especially if you can’t see an object. This could push an object deeper or hurt your dog.
5. If you can’t remove the object, can’t see the object, and/or your dog is still distressed or unconscious, get to the emergency vet. Even if you are able to remove the object, you still want to go to the vet to make sure there are no further complications, like other injuries, blockages, fluid in the lungs, etc.
6. If your dog is struggling and you will not be able to get to the vet in time, then it’s time to try the Heimlich maneuver.

How to Give a Dog the Heimlich Maneuver

The Heimlich maneuver should only be used as a last resort when you do not have enough time to get to the vet. Ideally, your vet will be on the phone to walk you through this maneuver. Calling an emergency animal hospital could also be an option so that a trained veterinarian or vet tech can walk you through what to do to help your dog without injuring them. The techniques for the Heimlich maneuver for dogs will vary for small and large dogs.

How to Do the Heimlich Maneuver on Small Dogs

Here are two different techniques to do the Heimlich maneuver on small dogs:

Holding the Dog

1. Pick up your small dog
2. Hold them facing away from you, their back to your front
3. Use your fingers to press under their ribs and find the soft spot on their abdomen
4. Form a fist and press into this spot
5. Cup your other hand over your fist
6. Thrust your fist inwards and upwards

Lying the Dog on Their Back

1. Lie your dog on their back
2. Find the soft spot on their abdomen under their ribs
3. Use the heel of your hand and press into this spot
4. Gently press the heel of your hand inwards and upwards into this spot

How to Do the Heimlich Maneuver on Large Dogs

Here are two different techniques for doing the Heimlich maneuver on large dogs:

Holding the Dog

1. Stand the dog on their hind legs
2. Hold them facing away from you, their back to your front
3. Use your fingers to press under their ribs and find the soft spot on their abdomen
4. Form a fist and press into this spot
5. Cup your other hand over your fist
6. Thrust your fist inwards and upwards

Lying the Dog on Their Side

1. Lie the dog on their side
2. Find the soft spot on their abdomen under their ribs
3. Use your fist and press into this spot
4. Support their back and press your fist inwards and upwards towards their back

After performing the Heimlich maneuver, lie the dog on their side, regardless of the size or breed. Check your dog’s throat again for debris and do a superficial mouth sweep again to remove any objects that were dislodged. Monitor their breathing and heartbeat. If your dog is not breathing, perform CPR.

If your dog had a choking incident or you had to do the Heimlich maneuver on them, it’s important for them to be checked out by a vet to ensure there are no throat or chest injuries or other complications from the choking incident. Even if you were able to remove the object and your dog seems fine, you should still take your dog to the vet for an assessment.

These are some signs your dog might be choking and some steps for what to do next, including the Heimlich maneuver for dogs as a last resort. It’s a good idea to be prepared in case something happens, so you know what to do, but putting some things in place to help prevent choking can go a long way in reducing the risk for your dog. Prevention and preparedness are key!