Help from a Fort Lauderdale Pet Choking Vet

For most people, their pets are important members of their families. It can be frightening for pet owners when their dogs or cats start choking, and some people don’t know what to do. Here are some steps to take from Fort Lauderdale animal hospital Family Pet Medical Center if your pet begins choking.

Signs to Watch For

Cats, dogs, and other types of pets generally show some of the following signs when they are choking on an object:

Exhibiting signs of distress
Excessive salivation
Coughing
Pawing at their mouth
Gagging
Bluish mucous membranes indicating cyanosis
Rubbing their head and face on the ground

If you see your dog or cat doing any of these things, immediately follow these steps and then bring them to Family Pet Medical Center as quickly as possible for emergency care during our normal operating hours.

Steps to Take When Your Pet is Choking

Follow these steps when you see signs that your pet is choking:

1. If Possible, Remove the Object

Restrain your cat or dog. When a dog or cat is choking, they will struggle and might injure you and them. If you see that a cord, string, or another item is wrapped around their neck and choking them, carefully cut it off with a pair of scissors.

If your pet has an object lodged in its throat and is choking on it, pry open its mouth to try to locate the object. If you see it, try to sweep it out of their mouth with your finger. If you can’t sweep the object away, don’t push or poke it because doing so could force it further down into your pet’s throat.

If you can’t see the object, don’t try to find it by sticking your finger down your cat’s or dog’s throat. If you do, it could injure your pet and you.

2. Perform the Heimlich Maneuver

If you can’t dislodge the object, you will need to perform the Heimlich maneuver on your cat or dog. Take these steps:

Roll or place your pet on its side.
Look into your pet’s mouth to see if the object has dislodged.
Sit behind your pet with its back placed against your stomach with its head up and paws down.
Using one of your hands, locate the soft place under your pet’s ribs and ball your hand into a closed fist on that spot.
Pull your fist up and inward two to three times in the direction of your stomach using sharp thrusts.

3. Perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

If the Heimlich maneuver doesn’t work, or your pet loses its pulse, begin CPR. CPR on your cat or dog should use around 120 chest compressions per minute. You should continue performing CPR until you arrive with your pet at Family Pet Medical Center.

Next Steps

Once your pet stops choking, you should still bring your pet to Family Pet Medical Center for a veterinary examination. Your veterinarian will check your pet to make certain that the choking incident didn’t cause additional injuries or health problems that you can’t see.

How to Prevent Fort Lauderdale Pet Choking Incidents

To reduce the chances that your pet will choke again in the future, keep small objects that could cause them to choke away from your pet. Monitor your dog or cat while they eat to watch for problems. You should also watch your cat or dog while it plays to ensure it does not have toys or objects that could break apart and turn into choking hazards.

Get Help From Family Pet Medical Center

If your pet has choked on an object or from becoming entangled in a cord, leash, or string, you should bring your pet to Family Pet Medical Center as soon as possible. We have emergency services available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and we can see your cat or dog and intervene when it is choking and help them recover. We are also open from 8 am to 6 pm every day. Call us for help at (954) 737-4457.