This is how you perform the Heimlich Manoeuvre…on your dog
If dog owners know one thing, its that their beloved pets will chew almost anything.
Bones, shoes, toys – if it can fit in their mouth there’s an excellent chance it will end up there.
What might be less well known, is how to save your dog if something were to get lodged in its windpipe.
The Heimlich Manoeuvre, involving a series of abdominal thrusts, the one of the best known go-to methods used to save a choking humans.
Not to be outdone, our four-legged friends have a manoeuvre of their own.
Once the mouth has been checked for any obstructions, the dog should be ‘titled’ by lifting up its hind leg in an attempt to use gravity to dislodge the object, according to advice from Dogheirs.
For those with smaller breeds, you should pick up your pet by its thighs, with its belly towards your face, and shake it gently.
If you are sure the rogue object is still stuck, then the Heimlich Manoeuvre should be performed similarly to how you would on a human, with a few small modifications.
Care must be taken to avoid potentially damaging the dog’s internal organs, particularly if too much force is applied.
A dog’s ribs are also more flexible than a human’s so thrusting hard may not create enough pressure to expel the foreign object.
Again there are two different methods based on the size of the animal.
If your dog is little, the advice is to kneel behind it and put your arms around its waist and place a few knuckles just below its final set of ribs.
The other hand should be placed flat on its back to keep it steady.
You should then press in-and-up four to five times in a thrusting motion.
For larger pets, use a fist instead of your knuckles and apply just enough force during the four to five thrusts to move the dog’s entire body.
Even bigger breeds should be standing while you place hands on each site of their chests.
Thrust inward and push with your shoulders and elbows in the direction of the mouth – similarly to using a fireplace bellow or squeezing a pillow.
Anything that dislodges should be removed with your fingers.
If all else fails, owners can also try CPR.
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