My dog is choking! What immediate actions should I take to help?

Codie is a handsome boy! Choking could be due to a foreign object or food caught in his esophagus, he could have a respiratory infection, or he could be suffering from kennel cough. It can be quite serious when a dog is choking, and the best thing you can do for him is take him into a vet right away. The vet can diagnose the cause of his choking and the best way to treat it. I hope this helps!

Yikes! I'm so glad you were there to stop this from becoming a much worse situation! His mouth should heal just fine. Offer some soft food as hard food may be a bit painful for the next couple of days, other than that you don't need to change anything. If it hasn't healed well within 4-5 days, take him to the vet. Keep an eye on the other dog as well; while you were able to get them untangled quickly when he was choking, sometimes dogs can develop whats called "non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema" after a choking incident, even a brief one. If he starts to cough, seems to be breathing faster than normally or is labored at all in his breathing, take him to the vet. Oxygen therapy may be needed, these guys usually recover but they do often need to spend some time in an oxygen cage. He very well may be fine and not develop these symptoms at all, but it is something you need to watch out for over the next 12-24 hours. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello, at 5 months of age the most common reason for coughing/choking is kennel cough. I suggest you get him to a vet for an exam and medications. This can progress to a pneumonia quickly and in a small 2# dog this can be extremely serious. I am very worried about this as you stated he was weak and lost his appetite. I don't suggest that you continue to perform any "first aid" for choking on a dog this small as you can easily injury him. I assure you that it is very unlikely he has something stuck in his throat. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! If you are concerned about something stuck in Doggo's throat, I would have him examined by your veterinarian to appropriately identify the cause of the symptoms. If you are unable to get to your vet right away, I would maybe offer soft food on the off chance this is irritation in the throat from something Doggo swallowed. Soft food would be much easier than hard food to swallow. An examination will help identify any obvious object lodged in the mouth or throat. X-rays may also be recommended to help determine and identify the cause. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via phone or text based consultation if needed.

There could be several reasons why your dog is [coughing](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/coughing-1/). He could very well have something stuck in his throat or is trying to vomit something up and can't and will need medical intervention. If the symptoms continue, he needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible. If you know your dog has ingested something and is indeed [choking](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-do-if-you-think-your-dog-is-choking), you can perform the Heimlich maneuver if you feel comfortable doing so. A dog who is choking should also be taken to a veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. A dog may also be coughing as a result of a viral respiratory infection, like canine parainfluenza, canine adenovirus, or [kennel cough](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/kennel-cough). The most common symptoms of viral infections in dogs can include lethargy, decreased appetite, coughing, exercise intolerance and an increased breathing rate. If you believe your is showing any of these symptoms in addition to coughing, it is important for him to be evaluated by a veterinarian. Finally, a condition known as "reverse sneezing" might also sound like a cough and can be alarming for pet parents to witness. Reverse sneezing is very common in pets and is usually not a cause for concern. When a dog reverse sneezes, it will often pull its head back and inhale forcefully through the nose and mouth, making a cough-like sound. It is thought to have an [allergic](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-allergies/) component as the back portion of the nasal passages work to expel an irritant.

Majic needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. He could have a foreign body in his trachea, disease of his lungs/trachea like an infection, or even something called a collapsing trachea. Some of these causes can be life threatening and if he has an issue oral medications at home could make things worse.

If Stella is eating her treats too fast, that could be causing the choking. Try giving her treats in smaller pieces, not giving her another piece until she ate the previous piece. Keep an eye on her for now with this behavior, and offer her some water. Her throat may be irritated from choking. If this behavior continues or she starts having trouble breathing, have her seen by a vet immediately. Best of luck.