How to tell if a dog has something caught in its throat
Its not always possible to keep your eyes on your furry friend at all times. While we try our best to control our dogs diet, they are well known for their ability to ingest unexpected foreign objects. A busy house offers many different possible choking hazards, but a walk in the country has its own choking risks. Objects that can cause obstruction in a dogs throat include toys, pieces of food, bones, plant matter or anything else they find difficult to swallow or digest.
You may not know the exact cause, but you will notice signs that something is wrong. If your dog has something lodged in their throat, the most common signs include:
The nature and severity of these symptoms will vary and depend on the object that is stuck in the dogs esophagus. Coughing is often among the first signs. While dogs may cough, vomit or show the other symptoms on this list for different reasons, it is always a good idea to rule out esophageal obstruction, that is something stuck in their throat.
Another important thing to keep in mind if you are trying to determine whether something is stuck in your dogs throat is to consider the breed. Some dog breeds are greedier than others or anatomically more prone to choking. Among the naturally gluttonous breeds are Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Beagles which may be more likely to eat something they shouldnt and end up choking.
There are other dog breeds which are more likely to suffer problems related to choking. These are known as brachycephalic dogs and include breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs and some breeds of mastiff. Due to breeding for certain aesthetic traits, these animals have an elongated soft palate, narrowed nostrils and a reduced trachea. This means that they have shorter throats which often leads to difficulty breathing. This causes them to make wheezing sounds even if they are not choking, and experience airway obstruction even without swallowing foreign objects. While we may love individual dogs in this breed, there have been many calls by veterinary experts recommending that we stop encouraging these types of breeds due to the risks they pose to a dogs health[1].
Why does my dog gag after coughing?
Most dogs are very vocal and express their feelings through different sounds. They whimper in pain, they growl when threatened, they bark to get others’ attention. In some cases, they produce sounds that can be an indication of a health problem, like retching, sneezing, and coughing.
Dog’s cough when their upper respiratory tract gets irritated or becomes inflamed. This usually happens when a dog develops a respiratory infection or an inflammatory respiratory disease. The cough that dogs produce vary depending on the specific cause and can range from a mild occasional cough to persistent hacking coughing fits.
Post-tussive retching or post-tussive vomiting is characterized by an attempt to vomit after a hacking or excessive coughing episode. This is usually seen in dogs that have been coughing due to pathological reasons, such as respiratory inflammation or infection.
The sound post-tussive retching makes can be concerning for dog owners due to it looking like something is stuck or obstructing the throat or larynx of their pets. However, most dogs that exhibit post-tussive retching are only suffering from mild to moderate respiratory diseases that are usually treatable with medications.
Treatment for objects stuck in a dog’s throat
Even if the dog doesnt seem otherwise ill, getting something stuck in their throat or swallowing a foreign object can be a veterinary emergency. If you have tried all of the above without success you need to go to the vet. The more time that passes, the harder it will be to treat. The vet may even have to resort to surgery to remove the object from the dogs esophagus.
First of all, they will try to locate the foreign body. This is done by performing an x-ray as soon as possible. Treatment will be determined depending on a number of factors the vet will consider, including the nature of the object and overall health of the dog. Here are some of the most common treatments:
It is very important to consult the vet and not to medicate your pet with antidiarrheals, antiemetics or painkillers, because these will only hide the symptoms, not solve the problem.
Finally, it is important to emphasize the role of prevention. This is the best way to keep your dog from suffering the ordeal of something lodged in their throat. Although you cannot supervise your dog at all times, here are some ways to lessen the risk of your furry friend chocking: