Take a Class Resources Learn Pet First Aid First Aid for Dogs Dog Choking
Explore other programs:
Resources

  • How to Help a Dog Choking

    Woman helping a dog choking using abdominal thrusts.

    Signs your dog may be choking include anxiousness or acting frantic, dog stops breathing, gums may be blue or white, loud breathing sounds, pawing at the mouth, and struggling or gasping to breath.

      Use my location

    Learn lifesaving skills in just 35 minutes! Sign up for our online Cat and Dog First Aid Online course today.

    Emergency Steps

    1

    Open the mouth and pull the tongue forward; sweep inside with your finger to dislodge an object.

    • Be careful not to push an object farther into the throat and always use caution to avoid being bitten.
    2

    Perform 5 rapid abdominal thrusts, lifting inward and upward.

    • Stand behind or lift the dog with the spine against your chest; wrap your arms around the animal under the ribs.
    • Make a fist with one hand, place your other over your fist and give 5 rapid abdominal thrusts, lifting in an inward and upward motion.
    3

    If the object does not come out, suspend the dog by the hips with the head hanging down.

    • If the dog is too heavy to suspend, hold the animal's hind legs in the air like a wheelbarrow.
    4

    Use the palm of your hand to give 5 sharp blows to the dog's back between the shoulder blades.

    5

    Repeat until the object is dislodged. Check the dog's ABCs and begin CPR if needed.

    • Take the dog to a veterinary hospital immediately.
    • Even if you remove the object and your dog appears ok, always take your dog to the veterinarian.
    • Choking can lead to development of fluid in the lungs.

    Dog Choking FAQs

    What are the signs of choking?

    Signs your dog may be choking include:

    • Anxiousness or acting frantic
    • Dog stops breathing
    • Blue or white gums
    • Loud breathing sounds
    • Pawing at the mouth
    • Struggling or gasping to breath

    What are the most common causes of choking for dogs?

    Common causes include:

    • An ill dog choking on his vomit
    • An object stuck in the throat (e.g., toy or food)
    • Tongue swelling due to an allergic reaction
    • Trauma to the neck or throat

    What if the dog becomes unconscious?

    If the dog becomes unconscious, give 5 rescue breaths by covering and sealing a small dogs mouth and nose or a large dogs nose and gently exhaling until you see the dog's chest rise. Then give five abdominal thrusts before checking the mouth again.

    Continue rescue breathing as you go to the veterinarian. Start chest compressions if any concern that the heart may have stopped.

    What if my dog is large and too heavy to lift?

    You can give your dog abdominal thrusts (below the rib cage) while he lies on his side. You can lift your dog by just the hind legs to get the head to hang down.

    Download the FREE Red Cross Pet First Aid App

    Pet First Aid App. The free Pet First Aid App provides guidance on your pet's health, what to do in emergencies and how to include your pets in your preparedness plans.

    The American Red Cross Pet First Aid app puts veterinary advice for everyday emergencies in the palm of your hand. With videos, interactive quizzes, and simple step-by-step advice it’s never been easier to know pet first aid. Get the app and be prepared to act when called upon. iOS App, Google Play, or text "GETPET" to 90999.

    Help Save Pet Lives with an American Red Cross Pet First Aid Class

    Be prepared for any pet emergency! Sign up for our 35-minute Cat and Dog First Aid Online course. Learn the basics in caring for cats and dogs through a variety of topics – from understanding and checking your pet's vital signs, to preventative care for cats and dogs, to caring for the most critical emergency situations - including breathing and cardiac emergencies, wounds, bleeding, and seizures.

    Our pet first aid online course can be good for: Pet Owners, Pet Sitters, Dog Walkers, and Dog Trainers, Animal Shelter Staff & Volunteers, Groomers, Pet Retail Employees, Other Pet Care Providers, and more!

    Register Now!

    You love your pets and want to keep them happy - heart. Our Cat and Dog First Aid Online Training can help. Learn how to provide a healthy lifestyle and deliver first aid to your pet. Register today! American Red Cross

    Information Provided Deborah C. Mandell, BS, VMD

    Dr. Debbie Mandell

    Pet First Aid information provided by Dr. Debbie Mandell, Professor of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; American Red Cross National Pet Care Advisor for the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. Visit redcross.org/take-a-class/scientific-advisory-council to see how we work, members, sub councils, scientific reviews, and recent research.

    About Red Cross Training Services

    More than 4.6M people turn to us, the trusted training provider for First Aid, CPR, BLS and more, every year to gain lifesaving skills. Trust us to deliver unmatched lifesaving training that will provide you the confidence and skills to act when moments matter. Training Services is a division of the American Red Cross with the mission to spread knowledge and educate as many members of the national community in lifesaving procedures. Our services include training courses for CPR and AED, First Aid, BLS (Basic Life Support), Babysitting, Caregiving, Lifeguarding Water Safety, and more.