[April Bradford]

How to save your dog's life: The Heimlich Manoeuvre for Dogs​

We all know that dogs will pretty much chew on anything – bones, toys, shoes. But what do you do if your beloved pooch starts to choke on something they shouldn’t have eaten in the first place? A sudden choking fit in your dog may be easy to notice due to the symptoms, but it can be difficult to know what to do.

Here at the Seniors Discount Club, we understand how distressing it can be to see your furry friend in pain. That’s why we’ve put together this quick guide on what to do if your dog is choking, based on veterinary advice.

Signs Your Dog is Choking

At the first sign of choking, your dog will usually begin coughing in an attempt to force the object out. In some cases, your pooch may have a harder time breathing properly because of the blockage in their airways. Pawing at their mouth or head, and/or appearing panicked or frantic, are all other signs that your dog is choking.

In severe cases, a dog that is choking may even lose consciousness.

What to Do if Your Dog is Choking

If you notice any of the above signs that indicate your pet needs help, it is essential to take action immediately and not wait until you get them to the vet! Here are a few things you can try:

Check inside of your dog's mouth to see if any foreign objects are lodged there.

If there’s something visible but you can't remove it with your fingers, try performing the Heimlich manoeuvre (instructions below).

If there's a small bone lodged in their throat and you can't remove it yourself without causing further injury, get them straight to the vet.

How to save your dog's life: The Heimlich Manoeuvre for Dogs

The Heimlich Manoeuvre for dogs involves applying sudden and firm pressure on the abdomen from behind (for bigger dogs) or from underneath (for smaller breeds), which then forces any obstruction out of the airway so they can breathe again normally.

Depending on the size of your dog, there are two different methods:

The process is different depending on the size of your dog. Credit: First Aid for Life

1) For Smaller Dogs:

Carefully hold your pet on its back on your lap using both hands around its chest area just behind its front legs (like you would carry a baby). Then using one hand only apply quick upward thrusting abdominal compressions by pushing with an open palm against its abdomen right beneath where ribs end until you feel resistance 5 times consecutively.

You can then roll your dog back onto their side and check their mouth for the food or object that was causing the issue.

The process for larger dogs involves more of a wheelbarrow technique. Credit: First Aid for Life

We recommend you also watch the video below so you can be prepared for any situation:


2) For Medium & Large Dogs:

Place one arm across the top of the animal's back while placing another hand high up on the inside rear leg near thigh/buttocks area so that the thumb side of the hand faces the animal's underside OR place both arms around the entire body from behind like you would hug someone with arms crossed holding onto each elbow securely with opposite hand then make sure fist(s) formed by each hand(s) rests against sides of animal's ribcage close enough together but not touching then thrust both fists forward firmly several times consecutively until you feel resistance.

And for those with larger dogs:



While we never want to think about our pets being in this situation, it’s always best to be prepared. We hope this information was informative and we hope even more so that you never need to use it!