Having a small dog is both good and bad in terms of choking. On the bad side, smaller dogs have smaller mouths and smaller throats, so it is easier for them to choke on smaller objects that would otherwise pass cleanly through a bigger dog’s throat. On the good side, since smaller dogs weigh less, it is easier to shake them and remove something that is dislodged in their throat. In today’s article, we are going to explain what steps you should take if you have a small dog that is choking.

How to help a choking small dog

The most important thing to do when a small dog is choking is to dislodge whatever is causing your small dog to choke in the first place. Below are the 3 best and quickest ways to help a choking small dog.

1. Observe your small dog’s mouth. Be careful to do this slowly, as you don’t want your dog to accidently bite you. Once your dog’s mouth is open, you should look and see if you can spot something dislodged in its throat. If so, you should go on to step number 2.
2. You should then hold your small dog by its back legs with its head facing the ground. You should gently shake your dog. This will help remove the object that is dislodged in your dog’s throat. If it still doesn’t come out, you should move on to step number 3.
3. Heimlich maneuver. To perform this on a small dog, pick him/her up and hug it with the dog’s back up against your chest. You should then make a fist, and continually press on and off your dog’s chest/belly. You should do this around 5 times until the object comes out of your small dog’s throat. 
4. If your dog is still choking at this point, you should call your vet immediately and ask for advice.

Ways to stop your dog from choking

While you can perform the above steps when your dog is choking, the best way to protect your dog from choking is by prevention. This means you should always keep an eye out for small objects in your dog’s environment. If you find something on the ground or somewhere your dog can reach, move it immediately. Additionally, if you see your dog is chewing on a small object, it is best to remove it from its mouth as soon as possible.