lovemesideways Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 So my OHs GSD was chewing on a small rubber ball. The kind you get from rebel sports,slightly smaller than a tennis ball. and he started choking. I pulled him from crate, screamed at OH that his dog was choking. Managed to pin Ricky (the GSD) and shoved my arm down his throat and got the ball most of the way out before he bit down on my wrist. Let go of ball cause of pain, and yelled at poor OH who was freaking out to grab it. By this stage ricky was frothing at the mouth and almost passed out. He managed to grab it and pull it the rest of the way out. OH is fine, Ricky is fine (THANK GOD!!!!) but my wrist has deep puncture marks and is possibly fractured. Im writing this for a few reasons. Frankly what happened was completely terrifying, if Ricky had been alone he would have died. If either OH or I had been alone I dont know if we could have saved him. I had no idea something like that would happen as I have been using these balls for quite a while (which will of course not be happening again!). So, What ways are there to get something from a dogs throat other than shoving your arm down there? I am more than willing to trade a broken bone and some missing flesh for the safety of my dogs. But I would like to know how else to help if the situation comes up again (which will hopefully Never happen) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolassesLass Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Scary stuff! Below is typed from "The Animal Emergency Centre of Brisbane, Guide to First Aid for your Pet" If the animal is conscious, open the mouth and try to remove the object. If you cannot see the object or remove it in this manner, the following procedures can be used.Large Dogs 1. Stand over the dog and raise dog onto hind legs 2. Place your arms around its stomach (just behind the ribcage) 3. Squeeze firmly up and forward 4. Check the animal's mouth and remove foreign body - if not already expelled OR 1. Suspend animal upside-down by hind legs 2. Administer a sharp punch to the abdomen just above the ribcage 3. Check the animal's mouth and remove foreign body - if not already expelled Small Dog or Cat 1. Hold animal upside-down by its hind legs 2. Gently shake and swing the animal then lie the animal on its side 3. Place on hand to support its back 4. With the other hand grab the animal's abdomen (just behind the ribs) 5. Squeeze sharply upwards and forwards, this forces air up the windpipe and helps dislodge foreign bodies 6. Check the animal's mouth and remove foreign body - if not already expelled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I have a friend who lost her GSD due to chocking on a tennis ball, absloutley nothing she could do, she tried everything and the dog dies in her arms, just heart breaking. Our head trainer at our obedience school tells owners of bigger dogs GSD, ROtt, Dobe size etc that if they are going to play fetch or let thier dogs play with balls to put the ball in a sock so that if it goes down to far you can grab the sock and pull it out. I have a lot of friends that still just use ball on its own. Scary stuff I hope your arm is ok and you get over the fright of it, what a terrible thing to have happen, lucky you were home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faolmor Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 You can also feel down the sides of the dog's throat on the outside. You should be able to feel where the blockage is, if it hasn't gone too far down. Simply push the ball back up and out of the dog's mouth from the outside, using upward pressure. This can be performed with the dog in any position, and doesn't require you to lift the dog into the air - especially if it is a large dog. I have seen this work. It is SO simple, providing you can feel the ball, but is just one of those things you don't think to do while panicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ish Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I've heard of far too many GSDs dying due to balls getting stuck, especially the solid rubber ones We don't have them at all here, just soft toys, size appropriate kongs, soccer balls, or the big Aussie dog toys. So glad you and your dog are ok, hope your arm heals quickly - bites are so painful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemesideways Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 thanks everyone for the replies, it is good to know all the things to try if this situation happens again(touch wood). Hard to reply as I have had some drugs for wrist pain but every reply and idea is appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katdogs Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 (edited) Not something I've had experience of, thankfully, but I've read that the 'safer' plan is to wait until the dog has passed out, no matter how hard that is, because you can then remove the obstruction quickly - but then again, maybe I read that about dogs that are choking by their collar, hanging off fences etc. Then do CPR (mainly just the PR bit, working on lungs and breathing for them) until they are breathing on their own or at the vet. I hope I'm never in that situation. ETA I'd probably do what you did, and end up in plaster because of it! Hope you feel better soon. Edited February 2, 2011 by Katdogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 the 'safer' plan is to wait until the dog has passed out, no matter how hard that is, because you can then remove the obstruction quickly *nods* i have done this .. once at work....the dog passed out, voided bowel/bladder .. ball was removed..dog was thumped on chest and given oxygen.. and survived with only some bruised ribs I was doing changeover with the day receptionist... no vet in the building, and a distraught couple with their big black GSD X banged on the door .. dog was frantic and frothing ..and I explained that we just had to wait... it was a horrible few minutes, and I was very worried ..but- it worked!! I CRINGE every time I see dogs jumping/catching tennis balls or small rubber balls . I tell people to put them in a sock.. or use a bigger ball or a frisbee . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karly101 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 As mentioned sometimes best to wait till the pass out and then work very quickly, much easier to do in vet practice with the support of oxygen and other drugs if needed. Once we had a dog chocking on a fragmented bone with part of it wedged in the teeth (so it couldn't go down only out), for that the vet quickly used a gag (which we have in clinic) and then could pull it out without fear of being bitten, possibly at home you could find something to wedge in the mouth so that they cannot clamp down on your arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Incidentally, one of my dogs was taught a "teeth" command to prevent him from biting vets when they looked at his teeth. Twice he has got something wedged across the top of his pallette that one of us has had to yank out and both times he went very still as soon as hands went to his mouth even without the cue because he has been so heavily conditioned to do that. I was amazed the training held even when he was obviously in distress. My other dog who has not had this training has also twice got something wedged across the top of his mouth and both times it took pinning him down to get it out. A two man job, preferably. I'm thinking it's a good idea to teach a dog a cue to hold still when their muzzle is handled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm thinking it's a good idea to teach a dog a cue to hold still when their muzzle is handled. When an animal is literally choking and oxygen starved- obeying commands like 'teeth' are not a high priority Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 The only one I have seen was a GSD and a tennis ball that had been skinned. He passed out and was going purple, vet put his hand down and popped it out, dog started breathing by it's self. Very very terrifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 If I can catch my dog when she's got contraband in her mouth, I push a bit of her lip over a tooth before I try to reach into her throat and grab things out. She's pretty good about that. It's the catching her bit that can be hard. I have also saved a horse's life after nearly killing it. I was dumb enough to feed it bits of apple and it was greedy enough to inhale them instead of chewing them up and swallowing - turned out his teeth needed filing but that's another story. Anyway he lay down to die - the bugger - and I felt along his throat and massaged the bits of apple back up until he was ok. And I made him stand up. And he was fine and I was freaked. I imagine I'd try that with a dog too. I think if you put a (big) stick or a shoe or something in a dog's mouth, if he clamped down, ideally he'd clamp on that first and not you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 A friend lost the end joint of a finger while trying to get a ball out of her dogs throat (dog caught the ball thrown for the smaller dog and not his own). Sadly the dog died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cointreau Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I nearly lost the tip of my left index finger when I got some bone out of my Great Dane girls mouth when I thought she was about to choke. She was fine I went to the hospital and had surgery and have a good functioning finger with greater sensation than the other fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim'sMum Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Scary stuff lovemysideways. I hope you are having antibiotics? Puncture wounds from a dog bite can get nasty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 The idea of waiting till the dog passes out is not the safest plan in my view. Firstly, unless you know without doubt that you can remove the object that is choking the dog quickly and easily, you are risking death. Secondly, if the dog has passed out, it means that oxygen is so low that damage to organs are about to occur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemesideways Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 I'm thinking it's a good idea to teach a dog a cue to hold still when their muzzle is handled. When an animal is literally choking and oxygen starved- obeying commands like 'teeth' are not a high priority I agree, expecting a dog to follow a command when they are panicking and choking to death is not something I would count on. And having a arm shoved down your throat is different to a hand inside your mouth. Scary stuff lovemysideways. I hope you are having antibiotics? Puncture wounds from a dog bite can get nasty. I got a tetnis shot. The puncture wounds are not bad, looks like Rick wasnt trying to bite down, just pulling away and trying to spit out my arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auto Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 lovemesideways i hope ricky is ok now and you are ok to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemesideways Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 lovemesideways i hope ricky is ok now and you are ok to. Ricky is ok we think, keeping a eye on him. I am fine, back to the doctor this arvo to see if it is fractured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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