One of the Scariest Days of My Dad’s Life (And Why Every Dog Parent Should Know What To Do If A Dog Is Choking)
Hey, it’s Kodiak.
Today I want to tell you guys about something that happened to me that got really scary really fast.
One minute I was doing what dogs do best: exploring the backyard.
The next minute I couldn’t breathe.
Not cool.
See, I found part of an old toy outside. To me it looked pretty awesome.
Dogs don’t exactly inspect toys and read warning labels.
We see something interesting and think:
“Yep. Going in my mouth.”
So I chewed on it.
Then suddenly something felt wrong.
Really wrong.
I remember running toward my dad because I couldn’t get comfortable and I couldn’t breathe right.
I wasn’t barking.
I wasn’t playing.
I was panicking.
My dad knew something was very wrong immediately.
He picked me up and ran with me upstairs to the garage. We lived in the West Hollywood Hills, so even though our house was two stories, going upstairs actually meant heading toward the street.
Then came the longest ten-minute drive ever.
Humans say ten minutes isn’t long.
When you’re struggling to breathe?
Ten minutes feels like forever.
My dad drove me to the emergency vet, TrueCare for Pets in Studio City.
The people there were awesome.
It was like a scene from The Pitt (the emergency room show my dad watches).
My dad burst through the door carrying me screaming:
“My dog can’t breathe!”
They took me straight into the back immediately.
No waiting.
No paperwork first.
No “have a seat.”
Straight back.
My dad had to wait out in the waiting room where some people said he started crying, but my dad told me he just got something in both eyes.
A few minutes later the vet came out holding a little plastic bag.
Inside was part of the toy.
Apparently I had finally hacked it up.
My dad hugged the female vet and asked her to marry him.
She said thanks, but they didn’t really do anything. Apparently I was just finally able to cough up the piece of toy myself.
Once they finished checking me out, they brought me back to my dad.
I told him I was hungry.
He took me home and made me a steak.
Best ending ever.
Dogs Can Choke Too
A lot of humans don’t think about choking hazards with dogs, but we investigate the world with our mouths.
Common choking hazards include:
- Small toys or pieces of torn toys
- Tennis balls that break apart
- Bones that splinter
- Rawhide, pig ears, or certain chews
- Sticks
- Balls that are too small
- Parts of stuffed toys
- Rope toy strands
If a toy starts falling apart, retire it immediately. We’d rather keep breathing than keep a broken favorite toy.
Signs Your Dog May Be Choking
Watch for:
- Pawing at the mouth
- Gagging or making choking sounds
- Excessive drooling
- Difficulty breathing
- Panic or distress
- Blue or pale gums
- Suddenly acting scared or frantic
What To Do If Your Dog Is Choking
First: Stay as calm as you can. I know that’s hard when your dog is panicking, but it helps.
Step 1: Check the mouth
Gently open your dog’s mouth and look for a visible object. Only remove it if you can safely grab it with your fingers. Do NOT push your fingers deep into the throat — you could push the object farther down.
Step 2: If the object isn’t visible or can’t be removed
Perform the dog Heimlich maneuver while heading to the emergency vet (have someone else drive if possible).
- Stand behind your dog and wrap your arms around their belly, just behind the rib cage.
- Make a fist and give 5 quick upward and inward thrusts (toward the spine).
- Open the mouth and check if the object dislodged. Repeat if needed.
For small dogs, you can hold them with their back against your chest or lay them on their side.
Important: These are basic emergency steps. The best thing you can do is take a pet first aid and CPR class before an emergency happens.
Step 3: Get to the vet
Even if your dog coughs up the object and seems okay afterward, go to the vet. There can still be swelling, irritation, or damage in the throat.
The Moral of Today’s Story
Be careful what toys you give your dog. Throw away anything that gets damaged. Learn basic choking response techniques. And from one dog to another: please don’t eat random backyard treasure. Sometimes treasure isn’t treasure.
Blog at you later,
Kodiak 🐾
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About the Author
Kodiak is a member of The Cardiff Dog Pack, a storybook and animated series created by Kurtis Luke. Follow the adventures on YouTube or read the books on Amazon.
