Surely on more than one occasion you have felt that your dog seems to be drowning. It can be left in a simple fright or even cause the death of our pet. It is very common, it can be due to a wide variety of causes. Although it is sometimes difficult to remain calm at this time, it is essential that they do so. Since dogs perceive our nervousness they can interpret it as that we are "angry" with them and make the situation worse.
In this post we are going to make a brief introduction of its causes to understand the situation more. And what can they do if they find themselves in these situations.
My dog won't stop coughing, my dog is choking
It is common that at the reception of a veterinary clinic they tell us "My dog won't stop coughing, my dog is drowning". At that time we know the symptoms but not the cause. That is why it is important to remember if your dog:
- Have recently eaten bones
- Have you tried a new snack or feed
- You have been to a specific and unusual place.
- Has played with an object or toy. You may have ingested some of it.
Many times our furry friends are faster than us and anyone has an oversight. It is important that they mention to the veterinary team if any new medications have been administered. Or if you have just been vaccinated.
My dog is choking has something in his throat
First of all, keep calm so that the dog does not get more nervous. In case you had something or food blocking your airway we will follow the following steps:
If you see what it is and it is easy to extract it, carefully from the side of the mouth we will try to remove it. If this is not possible, we will proceed to the Heimlich maneuver. Next, we are going to explain what it consists of:
The Heimlich maneuver
Raise the dog's hind legs and hold them between his legs. In this way, the dog is supported on its own front legs and with its head down. Then hug it below the diaphragm and push towards you and up. The object that obstructs the airways must be expelled by the force of the air.
Here is a video of a specialist in how to perform the Heimlich maneuver in dogs.
They may not be able to do so at the time. Or, if the problem persists, urgently go to the nearest veterinary center they have at that time. It is vitally important to act quickly at this time, so don't hesitate.
Allergic reaction
More and more dogs have allergies, both food and environmental. The reaction can be skin, gastrointestinal or even cause a anaphylactic shock. En el anaphylactic shock the dog's airways are closed, so it would be important that, while he urgently goes to the nearest veterinary center, the mouth-snout is performed.
Summer is here: help my dog is drowning!
With the arrival of the heat it is normal that we choose to go to leisure places where we can take a dip with our dog.
The bathrooms: beware of the pools, the sea and the rivers
In summer, going to the river, the beach or the pool at home is a good option for our dog to cool off. However, you have to be cautious in these situations.
Many people think that all dogs can swim. And far from being an innate quality it ends up becoming a situation of distress for your dog, if he cannot swim. Surely your beloved dog is more used to living in an apartment with all kinds of comforts. Where it apparently has no dangers, contrary to what would happen to it if it lived by itself in nature. So, in general, I would recommend that you do not lose sight of the dog, under no circumstances leave it alone.
The beach, be extremely cautious with undertows
Sea undertows can drag our dog out to sea. When trying to swim towards the shore, at the same time that the tide carries it inwards, the dog can become overwhelmed and end up losing strength to continue staying afloat.
A dip in the river, how to prevent my dog from drowning
Our furry ones can have a little easier to get out of the water. However, in rivers there are usually rocks and slippery areas. Either because of the moss or because there is mud.
The advice we give you to prevent your dog from drowning is to look for the lower areas of the river to let your dog bathe. In the low areas is where the water tends to have less speed, depth and slippery rocks since the river becomes wider and its walls less steep.
The pool, one of the most dangerous places
Many times they are thrown inside as if it were a game that calms their heat. But many times when they can't find a way out of it, they begin to swim in circles, to kick aimlessly, and to swallow water wildly. Until they get to the point where they run out, sink and drown.
Therefore, if the water level covers the dog, and there are no wide steps where the dog can exit, we can use ramps or special stairs for dogs (here you can buy).
Another good option to prevent the dog from drowning is to opt for life jackets for dogs (you can buy it here)
Heat stroke, one of the most striking symptoms is that the dog drowns
Dogs unlike us have very limited sweating capacity. The sweating mechanism is the most effective in releasing heat and lowering body temperature. While we sweat all over our body, dogs only sweat through their footpads and to a very limited extent.
What do dogs do to compensate for this?
They pant, in this way they release some body heat through their tongue, although very little part. This is why it is important that they do not exercise excessively at peak times.
All dogs can suffer a heatstroke sometime. Brachycephalic breeds (flat dogs) are more prone to heat stroke.
El heat stroke, technically called Hyperthermia, is an abnormal increase in body temperature. This occurs when the dog is subjected to high temperatures (inside a car, for example), in rooms with little or no ventilation, in places where shade is non-existent. Or, when the dog comes from cool or warm environments, it travels to excessively hot or tropical areas. Heatstroke can also occur when the dog performs intense physical exercise, being subjected to temperatures above 25ºC. Another situation is when the dog lacks fresh water to drink and triggers in a dehydration.
What to do if my dog suffers from heat stroke and drowns?
Before a heatstroke, the dog begins to pant excessively to the point that it appears to be choking. His gums will be very red and shiny, he may drool and vomit. You will find yourself dizzy, you may be disoriented or even pass out.
Brachycephalic dogs, the most prone to drowning problems
brachy means shortened and head means head, what we particularly call flat dogs. The general characteristics of these dogs is that they have a wide and short facial skull. By having shorter bones of the face and nose, the anatomy of other tissues has to adapt to a limited space.
Due to the peculiar morphology of the brachycephalices, it entails various anatomical and physiological problems. We will not go into more technical details. We will simply mention some of their symptoms in which they trigger:
they are prone to heat stroke, they do not tolerate physical exercise at all. They also often have difficulty swallowing, coughs, sneezes, collapses, cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the mucosa due to the low amount of oxygen in the blood).
In brachycephalic dogs we can include the Bulldog,Carlino, Boxer, boston terrier, Pekingese, Shar pei, King cavalier, Shih Tzu, For example.
That is why it is important to avoid stress in these dogs, since they are a dog that frequently suffocates.
Yorkshire terriers and tracheal collapse
The trachea is a tubular structure that connects the larynx with the bronchi. It is made up of C-shaped cartilages that are joined by ligaments, which give it a certain elasticity.
What is a tracheal collapse?
Tracheal cartilages are softer than normal. And they are less able to resist pressure changes, we can say that the trachea is crushed and loses its tubular shape. This makes it difficult for air to get in and out of the lungs normally.
It is a condition of congenital origin. It is usually suffered by small breeds, especially Yorkshire terrier, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Maltese Bichon, among others.
We mention it here because among its main symptoms is suffocation. So if you notice that your little dog chokes frequently, in addition, he presents a dry cough, nausea, panting, noise when breathing, difficulty breathing, go to your trusted veterinary center to rule out that it is a tracheal collapse. And if it is, the competent vet will see which treatment is best suited to your little friend.
Other diseases that can cause your dog to drown
We will mention above other conditions that can cause your dog to choke. These can be megaesophagus, hypothyroidism, overpressure, pneumonia, bronchitis, kennel cough.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
If your dog drowns, a cardiorespiratory arrest can occur. That is why we are going to tell you a little about what it is, how it is detected and what you can do.
What is CPR?
It is a method of action to try to recover our dog in the event that it suffers a cardiorespiratory arrest. That is why it does not hurt to recognize the symptoms and know how to act in the moment.
How to detect a cardiorespiratory arrest?
They have to perform what is called an ABC (airway-breathing-circulation) check
- Airways (Airway)Look for anything that may be obstructing the airways.
- Breathing: they have to observe if there are thoracic movements or not, if the dog's ribs go up and down.
- Circulation: If possible, feel that the dog has a pulse and heartbeat. To see if it has circulation, go to one of the hind legs and place your hand on the inner thigh. With this we intend to take the pulse in the femoral artery.
Below we are going to attach an explanatory video of how to perform CPR
We hope this information has been helpful to you. And you know, before any doubt or complication never hesitate to go to your veterinary center. The veterinary team are the ones who can really save your dog's life.