When your French Bulldog is choking, and you don’t know what to do, it’s a gut-wrenching experience to witness. Knowing when and how to respond to choking signs is an important part of being a responsible dog parent.
When your Frenchie is choking, the best thing you can do is to get them to the vet as soon as possible. However, there isn’t always time, or it might not be possible. You may need to perform the Heimlich maneuver on your dog in the worst-case scenario.
Find out how to do this below. You should also know what to do to prevent your French Bulldog from choking in the first place.
Signs Your French Bulldog Could Be Choking?
| Physical signs: You should inspect your French Bulldogs’ mouth for discolored lips or tongue. They may exhibit discoloration of their tongue and gums due to a decrease in oxygen flow. The obstruction of their airway may prevent them from making any noise if something is lodged in their throat. |
| Auditory signs: Your French Bulldog may be squeaking, whistling, or making high-pitched noises. The coughing may lead to gagging and light or heavy coughing. |
| Sensory signs: Watch for signs of anxiety or panic, such as pawing at the mouth, panting, walking, or having difficulty breathing. If your French Bulldog exhibits any of these signs, it may be choking. |
What to Do if Your French Bulldog is Choking?
Check your French Bulldog’s mouth and throat for any food or foreign objects lodged there. If you can see anything there, you should wipe it away with your finger to help your Frenchie breathe again. Open your French Bulldog’s mouth widely and pull the tongue to the side. Grip the tongue and move it out of the way with a cloth. You may be able to remove the object with this action.
As soon as possible, take your French Bulldog to the veterinarian or use the Heimlich maneuver, as described below, if you cannot move an object or piece of food.
Dogs can suffer injuries to their throat from bones. If you find a small bone lodged in your Frenchies’ throat, do not attempt to remove it. Ensure that you take your French Bulldog to the veterinarian as fast as possible so they can remove the bone while they are sedated.
Heimlich Maneuver For Your French Bulldogs
Put your arms around your French Bulldog, so they join at the abdomen if they are standing. Using your fists, thrust five times up and forward with a thrusting movement, just as you would with a human being.
The motion should dislodge the food or obstruction, but make sure to check your Frenchies mouth for the loose object and remove it to prevent him from choking or swallowing it again.
If your French Bulldog is lying on the floor, put one hand on its back and use the other hand to push or squeeze its abdomen upwards and forwards toward the spine. Then check their mouth for the offending object.
What To Do If Your French Bulldog Is Unconscious?
Clear your French Bulldog airways and revive them with rescue breathing in case of unconsciousness. Use the precautions described above to clean out his mouth of any dislodged objects. Artificial respiration and chest compressions are used to revive a dog who’s not breathing or doesn’t have a heartbeat. Whenever a dog’s heart stops beating or they stop breathing, their blood oxygen levels rapidly drop. When oxygen is not present in the body, vital organs such as the kidney, liver, and heart can fail. As soon as your French Bulldog is in danger, it’s crucial to act promptly and appropriately to prevent brain damage.
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What To Do After Your French Bulldog has Stopped Choking?
Regardless of whether or not you could remove the object from your French Bulldog’s throat and stop them from choking, you should contact a veterinarian immediately. Your Frenchies might require hospitalization if they were deprived of oxygen for an extended period.
Your French Bulldogs’ mouth and throat may become damaged by choking without immediately noticing. For your French Bulldog throat to be checked for damage, your vet may recommend a bronchoscopy.
Even if you remove the choking hazard with first aid, you should still have your French Bulldog examined by a veterinarian. A foreign object might have caused abrasions, or your Frenchie could have bitten its tongue or mouth interior. To prevent infection, reduce swelling, and relieve pain, you might have to give your French Bulldog medication for these injuries.
Other Causes Of Choking For French Bulldogs?
Choke tends to be viewed as a physical blockage, but other causes can prevent air from entering the lungs of your French Bulldog. Among them are:
| Your French Bulldog could be suffering from anaphylactic reactions that cause their throats to close, resulting in a complete choke. Find Out More! |
| The swelling caused by bee or wasp stings on the tongue or back of the mouth can cause the throat to close over without any allergic reaction or visible foreign bodies. Find Out More! |
How To Prevent Your French Bulldog Chocking In The Future
Ensure to avoid any potential choking hazards that could cause your French Bulldog to choke in the future. As with human food, dog food is generally formulated with the dog’s size in mind, but if you own both a big and your French Bulldog, your French Bulldog might choke if they have access to large breed food. This may mean that their feeding stations should be separated until you know your Frenchie will not eat the other’s food.
However, the risk of choking on food remains – think of the last time you accidentally ate something that lodged in your throat. Therefore, monitoring your French Bulldog while he is eating is a good idea. Ensure that anything your Frenchie can choke on other than food is cleaned up as well. You should ensure that toys for babies and children are put away so that your French Bulldog won’t choke on them. It is important to choose sturdy dog toys that won’t splinter and end up lodged in your Frenchies’ throats.
Conclusion
It’s scary to see your dog choking, but you can keep your dog safe and healthy by recognizing the signs and knowing what to do.