Thinking about emergencies is the last thing anyone wants to do, but being a responsible dog parent or groomer means you have to be prepared for unforeseen events that you hope won’t. never happen. And because dogs tend to chew and eat random things, choking isn’t unusual. But do you know what to do in case your dog chokes?
Like her veterinary colleagues, Dr. Kristie Williams of West Hills Animal Hospital of Long Island, New York, wants you to be prepared if your dog chokes. Because an interview with Inside Editionshe shows dog parents how to use XXT or external extraction techniques to save dogs from suffocating to death.
How to save your dog from choking
While chewing on toys or other materials can cause choking in dogs, accidental accidents can also lead to airway obstruction. Take the Hansel two-year-old Pit Bull mix, for example. Hansel and her parents, Kelly Skinner and her fiancé, were playing catch with a regular ball when the ball suddenly caught the dog’s throat.
“He started going green,” Kelly told Inside Edition. “There was a time when I thought he was going to die.”
Hansel’s parents rushed him to the West Hills, where Dr. Williams and her team met them and made a quick move that sent the ball out of Hansel’s throat. She told Inside Edition that the notable move is something she learned from a training video.
“The term coined for this is the external extraction technique and it is essentially a similar Heimlich type,” explains Dr. Williams.
This simple technique can save lives and Dr. Williams wants all dog parents to learn how to do the XXT technique.
This is How to perform external tooth extraction technique If your dog is choking:
- Place the unconscious dog on its back. Their backs hit the floor. Erection dog. Position the head to straighten the airway.
- Identify trachea (ringed tube), balloon position, and mandible (v-shaped jawbone). Create an open diamond shape with your hands.
- Place your thumbs on either side of the windpipe underneath the ball or object. Grip the “V” of the jaw using your lips/cheeks to protect your fingers.
- Push the ball in a J pattern down and out until the ball comes out of your mouth.
Keep an eye on your dog and their toys
But don’t let this story stop you and your kids from playing with balls. Dr. Williams just wants you to keep safety in mind when it comes to toys, explaining: “I think no matter what you do with your animal, you just have to be smart and safe with it.”
By the way, just twenty minutes before Hansel’s emergency arrival, Dr. Williams had to use the same technique to save a choking Doberman. And thanks to Dr. Williams’ quick action, both dogs are alive and well to this day.
RELATED: 11 Must-Know Emergency Dog First Aid Procedures
Featured pictures: Inside version/YouTube
