My dog inhaled some object (possible pizza crust, I think) last night. No idea what, but it is either caught in his airway right before his lungs or actually in the lungs. He spent about 4 hours last night hacking and coughing and throwing up but that didn't work. He finally figured out how to take shallow breaths around midnight last night and yawns all the time now but at least he's still breathing.

Is there anything I can do for him besides put him down? I suppose there's no hiemlich manuever for dogs is there? Would that even work in this situation? I understand any advice would be guess work but right now the only options are guess work, a gun, or a 2 hour drive to a specialist and a lot of money (which I don't have).

Thanks in advance, even if you can't give anything but well wishes.

 

My thoughts are with you and your dog. I know how agonizing it can be to sit and watch your dog struggle and you feel just about helpless 'cause you aren't sure what to do. I hope it all works out....let me know.

I'm sure you have already.....contact your "local" vet clinic or any you can make contact with...explain your dire situation and the long distance issue and maybe they can come with a solution for you over the phone or by email?

Or how about contacting your nearest S.P.C.A. Explain your situation and go from there. They have vets on staff and transportation available. Maybe they would treat your dog for no-fee or reduced fee considering the circumstances?

 

Perhaps you could attempt an emergency rescue. I might duct tape a 1" or 3/4" tube to the end of a vacuum cleaner and try to suck the object back out. There may be problems with this idea but could they be much worse than a fatal gunshot? Call the vet and ask them what to do! Good luck!

 

If his hacking and coughing wasnt enough to dislodge whatever is in his airway I doubt you will be able to do anything to get it out. Would be a diffirent story if it was stuck in his throat cause than you could either get him to finish swallowing it some kind of way or massage it back up or get him to gag it back up but being that it is in his airway, it HAS to come back out, and if him coughing and what not didnt bring it back up he will need to see a vet. As far as expense versus gunshot depends on how much he means to you. Not trying to sound cruel, just stating the obvious. Good Luck, my thoughts are with the both of you.

 

Well, I'm back from church and he's still alive. Thankful for that.

Thanks for the responses. Appreciate it. He seems to be moving around and much more social but that cough is still there if he does more then walk slowly (breath deeply). I'm hoping that could just be irritated lungs and whatever the object was it would be gone. Right now it's a wait and see kind of thing.

 

I would go see a VET. They will either x-ray it or ultrasound it. They may also check lung function. I would visit a vet as soon as practical.

 

You've got to be kidding... Your dog is about to suffocate and you go to church? You have no concern for him?
Why don't you get that animal to a vet ASAP? Sheeesh

 

Yes, that did sound irresponsible. But it wasn't. There was nothing more for me to do and he was finally sleeping after being awake half the night wheezing, and me watching him. By 9:30 this morning he was sleeping soundly with only some minor wheezing during his dreams.
I neglected to mention that I had already phoned the vet around 2 AM and he said pretty much what bigdaddy said and there was nothing he could do except recommend to wait and see what happens and bringing the dog in was not going to help. He's allowed to be blunt because it was 2 AM.

I figured it would not hurt to ask for more opinions on here and by the time I got back from church, having skipped sunday school, I hoped there would be replies. There is no real local SPCA available and as for expense... it's not even there for myself, let alone my dog who i treat as family.

 

I have several dogs. Our vet will let us make payments when we have an emergency. Can't hurt to ask. We lost a dog a while ago but he spent his last 3 days at the vets with an IV. Vet let me write 3 post dated checks. Hope things turn out all right for you and your dog. Know what it's like to not have the money to take care of things like this.

 

Give me your digits, I'll put you in touch with my sister in law, a good vet. I'll send them via PM. You can PM ne ALL the details and she will get them.

 

first off force his mouth open and put 2 of your fingers down his mouth as deep as you can in a hooked shape and see if you can hook it with the fingers and pull it up and out .if not get that animal into a car and go to a vet like you should have last night. they all take plastic now.

 

This is cruel to the dog, get it to a vet now, as a pet owner it is your responsibility to insure good care, you say it is part of the family THEN treat it like one!!!! Get it to the vet.

Just so you know if you went before a judge on animal cruelity charges ,and you told him you could not afford to take him to a vet he would tell that you should not have a pet in the first place.

Now get the dog taken of , find a vet that will work with you.

 

your dog is like a son or daughter, would you let one of your children suffer like that? I should hope not. get yourself away from the computer, and go take that poor guy to the vet! NOW. I know you love him/her like a child, so go take care of them.

 

Hey all,

I'm a dog lover as much as any of you. I can't stand to see any animal in distress....been through it before....but the vet did give him the best advice he could for taking care of the dog so lets just wait and see what happens. I hope DCF4x4 was able to get in touch with a vet through IrishEKU.

Lets lay off the guy....he doesn't need people critizing him for his actions as it will only increase his stress level which will do no good for him or his dog.

Edit:Added parents opinion and experience

I was curious about my parents opinion who've been dog owners for 40 years and they concurred. They've been in the situation before and had to make some tough decisions. DCF4x4 is doing as best he can and the vet advised him to take this course of action.

 

Whoa, this is my fault. I gave you the impression that the dog was actually dying. That was not the case and I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. About 2 this afternoon the dog started to make an improvement with his heavier breathing. Just about that time the vet called to check in and I described what was going on and he suggested that it may not have been a true obstruction but maybe some sort of allergic reaction, of which the dog has quite a few that the vet has helped me discover last year. It was suggested that a half capsule of benydral be given and to see what affect that had. The dog made serious improvements with in an hour or so and now appears to be 100%. He then reminded me that he had suggested I wait and see (probably in refernece to the 3 pages I sent him around 7:00 AM).

I don't really appreciate some of the implications people made but I suppose I brought that on myself in the wording I used. The dog was being taken care of according to the VETS' INSTRUCTIONS. I was simply looking for a way to ease his breathing or even a cure and so I provided the same info I gave the vet thinking someone might have some home-made remedy for a similiar situation.

I do apologize for the miscommunication.