We never want anything bad to happen to our pets, but we should also be as prepared as we can to respond if something does. This will come as no surprise to anyone reading this, but dogs will often try to eat things that are not food.

Sometimes these items can be serious choking hazards as well.

Balls, dog toys, and many other items could get lodged in your dog’s throat, and it is good to know the best way to respond if this happens.

Oprah Winfrey loses her dog to a choking incident.

In 2007, Oprah Winfrey revealed that she lost Gracie, her Golden Retriever, after she choked on a plastic ball. Something this tragic could happen to anyone’s pet.

A woman by the name of Tiffany S’kalas posted to Facebook about a similar situation as well. In her video, two dogs found themselves in near-death situations as they choked on toy balls.

Thankfully, both dogs were saved by a technique used by Dr. Kristie Williams.

Learn the techniques to save your pet from choking.

There are several ways to remove an item from your dog’s mouth. If you can simply reach inside and pull it out, that is the easiest.

If the situation has become more dire, however, there are more complicated and invasive techniques that you can learn to save your pet’s life.

A safe and effective maneuver is called the external extraction technique or XXT. It’s something all dog owners should know in case their beloved pet is choking and their airways have become completely blocked.

Place the dog on his back.

If the dog has fallen unconscious, place them on its back. Keep them in position by bracing their back against the floor. Now, you want to straddle your dog.

You will want to adjust your position as best you can based on the size of your dog. Tilt your dog’s head back so that it is closer to the floor and their airway is laying parallel to the ground.

Identify important landmarks.

It’s important to know where everything is. Note where the ball has become lodged, and where your dog’s trachea and mandible are located.

Your dog’s trachea can be identified as the ringed tube that connects the lungs and the throat. The mandible is your dog’s inverted v-shaped jawbone.

Next, you will want to put your hands in a v-shape with your thumbs on either side of your dog’s trachea and below the lodged ball.

Use your index and middle finger to press against your dog’s lips or cheeks to secure their mouth and head.

Use your thumbs to push the ball out.

Following a J-stroke pattern, use your thumbs to push the ball out of your dog’s mouth.

This maneuver should only be used on dogs who have fully obstructed airways. If the dog is still conscious, they are likely to bite, squirm and snap back at you.

Avoid purchasing potential choking hazards.

The best way to ensure you never have to use this technique is to be careful with the toys you purchase for your dogs and allow them to play with. The size of a safe ball or toy will depend on the size of your dog.

Learn more about this life-saving technique in the video below.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: Facebook – Shels Sharma/Facebook – Tiffany S’kalas/People/Veterinary Partner