Caelan is a snuggler. He was sitting right next to me last night, as in glued to my side, chewing on a bone. I watch the boys when they have bones because Taren is a power chewer and can break big pieces off. I am always afraid he is going to choke. Caelan is not near as interested in chewing on bones, he is more interested in the rest of the house, and doesn't break off the large pieces like Taren. Except last night, when he must have broke off a larger, or odd piece.
Taren was standing in front of me, and I was telling him he is the best dog EVER, besides Caelan, and yours, and yours, of course. =0) I heard Caelan make an odd sound, and I turned to look and he was swallowing hard, over and over. I knew it was going to be bad and it was. I started rubbing his throat to see if I could feel an obstruction and help him ease it down. When that did not work, the fear began to set in.
I tell my husband to pick him up and hang him upside down so we could help dislodge the bone. I think my husband thought I was nuts and half hearted tried to comply. Caelan is a big dog. He is above standard in height and weight. Much larger than Taren, and it was not working. Your mind takes you places you do not want to go, and you realize very quickly your dog may die in your living room. I mentally think about the phone number to the E-Vet that I keep in an emergency file on my computer. It dawns on me that I could call, but it would be far too late and that how all this unfolds will be up to my husband and I. My inner mind is running around in circles, flapping it's hands, all the while shrieking and having an epic meltdown. My calm self races upstairs and Googles- dog Heimlich Maneuver, while my husband tries to help Caelan.
I yell down the stairs to pick him up by his back torso, legs off the ground, and shake him to help dislodge the bone. I keep reading, and I am thinking, please, please, please..... do not let this dog die, because I seriously can't do this right now. Can't do this, can't do this, can't do this....
I run down the stairs and try to do the maneuver, afraid to do it, afraid not to do it, afraid I am doing it wrong. It is not helping and Caelan is struggling to swallow. I do not know if he is breathing or not, and I think how much I love this dog, and I have never felt so helpless in my entire life, and please just let this work. You are in a dark place and it's not good. I tell my husband to run up and read about the Heimlich himself, as he is working to dislodge the bone. Then K-K opens his mouth the tongue pops out and you can hear him breathe. He is still swallowing hard, but you are pretty sure it is going to be okay, he is going to be okay.
He trots over and drinks a bunch of water, and I point a moth out to him and he goes in for the kill and sweet relief courses though my entire body. You have your dog back, long may he and his home wrecking ways live. I on the other hand, feel on the verge of a heart attack, so awful. He continues to swallow hard on and off, and I watch him intently, but I know its over. We go to bed, and he snuggles up tight against me, like he does every night, and I am so thankful he is. Every time he makes a move I am watching and listening in the dark. He finally drifts off to sleep and I have a bit of a good cry, for the love of a dog.
Today he is fine, I am not so sure I am though. I am throwing away all the bones that these pieces break off from. Taren will not be happy. I cannot go through this again, I do not want my dogs to go through this, so we will need to find some new chewers. I do not believe it was a large piece that broke off, just an odd angle. I think K-K just swallowed wrong and it got stuck.
Here is the link to the information I used. I encourage you to read about the Heimlich for dogs and watch the videos that are available on YouTube.
Heimlich Maneuver
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