Harvey choking

Just had the biggest fright of my life. I was fixing my hair in the mirror and Harvey was in the same room and all morning he's been chewing on a rawhide bone, i dont give him these often but i had one in the cupboard so i thought i'd treat him, i was so wrong when he gets to the end of the bone he makes it all soft and tries to swallow it whole and he done this and i heard him whimper and i grabbed him he was he choking in real distress going round and round in circles and doing a wee cry and sounded like he was trying to be sick and i was screaming hysterics the whole family came in and there was 5 of us trying to help him i had my hand right done his throat i couldnt feel anything and my brother was trying to thrust under his ribcage but nothing came and it was so scary i just kept thinking it only takes a few minutes for them to die if they are choking, i cant help but panic the tears were streaming he pulled away from us and he seemed ok as if he'd swallowed it he drank loads of water and seems ok now but my legs are still shaking now i am never giving him a rawhide again i really thought i was gonna lose him

I've been there myself, so I know how scarey it is. I used to have to leave the room when they were down to that last bit!!! Soooooo glad all turned out well, but what a real scare for the whole family!!!

I stopped giving mine anything like that, but I have recently started to give mine a pig's ear now and again, in the hope that they're ok? Don't know, it might be a bit risky, coz quite honestly I just wouldn't know what to do if he chocked.

Can anyone offer some advice on choking perhaps on this thread, coz it would be very helpful to know I think? I wouldn't have thought the fingers down the throat would have been a good idea, but the thrusting under the ribs yes? Don't know, but I'd like to know!!!

Yep I had this a few days ago- she kept gagging like something was stuck I stroked her under her throat and she calmed down- I think she swallowed whatever it was.....pretty scary...

ok in this book i've got it says this about choking:-
Open your dogs mouth and pull the tongue forward.
See if you can reach the obstruction with fingers or foceps.
Place dog on its side.
using both hands, press the abdomen below the ribcage with a firm upward thrust.
Repeat until the dog expels object or you can extract with your fingers or foceps.
Give artificial respiration if breathing has stopped.

This is what i was kinda going by, well trying to.

Thanks Tori, and you did very, very well doing what you did!

Thanks but i just wish i could try and stay calmer in these situations i just lose it, thank goodness for my brother though he stayed calm and controlled.

Yes but it's difficult when the dog is also in a state isn't it, I'd have been just like you, but probably worse!! Like I said, if my dog makes a noise eating one, I immediately have to leave the room and leave my Dave to face any problems!!! I'd make matters worse in a situation like that, I'm the panicky type!

Blimey, I've never had this with any of mine and they all have a rawhide on the go most of the time! I will definately be keeping an eye on them with these!!! Thanks for this thread, I didn't realise problems with these were so common

I hate anything rawhide and refuse to give it, over the years I had a few dogs who got into difficultys with the stuff. I havn't let my dogs have it for over 10yrs now and never will again. I think the stuff should come with a health warning.

Yep I stopped giving rawhide chews when I nearly lost my first dog to choking on one! His neck swelled up so much I had to actually loosen his collar and I don't have tight collars on my dogs, very very worried I was.
Becky