Dog often chokes 6 causes [2024] –

If dogs often choke, it is usually due to the dog's greed. However, under certain circumstances it can also indicate diseases of the trachea or larynx. Dogs with a short snout in particular suffer from this more often.

Choking occurs when water or food does not go down the esophagus but enters the trachea.

If your dog appears to be choking, you should take immediate action. Here you should perform the “Heimlich maneuver”.

To do this, stand over your dog and press on the upper abdomen, directly under the ribs. It can also sometimes help to hold the hind legs in the air. [1]

If, on the other hand, it is “just” a normal swallowing, then you can investigate the cause. Below you will learn about the 6 most common causes and their symptoms.

Are you worried or unsure? Then click here to start a live chat with a veterinarian.

#1 Dog's greed

By far the most common cause of choking is drinking or eating too quickly. This particularly affects greedy breeds such as Labrador Retrievers.

But in most cases you can also prevent this by dealing with the typical causes as a first step. This includes:

  • Drinking and eating breaks that are too long
  • Competition in food intake
  • Strong excitement
  • Fear that the food will be taken away
  • Dog is petted while eating [2]

When swallowed, food or water often gets into the trachea, causing the four-legged friend to choke or even start to cough. Proven solutions are here:

If problems occur frequently despite these measures, then the cause probably lies somewhere else. It is important to be proactive here. [3]

When greedy dogs wolf down their food or eat too quickly, they constantly choke. It is often triggered by competition with other pets. There are already great products that can prevent exactly this.

#2 Hypoplastic trachea

If the trachea is too narrow for genetic reasons or even developmental disorders, then doctors speak of a “hypoplastic trachea”.

This genetic abnormality is most commonly found in dogs with a flat face. Dog experts speak of the “brachycephalic breeds”. Examples of these are:

  • Bulldogs
  • Maltese
  • pug
  • Yorkshire Terriers
  • Pekingese [4]

Among other things, this can also lead to problems with the larynx, so that dogs often choke. Other typical symptoms include:

  • Loud breathing
  • Rapid exhaustion
  • Frequent coughing
  • Dog breathes quickly
  • Collapse on exertion
  • Regular pneumonia
  • Rattling breathing [5]

An ultrasound examination is usually carried out for diagnosis. However, treatment is carried out individually depending on the severity. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

If a dog's trachea does not develop properly at a young age or if it is too narrow for genetic reasons, this is usually noticeable. Among other things, it causes affected dogs to cough frequently and constantly choke when drinking.

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#3 Kennel cough

What is colloquially known as dog flu is usually called kennel cough by veterinarians. But the medical term is “infectious tracheobronchitis”.

In most cases, this inflammation of the trachea is caused by bacteria or viruses. Simply breathing in is sometimes enough. [6]

In addition, low temperatures, stress and irritants such as cigarette smoke can greatly increase the risk. Typical symptoms of kennel cough are:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Fever
  • Frequent swallowing
  • Gagging without vomiting
  • Strong cough
  • Runny nose
  • Lack of motivation [7]

It is important that you isolate your dog from other animals if you suspect something. Although the infection cannot be transmitted to humans, it can be transmitted to animals.

In most cases, no treatment is necessary and the symptoms disappear on their own within a few weeks. If necessary, antibiotics can also be used. [8]

If a dog's trachea becomes inflamed, it can also affect the larynx, among other things. In practice, it can usually be recognized by the fact that the affected four-legged friend coughs heavily, often chokes and generally appears listless.

#4 Swallowed foreign body

If larger objects get caught in the neck and throat area, it can quickly become life-threatening. Typical causes of this are:

  • Table tennis balls
  • Whole potatoes
  • Pieces of bone
  • Corn on the cob
  • Food packaging
  • Golf balls [9]

The most common signs are that the affected dog constantly chokes, has breathing problems or often chokes. Other symptoms include:

  • Frequent coughing
  • Dog rubs his mouth
  • Profuse salivation
  • Restless behavior
  • shortness of breath
  • Dog refuses food
  • Loud breathing [10]

With smaller foreign bodies, the problem sometimes solves itself. In some cases, it can be removed by the owner.

However, if breathing problems occur and the dog becomes increasingly restless, I recommend that you see the vet immediately. Otherwise there is a risk of suffocation.

If dogs accidentally swallow indigestible things or pieces of food that are too large, they can get stuck in their throats. Among other things, it can be recognized by a choking sensation, a cough, constant choking and restless behavior.

#5 Laryngeal paralysis

The larynx connects the pharynx with the windpipe. This means that it plays a key role not only in breathing, but also in drinking and eating.

The problem? In some dogs, the nerves in the larynx increasingly lose their function. According to statistics, the following breeds are most often affected by it:

  • Labrador retrievers
  • Irish Red Setters
  • Siberian Husky
  • Bull terriers
  • Bouvier des Flandres
  • Dalmatian [11]

The good thing is that this type of paralysis occurs very gradually and not suddenly. Over time, more and more of the typical symptoms appear:

  • Chronic cough
  • Constant choking
  • Fast breathing rate
  • Dog wheezes when breathing
  • Collapse on exertion
  • Bluish mucous membranes
  • Altered vocal pitch [12]

Medical treatment is not necessary in all cases. However, if breathing problems are severe, medication or surgical correction may be necessary.

If the dog's larynx becomes increasingly paralyzed and loses its functionality, this is often noticeable through problems with breathing, eating and drinking. It can usually be recognized by frequent choking and loud breathing.

#6 Tracheal collapse

Normally, in healthy dogs, the trachea is kept wide by a chain of cartilage. However, sometimes the trachea collapses for unknown reasons.

Here too, those dog breeds that have a short snout are usually affected – the brachycephalic breeds. Small specimens in particular are often affected by:

  • Shih Tzu
  • French bulldog
  • Maltese
  • Pekingese
  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
  • pug [13]

In practice, this usually results in breathing becoming increasingly rapid and the dog constantly choking while drinking. Other classic signs of this are:

  • Bluish mucous membranes
  • Frequent coughing
  • Dog is breathing heavily
  • Wheezing and rattling
  • Dog collapses [14]

An ultrasound examination is usually sufficient for diagnosis. In simple cases, medication may be sufficient. However, if you have shortness of breath, surgery may be necessary. [15]

Dogs with a tracheal collapse usually have increasing breathing problems and cough frequently. Under certain circumstances, such a collapse can also affect the larynx and lead to constant choking. It also occurs gradually.

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