Our fur babies love to play with their toys, and they sometimes get too enthusiastic about them.
Most dogs tend to bite, swing them around, and give their toys a little throwdown.
Some nibble at them until that stuffed toy is ripped and the stuffing comes out, while others put the toy in their mouth and bite them for a long time.
However, it is possible that our pets would swallow the toys, even the big ones.
You might think that a ball or bone as a toy is 100% safe for dogs, but they can swallow these things, which could result in choking.
Anything smaller than their windpipe could be inhaled and ingested.
A 5-year-old German Shepherd named Clyde was rushed to the vet because of a choking emergency.
His owners rushed him to Travelers Rest Animal Hospital in South Carolina after he choked on a rubber toy while playing.
They could only hope for the best, as their poor pet could be seconds away from a worse fate.
Dr. Margaret Hunt immediately tended to Clyde and acted quickly on the situation.
She laid the German Shepherd on his back and straddled on top of him.
She made one gentle yet quick maneuver on his throat, and the ball swooped right out.
The team rejoiced, and even Clyde got up and walked away, happy to be out of danger.
The technique that Dr. Hunt used on Clyde was the XXT or External Extraction Technique.
This is almost similar to the Heimlich Maneuver, the emergency intervention we do when someone is choking, but this is much safer and more effective for choking dogs.
According to the Veterinary Information Network (Veterinary Partner), the XXT is the best intervention for complete or fatal airway obstruction caused by a ball or similar hazard, especially if the patient is unconscious.
So, how do you perform the XXT?
Place the dog on his back against the floor and straddle the dog.
Adjust yourself based on the dog’s size and ensure you are not sitting on or pushing any of its body parts.
You can also ask someone to assist you and hold the hind legs and another person to watch out for the head or mouth.
Position the head so that the airway is parallel to the floor.
Then, find and identify the trachea, the obstruction’s location, and the mandible and make an open diamond shape with your hands.
Your thumbs should be at both sides of the trachea below the object, and the rest of your fingers should grip the mandible or the V shape of the jawbone.
You may grab the dog’s lips or cheek to protect your fingers from biting.
Push the object down and out with a J-stroke until it comes out.
For unconscious dogs, try to touch or tap to ensure that the dog is unconscious before you do two rescue breaths.
If the dog remains unconscious, perform CPR.
Doing the XXT may sound easy, but if you’re not sure you can, it’s best to rush your dog to the nearest veterinary clinic.
Watch Dr. Hunt’s incredible rescue of Clyde in the video below.
