# Swallowed ball



## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I know there was a thread recently about swallowing balls, etc. and I don't want to start a campaign for "not giving the dog a ball" but I read a thread in a German forum about a dog who found a ball with "nobbles" on it, raced back to the owner and, in excitement, swallowed the ball. The owner spent an hour, pushing the ball to one side to give him air but lost the battle. Although the dog was quiet in between, her hands and arms are now in plaster of paris and her fight was in vain.

My question is: if this does happen, what are the "first aid" measures??

I don't think this is something we should be totally scared of, but, if it happens, it would be good to know what to do.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Doggy Heimlich Maneuver.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Howard Knauf said:


> Doggy Heimlich Maneuver.


Yep, probably would only work on a complete obstruction, but I would try it on a partial airway obstruction if the dog was goin downhill fast.

I think it is best to choose a ball that is not to small for your dog, and then not to worry about it too much. A gazzilion random things can happen to a dog. More likely mine would choke on his dinner...gulper that he is...


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## todd pavlus (Apr 30, 2008)

Depends on how far down the throat it is, but I have read that you try and push it back up the throat from the outside. It may not work until the dog is unconscious,due to the panic state the dog is in, in which case you will have to give mouth to snout recucitation. [-o< Hopefully I willmnever have to find out if it really works.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Holy crap, something else to worry about now with 2 ball crazy dogs and a bunch of kids roaming in and out of my place.8-[


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## Alyssa Myracle (Aug 4, 2008)

Are nasal pharyngeal airways commercially available for dogs???


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

if it was lodged partially down the throat and could be shifted to allow access to the airway below the ball, i personally would try to find "something" to allow an intratracheal device of some sort to get an airway open on the way to the vet's office. "necessity is the mother of invention", and accessing the trachea isn't that difficult--but i've done it a LOT. 

and even then, at the training field, it could be interesting to find anything that'd work--anybody carry a trocar in their first-aid kits? i carry a pocket knife, but would need a tubular, hollow item of some sort (the old ball-point pen casing) to make the airway. and even THEN, don't know if there'd be enough air available to save the dog. 

nasty scenario...


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

As far as I recall - If it's lodged in the throat, it's worth a try to push it back up from the outside. It is easier to get leverage from out and below where the ball is lodged. It's almost impossible to pull it out through the mouth. I have no idea where I read that, a vet's account of a real-life situation. James Harriot, maybe.

If it went down to the stomach with no problems, I personally would try getting the dog to vomit first, and then if it doesn't come back up, vet trip. But - I'm no vet, just some practical experience with my own animals...


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Preventative measure - only allow the dog to play with ball-on-a-rope toys. If the ball gets stuck, pull it out with the rope. 

I know of a similar dog death story due to a tennis ball. After that, I put away all the tennis balls and other similar-sized balls. You can string a rope through a tennis ball too if you still want to use them for play.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Alyssa Myracle said:


> Are nasal pharyngeal airways commercially available for dogs???


Mmmmm, not sure, but I am not too confident that would work. 

Remember gravity in a situation like this as well guys......lift the dog, or have someone lift the dog by the hind end to cause the neck to go in a downward position while trying to massage the ball back out. 

My sisters shepherd did this once and thank goodness it was a ball with a hole in each end and when he swallowed it the holes were just right.....we just lifted his butt and worked the ball out according to the CPR for Pets class I took. Worked good, and the dog coughed for a few minutes after. 

What is funny now that was not then....the stupid ball had a bell in it so every time the ball moved a bit you could hear it dinging around.

Totally agree on using toys that are too big to swallow (like a decoy\\/ ) or that have a rope on them.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

but i love my chuck-it!!! what to do??


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Write the dumb ass off to natural selection. I have never seen it, and I have had too many ball crazy idiot dogs.........if it was all that possible, then it would have happened by now. I used to throw the ****ing ball at their heads for ****s sake, and never had this happen. Dog would have to be a complete idiot in my opinion. LOL


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

jeff, i'm not sucking up, but really, for pithy, "to-the-point" comments, you're in the top 20 on this forum


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Write the dumb ass off to natural selection. I have never seen it, and I have had too many ball crazy idiot dogs.........if it was all that possible, then it would have happened by now. I used to throw the ****ing ball at their heads for ****s sake, and never had this happen. Dog would have to be a complete idiot in my opinion. LOL


\\/ \\/ LOL \\/ \\/ 

My Lab falls into this category......he ran into the side of the pick up today....didn't even try to stop. 

Got his ball though =D> =D>


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## Ian Forbes (Oct 13, 2006)

Jeff, your experience of idiotic dogs is obviously limited (I think you have forgotten how dumb Rotts can be), because the mother of my bitch died this way.

I still use a ball for training, but I would recommend using a ball-on-a-rope/using a slightly larger ball/using a ball with holes in it, to minimise the risk.

Doggy Heimlich involves holding the dog upside down with it's spine against your stomach and giving a good heave. Never seen it done though.....:-o


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

It doesn't need an idiotic dog Jeff - things like this happen - no need to get up on your hind legs (if you can).

The dog in question found the ball on the field - died of the consequence.

It's just good to know that it could happen and how one could react.
NO BIG DEAL:-o


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

I think having a plan is a great idea! Other than not letting my dog play with small balls, I am not going to worry too much about it though. Heck I even let my dog play with STICKS around the water and I know it is not safe (especially the game my dog plays with them). Guess we are living on the edge 

Maybe Maren will post some good first aid tips. 
This is what I would do (not reccommending to others):

Dog choking, not moving air, conscious, non trauma, known obsturction (I know what the dog is choking on):

-look in dog's mouth, can I remove it? NO?
-stand over/straddle dog, clasp hands just under ribcage, begin thrusts in and up towards dogs head.
-possible also to try chest compressions, stand/straddle dog flat hand on either side of rib cage, compess like bellows. (hoping air in lungs will force obstruction out)

Nothing happening...dog will become unconscious:

Hopefully you have someone getting a vehicle and calling your vet telling them you are on your way....

-Lay dog to ground, open mouth look for object (may have dislodge as animal went down or animal relaxes )
-remove if seen and possible (might try to massage upwards from outside depending on object)
-extend the dog's airway/neck
-here I may try a breath to see if I could squeeze some air past the object now that the dog is passed out. Yes the object could be pushed in but the dog has had no air for sometime, worth the risk to me.
-air doesn't go in?
-back to abdominal or chest compressions. If it is a large dog and I was alone I would straddle the dog on its' back with neck extended and perform abdominal thrusts.

Now, interestingly my human first aid protocol in regards to unconscious airway obstructions has changed in the last couple of years. Instead of performing abdominal thrusts on an unconscious patient, we now do chest compressions. The thought its that chest compressions force air up the airway and can dislodge an object as can abdominal thrusts. However chest compression have the added bonus of circulating what ever oxiginated blood may be left in the system. They do not seem so concerned about doing compression on a heart that may still be beating as they seemed to be in the old days.

-so that said if I had no luck with my ab compressions and the dog was unconscious I may switch to doggy CPR.
-after each round of compressions check the mouth to see if object has moved and can be removed. I would try to see if I could get any air in after each round of compressions, after looking in the mouth as well.

If at any point the object was dislodged, start ABC's
Check airway clearance with inserting couple breaths
If they go in check for pulse and breathing...go to AR or CPR depending

Take dog to vet anyways as you may have done some internal damage to organs, have throat checked.


People talk of emergency thracheostomy, but with no real knowhow, shaving equipment, no proper surgical equipment and so on, by the time I got to that the dog would likely have brain damage anyways and I would rather let it go.


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