At Your Pets' Service

30/11/2025

All the best John! Such a good cause Hounds 'n' Harmony 💝

Help Jonathan Brown raise money to support Zoe's Place Baby Hospice Coventry

29/11/2025

"Prevention is better than cure", some wise words by Hounds 'n' Harmony. Thank you! Please share this post for awareness and stay safe during the festive season 🎄

Christmas is a wonderfully exciting time of year, but with party games, cracker toys, and all the festive fun, it’s surprisingly easy for little items to end up on the floor. If you have a young dog around, these items can quickly turn into potential choking hazards, so it’s helpful to know what to do if things take a stressful turn.

While choking can certainly look alarming, it’s often not as serious as it appears. Animals are remarkably good at clearing minor obstructions on their own, so the first step is to give them a bit of time and space to sort themselves out. However, if your dog is clearly struggling, it’s time to step in. Start by looking down their throat, which is easier said than done of course! If you can see the object and it looks safe and simple enough to remove, go ahead and gently pull it out. But if you can’t see it, or it’s too far back to reach, avoid putting your fingers down their throat. You could accidentally push the item further down or end up with an unintended nip.

If the blockage is caused by something like a ball, you can try applying firm, upward pressure on their throat to help pop it out. This technique is often very effective. Should your dog become unresponsive, you may need to begin chest compressions, which can help force air out of the lungs and dislodge the object. The PDSA offers an excellent step-by-step flow chart on CPR for dogs and puppies, which is well worth familiarising yourself with.

No matter how the incident plays out, it’s essential to take your dog to the vet for a check-up, even if your dog appears to be back to normal, as both the object and the intervention can sometimes cause internal injury.

As always, prevention is better than cure! A little extra vigilance during the festive season goes a long way to keeping everyone safe and the celebrations joyful.

24/09/2025

What an interesting topic, check out Hounds 'n' Harmony page for more tips and knowledge 🐾

25/08/2025

Aren't these the wisest words? 😂