I am still so upset about this...our dog (Jack) has always been quick to jump on food when it falls on the floor, but we are usually a little faster than him. However, last night, when a piece of cartilage from a spare rib fell, we weren't fast enough. He swallowed it whole and started choking. The choking was so bad that he actually fell over because he couldn't breath.
Finally he passed it through his throat (seemed like forever, but was probably only a second) and I called our vet. Thank God they were open, it was 7:30 last night. We rushed him over there and they did an x-ray. Found out that the cartilage was wedged in his esophagus, so we had to rush him down to the emergency vet. We immediately got in the car and drove down to the emergency vet (during the entire road all he did was gasp for air, gag and throw up). They immediately took him in when we got there.
When the vet came out to talk to us, she advised us that his breathing was starting to get worse and that they had to either remove the object from his esophagus or push it through to his stomach. At this point, DH & I were freaking out...I couldn't stop crying and he couldn't do anything but pace...
So, we told them, whatever it took, please do it! They brought him into us so we could give him a kiss and immediately took him into surgery. And, the waiting began...almost 2 hours later this wonderful vet comes out with a plastic baggie of which the contents were the piece of cartilage Jack had swallowed! it was bigger than a 1/2 dollar and it was about 1/2 an inch thick!!! How my little Minature Pincher swallowed that, I will never know!!!!
We called and checked on him this morning and he is doing well and has already been out for a walk and has gone to the bathroom. They are going to do an endoscopy this morning to make sure that there is no swelling in his esophagus and we should be able to pick him up.
I am still crying just thinking about my poor little baby, sitting in a vet's office wondering where his mommy & daddy are!!! By the way...no more spare ribs will ever be served in my house!!! ever!!!!
thanks for listening!!!
Finally he passed it through his throat (seemed like forever, but was probably only a second) and I called our vet. Thank God they were open, it was 7:30 last night. We rushed him over there and they did an x-ray. Found out that the cartilage was wedged in his esophagus, so we had to rush him down to the emergency vet. We immediately got in the car and drove down to the emergency vet (during the entire road all he did was gasp for air, gag and throw up). They immediately took him in when we got there.
When the vet came out to talk to us, she advised us that his breathing was starting to get worse and that they had to either remove the object from his esophagus or push it through to his stomach. At this point, DH & I were freaking out...I couldn't stop crying and he couldn't do anything but pace...
So, we told them, whatever it took, please do it! They brought him into us so we could give him a kiss and immediately took him into surgery. And, the waiting began...almost 2 hours later this wonderful vet comes out with a plastic baggie of which the contents were the piece of cartilage Jack had swallowed! it was bigger than a 1/2 dollar and it was about 1/2 an inch thick!!! How my little Minature Pincher swallowed that, I will never know!!!!
We called and checked on him this morning and he is doing well and has already been out for a walk and has gone to the bathroom. They are going to do an endoscopy this morning to make sure that there is no swelling in his esophagus and we should be able to pick him up.
I am still crying just thinking about my poor little baby, sitting in a vet's office wondering where his mommy & daddy are!!! By the way...no more spare ribs will ever be served in my house!!! ever!!!!
thanks for listening!!!
that he makes a speedy recovery!!
What a scary thing. Thank goodness you reacted so quickly.
