Originally posted by maltsmom@Mar 17 2005, 08:29 AM
My vet suggested giving jack raw carrots as treats as he is overweight. I bought the baby carrots in a bag for him. Jack is a big boy so I never worried about choking. I was wrong, as he ate one last night he started choking. He scard the heck out of his dad and me. We really didn't know what to do so we just did what we did to our kids when they started choking. Patting him on the back, I tried to get it out. When he stopped choking, we saw it was just a little piece. I never would have though that he would coke on a piece that small. I will never give him carrots again. Is there a vegetable that is softer that he can eat? And is there a proper way to help them when they do choke? Any information is much appreciated. I want to be prepared if there is a next time. Plus I am getting a new furbaby next week who is going to be much smaller than jack. Thanks.
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Well, I can totally understand your concern. My first Maltese, Rosebud, was a gobbler... she ate her food sooooo fast. I gave her canned and I would cut it in to small pieces and then microwave it so it was fairly soft. But somehow she got choked. I was in the kitchen with her and she walked over to me and laid down on her back and was literally choking to death in front of me. Instintively I reached in her throat and I could feel the piece of food in there. My touching it must have knocked it loose. I was so freaked out over this. I took her to the vet right then and had him show me how to handle something like this. He had said the latest thought was not to try to dislodge by hand since it could cause it to be pushed farther down but things I read recently seem to disagree... so I'm not sure what the definitive answer on that is.
He did show me where to "hit" her to try to lodge it loose. It has been a long time and I probably need a refresher course.... I was in a panic from then on, every time she ate! I started giving her small portions one after the other to control the rate at which she ate.
I agree that carrots could cause choking. I think some foods can be more of a hazard than others and I prefer to choose those foods with less risk.... A little piece of apple, green beans, etc. I think are much less likely to cause choking than a hard piece of carrot.... maybe try steaming the carrot until it is soft......