FOREIGN OBJECTS IN THE MOUTH

Dogs often get objects stuck in their mouths because they have to chew and play with everything they pick up. The most common items are broken sticks or pieces of bone. Cats are less likely to have these problems, but like dogs, they can get parts of toys stuck in their teeth, string wrapped around the bases of their tongues or grass seeds penetrating their tongues or gums. Pets with longer fur might get painful burrs stuck in their mouths when they nibble out the foreign material that gets caught in their toes or coats.

A Pet with something caught in its mouth acts frantic. He shakes his head, paws at his mouth, drools, cries and races around. When the object cuts tissue, the saliva may be blood-tinged. Sometimes, the pet further injures himself by biting his tongue while trying to get rid of the object. Sometimes though, the only signs will be a reluctance to eat and bad breath. A foreign object in the mouth isn’t dangerous unless it blocks breathing,, but it can be painful and scary.

CALL A&NRD

If its left in place for longer than a day, it can cause infection. Some pets become so hysterical that they must be sedated before the object can be removed. Objects embedded in tissue need medical treatment.
You also need to call A&NRD if: you can’t remove the object yourself or if your pet won’t let you look in its mouth; your pet has injured his teeth, lips, tongue or the inside of his mouth; if there is a sting or sting like material caught or wrapped around the base of his tongue; if it appears that the object has been there for a while,(Your pet may have a poor appetite or worse breath than usual)the item may be embedded and A&NRD may have to remove it surgically. But often, first aid is all that’s needed to get rid of a foreign object in the mouth.

DO THIS NOW

Restrain your pet, A pet with something caught in his mouth will be understandably upset and may not hold still for you to help. You’ll need to carefully restrain him otherwise you may hurt him while trying to remove the object, and he may bite you.
For a cat or a small dog, grasp him with one hand by the loose skin of the neck and shoulders and gather the rear paws with your other hand. Gently stretch him out on one side on a table or counter top, then a second person can carefully open his mouth to look inside.
For a larger dog, kneel on the floor beside him and hug him to your chest with one arm reaching around his neck. Put your other arm under and around his chest. Have a second person examine his mouth.

OPEN HIS MOUTH

To open your pets mouth place one hand over his head and circle his muzzle with your thumb and middle fingers so the fingertips press his lips against his teeth just behind the long canine teeth. This will prompt your pet to open his mouth. Use your other hand to gently press down on the jaw and open his mouth wider. Never put your fingers between your dogs teeth to force him to open up.
You can sometimes remove a piece of feather or piece of toy with your fingers. If you can’t reach it, try using blunt tipped tweezers. You’ll probably need something stronger like needle nose pliers for bones or other larger objects.

FOR OTHER STICKS OR BONES

Dogs who play with sticks or chew long bones typically get sections wedged horizontally across the roof of the mouth between the upper molars. Sometimes a stick or bone gets caught vertically and levers the mouth wide open so that your pet can’t shut his jaws. You can use a dull butter knife or the handle of a spoon to pry the object off his teeth or the roof of his mouth.

FOR STRING OR RIBBON

For ribbon, tinsel or other string type material, check to see if any part of it has been swallowed, and if so, leave it for A&NRD to remove. Pulling string out of the throat could cut tissue deep inside and even kill a pet. However, if the material is loose in the mouth, remove it slowly and carefully. STOP if you feel any resistance and get to A&NRD RIGHT AWAY

FOLLOW –UP CARE

For any kind of injury to the mouth, you will be prescribed antibiotics. For dogs you can usually hide the medication in their food. Cats tend to take liquid antibiotics more easily than pills. Tilt your cat’s head back, fit a needleless syringe or eyedropper into her cheek at the corner of her mouth, and dribble in the medication. Hold her mouth closed until you see her swallow, then immediately offer her a tasty treat that she won’t refuse. Often, the cat forgets to try and spit out medicine while enjoying the treat.
If the inside of your pet’s mouth has been scraped, or if it has bitten its tongue or cheeks, it may need stitches inside its mouth. Usually absorbable sutures are used; these won’t need to be removed. (Check with A&NRD to see if these are available) but the mouth can be so sore that it will hurt your pet to eat its regular diet.
Pets should be fed a soft diet for several days, until the worst of the cuts have healed. Use your pet’s regular food and mix it with low fat, no salt chicken broth in the blender to make a watery gruel that’s easy to lap up.



FIRST ALERT- CHOKING

When a foreign object gets caught in the back of a pets mouth or throat, he will gag, retch and cough. He then becomes frantic when his air supply is cut off. Choking is a life-threatening emergency that needs immediate first aid.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

It can be nearly impossible to reach and grip objects stuck in a pet’s throat.
You can use a modified “HEIMLOCK MANOEUVRE ” to try to pop
the blockage out of the airway; Hold a cat or small dog like a human baby, with his head up, his hind legs swinging down, and his back against your stomach. Place your fist in the dip below the rib cage and use it to pull sharply inward and upward toward your chin. Repeat this two or three times quickly, then check to see if the object has been dislodged. Remove it if it has, If it hasn’t moved, you can continue this manoeuvre in the car as someone else drives you to A&NRD.

LARGER PET

For a larger pet, lay him on his side as you kneel behind him with your knees against his backbone. As you lean over him, place your fist in the dip below the ribcage and push sharply up and in toward the dogs head and your knees. Repeat two or three times quickly; Check to see if the object has come up, if so remove it. If not, continue the manoeuvre in the car as someone else drives you to A&NRD.