Liam scared me Sunday

I fed the three on Sunday morning as usual, adding some what I thought were smaller chunks of pineapple which they enjoy. I went, washed my hair, came back to the kitchen, and noticed Liam in the bathroom off the kitchen. I though he was licking something off the floor, but Emma was standing too close to him and her attitude clearly shouted something was definitely wrong with Liam. I went to check - he was vomiting up foamy, slimy phlegm. Apparently, my food gulper swallowed the chunk of pineapple whole and got it stuck in his throat. He was trying so hard to get it out. I knew there was no way to get to the Emerge vet 45 minutes away. I started tapping on his abdomen just below the rib cage, in the area of a Heimlich maneuver. A few good taps and up came the pineapple. I was so relieved - this is the boy I almost lost in May 2012 to a bowel obstruction, and he is so dear to my heart.

All I can say - be careful with the raw food and the size of it and learn to do the Heimlich maneuver on your dogs.

 

I had to learn to be - Mom collapsed in front of me and passed away. The last six months Dad was alive, he collapsed about four or five times. I learned to deal with the emergencies as they came.

I am glad that sharing my story of Liam has helped raise awareness of learning how to do the Heimlich on dogs. We never know what we will face in life - just so happy my boy was okay.