Is Your Pet Choking or Just Coughing? How to Tell the Difference

In Animal Health, cat first aid, Cats, Dog Behavior, Dog CPR, Dogs, pet care professional, Pet First Aid, Pet Safety, Uncategorized, veterinarian by Cara Armour

By Arden Moore

When it comes to keeping pets safe, you need more than just your eyes and hands—you also need your ears.

Each year, more than 200,000 dogs and cats die from choking (American Veterinary Medical Association). Tragically, many of these emergencies are preventable.

As a master-certified pet first aid and CPR instructor, and director of education for the Pro Pet Hero Instructor Program, I’ve made it my mission to help pet parents and pet professionals recognize choking, respond quickly, and save lives.

Choking vs. Coughing in Pets

The first step is knowing whether your pet is truly choking—or just coughing.

  • Coughing: If you hear a harsh or hacking cough, it means air is still moving into the lungs. Causes can range from allergies to infections, but the airway is not fully blocked.

  • Choking: If something is obstructing the trachea (upper airway), your pet may make gasping, wheezing, or stridor sounds on the inhale. This is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate action.

Signs of Choking in Dogs and Cats:

  • Gagging or retching sounds

  • High-pitched whistling or wheezing noises

  • Drooling excessively

  • Pawing at the mouth

  • Gums turning blue or pale from lack of oxygen

  • Collapse

How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver on Pets

In a choking emergency, you’ll need to perform abdominal thrusts—commonly known as the Heimlich maneuver for pets. Always perform five thrusts on the exhale, then check the mouth to see if the object can be safely removed.

Important: Make a fist with your thumb tucked inside your fingers to avoid injuring the pet.

For Cats and Small Dogs:

cat heimlich

  1. Hold the pet against your chest, facing outward.

  2. Find the soft spot just behind the rib cage.

  3. On each of the pet’s five exhales, thrust in and up.

  4. After the fifth thrust, open the mouth and check for an object.

For Medium and Large Dogs:

  1. Keep the dog standing on all fours.

  2. Slide your fist along the rib cage until you reach the soft spot just past it.

  3. Place your other hand over your fist for support.

  4. On each of the pet’s five exhales, thrust up and forward toward the head.

  5. After the fifth thrust, check the mouth for an obstruction.

If your pet collapses and loses consciousness, immediately begin pet CPR:

  • 30 chest compressions

  • 2 rescue breaths into the nostrils

  • Repeat 30 compressions and 2 breaths as one CPR cycle

Prevention Is the Best Medicine

Pets are naturally curious, and many explore the world with their mouths. To reduce choking risks:

  • Keep small objects like yarn, shoelaces, dental floss, fruit pits, and kibble pieces out of reach.

  • Supervise play with toys that could break apart.

  • Stay alert during walks or outdoor play where foreign objects may be within reach.

Learn More and Get Certified

The best way to be prepared is through pet first aid and CPR training. You can learn lifesaving techniques, including the Heimlich maneuver and CPR for cats and dogs, in our veterinarian-approved online course.

Visit ProTrainings.com to enroll. Use code CPR – ARDEN MOORE for 10% off your course.
Interested in teaching pet first aid and CPR? Click the Pet First Aid & CPR: Instructors button on that page for details.