Puppy Keeps Choking On Food?

Question

I have a 4 month old Boston Terrier named Skitz. It seems everytime he eats he chokes on his food and gets sick. I watched him last night, after he choked and got sick once again, and I realized that his food is so small that he doesn't chew it, he just swallows it whole. I'm feeding him Royal Canin small puppy formula and he's been doing great on it up until the beginning of July, then all of this started happening. I'm thinking of switching him to wet food but don't really know that pros and cons. Or should I maybe just switch to a dry brand that has bigger pieces? HELP!!!!

Answer 1

I wouldn't change to wet food unless you absolutely have to... Unless you *really* like brushing his teeth. ;) Also, Bostons can have very sensitive stomachs, and you may have trouble finding a canned food that doesn't upset his stomach. In this case, you could simply water down the hard kibble and let it soak for a while before feeding.

This is really hard to gauge without actually seeing the behavior and knowing what has caused it. Bostons are known to gulp their food, as are some other short-muzzled dogs. (You should see my English Bulldog eat... *sigh*) This gulping can be worsened if you have other animals in the house that your Boston sees as a 'threat' to his meal. However, he does need to be checked by the vet to eliminate certain health problems that can cause the choking and gagging, as one previous poster mentioned.

If he is cleared, you can try softening his food a little for a time with some water. Or, you could try to feed him by hand, too. I like the idea of the ball in the dish... I've never tried that myself, but it may just slow him down a bit. Or, he may simply rid himself of the ball and commence to gulping. ;)

Try to make his meal-times feel safe and free of disturbances. If he is protective of his food, or is afraid that you will take it away, he may be more prone to inhaling it. Definitely consult with your vet about possible complications and about training methods. They'll usually answer questions for free.

I am sorry I couldn't be of more help, but there are many factors that work into this particular problem, and it is hard to sort out without seeing exactly what's going on. I wish you and your Bossie all the best!

Answer 2

I been a dog breeder for 12 years Take and put water in the dogs food til is moist must puppies don't know how to chew their food they tend to swallow it whole and then they get choked on it. But if anything take some can food and mix it with his kibbles and see if that helps or try putting a ball in his dish so he has to eat around the ball that sometimes helps from swallowing his food whole if nothing else works take him to the vet and have it checked out could be problems with his digestive system Good luck

Answer 3

For the best answers, search on this site https://smarturl.im/aD15J

She has food aggression. Until properly trained (and she can still be trained) do not have any little kids with food around her. Little kids are her size and at eye level and the dog is thinking basically that she is another dog, and getting aggressive with the food. She may have other issues too such as toy aggression, object guarding, sometimes they go hand and hand with food aggression. No, I don't agree with putting the dog down. Keep kids at a distance though especially when they have food or objects she wants. In PA there is a two bite rule to put a dog down, so I don't know what the rules are in your state. Train the dog better. Get a trainer that specifies in food and resource guarding aggression. Honestly, I am not a dog trainer, and I would get the answers from a professional. I just gave you my opinion for what it is worth. I would talk to the professional before doing anything. Most of us on here are amateurs.

Answer 4

I wouldn't recommend wet food. Hard food is good for your dogs teeth and once dogs have been fed canned they become spoiled and don't want to go back to dry. It sounds like he is just eating his food to fast. The food he is on is a very good food. You can try a couple different things. You could feed him in small amounts more often. This stops them from eating so much so fast. Also you can putting a toy or something in his bowl. This will make him work a little harder to get the food, which once again results in him eating slower. If you firmly believe it is the food, I would switch to another dry puppy formula food, possibly Iams, Science Diet or Eukanuba. Good Luck

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Puppy Keeps Choking On Food?
I have a 4 month old Boston Terrier named Skitz. It seems everytime he eats he chokes on his food and gets sick. I watched him last night, after he choked and got sick once again, and I realized that his food is so small that he doesn't chew it, he just swallows it whole. I'm feeding him...

Answer 6

once you switch to cans, your dog will not want to go back. wet food also causes plaque buildup and tooth decay to build faster, so stick with a kibble.

try an all life-stage diet, like canidae. the kibbles are larger, and if you wet the food, it will be mushy enough where the pup won't choke. slowly use less and less water, until he's eating normal.

another benefit of an all life-stage food is he will be eating the same food for years. dogs don't like change. it sometimes causes upset stomach, diarrhea, etc.

lastly, royal canin isn't that good. you want to avoid food that has wheat, corn, or soy, as these are the biggest problem-causing ingredients in pet food. they can cause allergies, skin problems, and other serious problems.

http://www.canidae.com <~~~ check it out

Answer 7

Maybe you can seek advice from the vet. There are conditions with the palate and the esophagous that can cause these type symptoms.
These can be corrected or managed through different means. It is not normal and SHOULD be brought to the vets attention!!!!

I once saw a puppy come in with very similar symptoms, and it turned out the puppy had a chunk of a Nylabone stuck across the back of the throat!!!!
Better to be safe than sorry...get it checked out!!!!!

Answer 8

Get puppy chow and mix it with water and let it soak in the refrigerator.The can or already soft dog food is not really good for your puppy and your puppy can get diarea.Aso breakup the feeding times like smaller portions more times a day it sounds like the puppy is trying to eat to fast .Good Luck!!

Answer 9

puppy choking food

Answer 10

This was happening to our boxer puppy. He was not chewing his puppy food. So I soak it in water and get it soft before feeding him. He is 51/2 months old now and lost most of baby teeth so is is doing better about chewing his hard food. I still soak some of it.

He does have things to chew on. To clean his teeth and help with teething