[TwoBoxers]

This has never happened in the 3.5 yrs of us feeding raw and it scared the CRAP outta me. I was feeding the kiddos breakfast and they were having 1 really large turkey neck each and a some other goodies. When the weather is bad I feed them on a towel in the kitchen while I do dishes or other things. I pretty much ALWAYS keep an eye on them. THANK GOD I was watching.

Strummer must have gluped his neck down and was choking. His eyes were bulging out and he was gasping for air. He was pacing and pacing and trying and trying to vomit. After seconds (felt like hrs) of struggle we decided to try the heimlick on him. My better 1/2 had his arms around him to start and then LUCKILY Strummer puked up the entire meal all over the floor. He looked sooo relived. He must have irritated his throat because he was coughing for hrs after. This has never happened to us.

My poor guy- thank GOD I watch them when they eat.

I am going to hack up these huge turkey necks so they won't choke. I think the shape of them make them harder to go down the hatch. They have never had issues before. These necks are on the larger side. It's crazy, he's not a glupper and always chews his food- even as a baby. He ate necks and backs with ease at 9 weeks old.

anyway, Scared the CRAP outta me but all is fine.

 

[whiteleo]

Glad all is O.K. I have to say that the times I've had scary moments are with turkey necks, now I just chop them into small pieces as they can't get stuck.

I'd never stop feeding raw, but it is a moment to contemplate if your doing the right thing for your kids when you think you could harm them in any way.

There is a lesson to be learned, always, always watch your dog eat and know how to give the Heimleich.

 

[RawFedDogs]

Dogs have a way of being able to get those things back up when they need to. I know it's scary. Mine have done that a few times but always got it back up by themselves.

The thing to do is not to cut them up smaller, rather make them larger. Instead of buying the turkey necks that have been cut into 2 or 3 pieces and in a package in the grocery store. See if you can't get uncut ones that are about a foot long and weigh around a pound or more. Its much safer to feed those. The dogs will chew off an appropriate size piece to swallow. If they do swallow these, some of it will almost always be sticking out of their mouth and you can just pull it out.

Check with the grocer and see if he will sell you some that he hasn't cut.

 

[DaneMama]

RFD is right. Making them smaller makes them a bigger choking hazard, they are more easily swallowed whole. I highly recommend NOT cutting them up.

One of our dogs will chew hers up and slowly swallow it whole. Sometimes she chokes on it a bit and regurgitates it up. Then re-eats it. I couldn't imagine her actually choking on it and gasping for air! That's scary. Of you're worried about it happening again, I would hold onto it while he chews so he can crunch it up a bit more before swallowing. Those turkey necks can be the same size and shape of their esophagus...

 

[lovinmylabs]

Just like RFD and Natalie said...I feed turkey necks often. They are UNCUT...they are huge. The dogs will lay down and knaw on them...it takes them a while to eat the whole thing....thats why I like them so much!
Try them whole I think you will be a lot happier! :smile:

 

[rannmiller]

Yikes! What the heck? Since it was bigger, he should have been chewing it more, not trying to swallow it whole! Good thing you were there!

 

[TwoBoxers]

these necks were whole and larger than I normally get - over 1lb each.
I emailed a few other raw boxer feeders and they all seem to have issues with their guys and whole turkey necks too. Some of them don't even bother with turkey necks- almost all other grind them or chunk them.
I think I'll grind these or chunk them too.

My guys are perfectly fine with any other large RMB but I think it's the connective tissue that causes issues. They don't tear like other RMBS. When he puked it up the parts were in about 4-5 pieces but a thin tissue like piece was holding the entire thing together.