Heimlich Maneuver by policeman saves Shih Tzu dog in Connecticut
A Shih Tzu dog waits with bands in its hair during the XVIIIth International Dog exhibition in Prague in 2009.
A policeman in Connecticut went above and beyond the call of duty this week when he saved the life of a choking Shih Tzu dog by performing the Heimlich Maneuver on it, according to the local news service Patch.
Patch said West Hartford K-9 officer Tom Lazure is trained in canine first aid and was called to the scene of the stricken pooch when no animal control officer was available.
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The Hartford Courant reported yesterday that the owners of the dog, named Harry, became frantic after it began to choke on a piece of raw hide.
Named for Henry Heimlich, the famed maneuver involves the applying sudden pressure to the abdomen in order to dislodge food blocking a person’s air passageways. The version intended to be practiced on humans is described by the Heimlich Institute here.
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According to The Associated Press, Lazure was able to perform a modified Heimlich on the dog and then pull the raw hide treat out of the dog’s mouth.