Sometimes dogs may eat inappropriate objects such as balls, toys, sticks and/or get bits of bone stuck in their throat. DO NOT attempt the Heimlich Maneuver unless you are absolutely positive that your pet ingested a foreign object and can see the object sitting in the back of the throat. Otherwise, the Heimlich Maneuver can be very dangerous if performed on an animal with a breathing problem that has not swallowed a foreign body. The Heimlich has the potential to cause serious damage to internal organs if performed incorrectly.