Pet CPR and Rescue Breathing

If you find your pet unresponsive; you may need to administer CPR.  In order to determine if CPR is needed you must follow the A,B,C's of CPR.  A:  Airway     B:  Breathing     C:  Circulation

Airway:  Check the airway for blockage.  If it is not blocked, go to Breathing.  If it is blocked, lie your companion down and gently tilt the head back to extend the neck.  Gently pull the tongue from between the teeth.   Look into the throat for any foreign object.  If a foreign object is present use your fingers to carefully remove it from the mouth. 

Breathing:  Is the animal breathing?  To check your companion's breathing; place your hand in front of his/her nose and mouth.  If yes, go to Circulation.  If not, hold your pet's mouth closed, place your mouth over it's nostrils and forcefully exhale until the chest expands once every 4 or 5 seconds.  If your pet's chest doesn't expand, check to make sure that their is no foreign object present and reposition the airway so that it is straight. 

Circulation:  Is there a heart beat or a pulse?  To check to see if your companion has a pulse; place your fingers on the inside of the thigh.  To check to see if your companion has a heartbeat; place your ear against the area where their left elbow touches their chest.  If not, perform chest compressions by massaging the heart.  Do not begin chest compressions on your companion unless you have secured an airway and began rescue breathing.  Gently lay your pet on its right side on a firm surface.  The heart is located in the lower half of the chest, behind the elbow of the front left leg.  Place one hand below the heart to support the chest.  Place the other hand over the heart and compress gently.   

For dogs, press down gently on your companion's heart about one inch for medium-sized dogs; press harder for larger animals and with less force force for smaller animals.

For cats, cradle your hand around the animal's chest so that your thumb is on the left side of the chest and your fingers are on the right side of the chest, and compress the chest by squeezing it between your thumb and fingers. 

Apply heart massage 80-120 times per minute for larger animals and 100-150 per minute for smaller ones.  Alternate heart massage with breathing.

Continue until you can hear a heartbeat and your pet is breathing regularly or until you have arrived at our facility.

Remember that the success rate of resuscitation is very low.

For more information on "Pet CPR and Rescue Breathing" click on the below links:

HealthyPet.com:  Pet First Aid.

HealthyPet.com:  Pet CPR. 

AVMA:  Pet First Aid-Basic Procedures.