How to Perform CPR on a Dog
People don’t deserve dogs. They are beautiful , they are loyal , and they are fun to be around. Life with a dog is great, and it gets even scarier when something goes wrong. We hope your dog will be healthy and happy throughout his life, but in the event of a medical emergency, you must be prepared. Here’s how to give your dog CPR.
How to Know if Your Dog Needs CPR
According to Dr. Jennifer Coates of PetMD, DVM , a dog may need CPR for a number of reasons, including injury, choking, or illness, but you should not perform CPR unnecessarily as it can be potentially dangerous and even dangerous. for a healthy dog. The goal of CPR for dogs is the same as it is for humans: if a dog’s heart stops beating or it stops breathing, oxygen levels can drop and vital organs can fail; CPR can provide rescue breathing and blood flow until the heart restarts and starts beating on its own.
According to the Red Cross , your first step should be to check if your pet is breathing and has a heartbeat. If his chest is not moving and you can’t find a pulse, start CPR.
How to resuscitate a dog
There are different hand positions for different sizes and types of dogs:
Check your dog’s physique right now and make a mental note of where your hands should be pointing in case of an emergency. Finally, as ASPCA Pet Insurance notes, before starting CPR, you should make sure that nothing is obstructing your pet’s throat, which could interfere with CPR.
- Small dogs: If your dog is small, make a fist and place your palm over his heart. Place your other hand on top of your fist.
- Deep chested dogs : If the dog has a deep chest, place the heel of one hand on the widest part of its chest and the other hand on top of that.
- Barrel Chest Dogs: If your dog has a barrel chest, lay the dog on its back, place one hand on the widest part of its sternum and cover it with your other hand. Lock your elbows and make sure your shoulders are directly above your arms.
Here are the next steps outlined by the Red Cross:
- Press hard and fast, at a rate of 100-120 clicks per minute.
- Ensure that the compressions are between one third and one half the width of the animal’s chest.
- Make sure the chest is fully retracted before re-compressing.
- Perform CPR by closing the pet’s mouth and stretching its neck, covering its nose with your mouth, gently covering its mouth with your hand, and exhaling until you see the dog’s chest rise (for dogs under 30 pounds, cover the entire nose and mouth with your own mouth).
- Continue CPR, alternating between 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths, until they begin to breathe on their own.
- Check breathing and heart rate every two minutes after starting CPR.
- Continue the procedure until help arrives or you can get the dog to the animal hospital.
How to do the Heimlich maneuver on a dog
If you check your dog’s throat for a blockage and find an obstruction, you can remove the item yourself, but don’t if you think it will eventually get stuck further in the airway. Instead, choose the modified Heimlich maneuver to clear the passage.
- Place your hands on the sides of the dog’s chest.
- Apply pressure.
If your dog hasn’t started breathing when the blockage is removed, start CPR and go to the veterinary clinic.