Canine CPR
Would you know what to do if your
dog’s heart or breathing stops due to an injury or illness?
CPR can be used to help
dogs just as it is used to help humans. To perform
CPR on a
dog, use the following procedure:
--To check for a heartbeat, look at your
dog’s chest and see if it is moving, or place your ear against his chest and listen for a heartbeat. His heart is located where the left elbow touches the chest. Place your hand in front of his nose to determine if he is breathing. Move onto the next step if he is unresponsive.
--See if his airway is clear, and then pull the tongue forward out of his mouth. Even unresponsive
dogs can still bite instinctively, so be careful not to get bitten. To open the airway, gently bring his head in line with his neck.
--Watch for your
dog’s chest to expand as you are breathing into his nose. Give him just enough air so the chest rises. Large
dogs will require more air than small ones. Continue breathing into his nose, give one breath every three seconds.
--Look into the
dog’s mouth again for any objects that would block the airway, if his chest still does not rise when you breathe. If necessary, perform the Heimlich maneuver by turning him upside down with his back against your chest. With both arms, give his five strong, sharp hugs to the abdomen, until the object is expelled. Reach and remove it if you can see it. Until the airway is clear, do not start the chest compressions.
--Turn the
dog gently on his right side to start the compressions. Put the heel of your hand on his chest over his heart. Put the other hand palm down on top. Compress his chest 15 times, or about three compressions every two seconds. Press down about 1 inch for medium-sized
dogs, harder for larger
dogs and less for smaller
dogs. Don’t press too hard because the
dog’s ribs may be broken. Alternate the compressions and breathing—do two breaths after every 15 compressions.
--Continue this until the
dog has a hearbeat and is breathing regularly. As soon as he is stable, take him to the veterinarian. Get the
dog to an emergency animal hospital immediately if you give him
CPR and see that it is not helping.
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