| Dog CPR |
Save a Life: Learn
Animal CPR
A.
Airway
The first step in animal CPR, after
determining non-responsiveness, is to obtain a patent airway. You should not
continue on, until this step has been achieved.
1.
Carefully pull the tongue out
of the animal's mouth
WARNING: even an unresponsive dog may bite by instinct!!
2.
Make sure that the neck is
reasonably straight; try to bring the head in-line with the neck.
WARNING: Do not hyperextend in cases where neck trauma exists
3.
Attempt 2 rescue breaths, by
closing the mouth, and performing mouth-to-nose ventilations. If they go
in with no problems continue to B-Breathing.
4.
Reposition the neck and try
step 3 again.
5.
Visibly inspect the airway by
looking into the mouth, and down the throat for foreign objects occluding the
airway. Unlike human-CPR, rescuers may reach into the airway and remove foreign
objects that are visible
6.
Proceed to the Heimlich
maneuver
B.
Breathing
1.
After achieving a patent
airway, one must determine whether the animal is breathing, and whether this
breathing is effective:
2.
Carefully pull the tongue out
of the animal’s mouth
WARNING: even an unresponsive dog may bite by instinct!!
3.
Make sure that the neck is
reasonably straight; try to bring the head in-line with the neck.
WARNING: Do not hyperextend in cases where neck trauma exists
4.
Ventilate the animal by
closing the mouth, and performing mouth-to-nose ventilations. If they do not go
in with ease go to A-Airway
5.
Ventilate at 20 breaths per
minute if supplemental Oxygen is available, and the animal is breathing on its
own, use a high-flow blowby.
WARNING: Do not attempt to intubate the animal, without prior training, and
properly sized ET tubes.
6.
Proceed to C-Circulation,
while continuing respiratory support as necessary
C.
Circulation
This is the final step of CPR and should
only be initiated after the airway and breathing steps have been completed:
1.
Make sure that there are no
major (pooling/spurting blood) points of bleeding. Control as necessary
2.
Lay the animal on its right
side
3.
Locate your hands where its
left elbow touches the chest. Approximately the middle of the rib cage
4.
Compress the chest 15 times
followed by 2 rescue breaths (3 compressions every 2 seconds)
Compress
o 1/2" - small dogs
o 1" - medium dogs <
o 1.5" - large dogs
5.
Repeat as necessary
Important:
Animals do not have palpable carotid
pulses. You can only obtain a femoral pulse in the inguinal crease. (Palpate
carefully on a conscious dog!)
Heimlich
After attempting to ventilate:
1.
Turn the animal upside down,
with its back against your chest
2.
With both arms, give 5 sharp
thrusts (bear hugs) to the abdomen. Perform each thrust as if it is the one
that will expel the object
3.
Stop, check to see if the
object is visible in the airway, if so, remove it and give 2 mouth-nose rescue
breaths. If the breaths do not go in, go back to step 1
Use
gravity to help you expel the object
Do not proceed with CPR, even if the animal goes into cardiac arrest. You
must clear the airway first.
E.
Extra
During an emergency it is very important
that you remain calm. Animals can sense your unease, but cannot understand what
is happening and you cannot verbally tell them. Your body language is very
important. Be calm, yet deliberate in your actions.
When you determine that
you either have corrected the life-threatening problem, or are unable to
stabilize the animal, you should transport to the nearest emergency veterinary
hospital.
Notify your emergency
clinic that you are coming in with a dog in respiratory arrest with a foreign
body airway obstruction and/or cardiac arrest.
Give them the following
information via phone if possible:
- Your name
- Your ETA
- Steps taken (CPR, O2...)
- Breed/size
- If a foreign body, what the suspected object is
- If a poison or medication has been ingested
- Mechanism of injury (hit by car...)
Write the phone number of the 24-hour
animal hospital nearest you here: