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Most people know how to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on humans. CPR is one of the most important components of any basic first aid class. Since the inception of this procedure, many lives have been saved. Many people have been revived from near-death situations and others have been kept alive long enough for more technical medical assistance to be administered.
CPR can save your pet’s life, just as it saves humans. What would you do if the unthinkable happened to your dog out of the blue? Well, it’s a pet parent’s worst nightmare when their pet is in a life-threatening situation. While having an emergency kit at times is a good idea, it’s not always enough, and your veterinary may not always be available or near save your pet’s life. Knowing how to perform CPR is an important skill and could be your pet’s only hope.
CPR works, but it’s also a risky technique if it’s not performed properly. It can cause more damage, and thus dog CPR should only be performed when necessary. In this article, you will discover the steps, guidelines of performing CPR, the risks of the procedure, and when to perform CPR on a dog. Read on to learn more.
What is dog CPR?
CPR was originally developed for use on humans, as an emergency, life-saving procedure. Dog CPR is the same as human CPR, but it’s performed with some slight modifications to help revive a dog when he’s not breathing or doesn’t have a heartbeat. The procedure involves chest compressions. A dog can stop breathing and its heartbeat can stop due to several reasons including choking, electrocution, trauma, or illness.
When a dog stops breathing or his heartbeat stops, the blood oxygen levels drop quickly and the lack of oxygen can lead to failure of vital organs such as the kidneys, liver, and others. Respiratory failure can also lead to brain damage. CPR should be done quickly and appropriately to save your dog’s life when he’s in danger.
How to perform CPR on a dog:
Before performing CPR on a dog, its’ important to know that CPR should not be performed on a healthy dog as it can cause physical complications or even fatal damage. Therefore, it should only be done when necessary and it should be done correctly. Here’s how to perform CPR on a dog:
Evaluate your dog’s condition
Before you start doing CPR on your dog, you must first evaluate his condition to know what you need to do.
1. Check that your dog’s airway is clear
To make sure your dog’s airway is clear, you need to open his mouth and check the back of his throat for obstructions. When the throat is blocked, the air supply is cut off and this will hinder your dog CPR efforts. So, you must make sure the airway is clear before doing anything else.
2. Determine if your dog is breathing
Your dog may be unconscious, but it may still be breathing, and if he’s breathing, you should not perform CPR. To determine whether your dog is breathing, watch for the rise and fall of his chest. A dog’s chest moves every 2 to 3 seconds because they normally take between 20 and 30 breathes a minute.
If you can’t tell whether or not your dog is breathing based on the chest movements, you can place your cheek close to his nose and feel for airflow.
3. Check for a heartbeat
To check for a heartbeat, lay your dog on his right side, push his front elbow back to the point where it meets the chest. That spot is called the intercostal space, which is where the heart is located. Watch for any movement in this area, and if you can’t see any movement, place your fingers over the same point and feel for a heartbeat.
If you can’t feel a heartbeat, run your fingers (not your thumb) to feel the femoral artery located in the inner thigh of the hind leg for a pulse.
If your dog is not breathing and doesn’t have a heartbeat, you need to perform CPR immediately.
Performing CPR on a dog
1. Get your dog in the right position
Lay your dog on his right side on a flat surface and then align his head with the back. Ensure a clear airway by tilting him back a bit further.
2. Place your mouth over the airway
For a puppy, place your mouth over his nose and mouth. For an adult dog or large one, place your mouth over his nostrils and close his mouth using your one hand to prevent air from escaping through the mouth.
3. Perform artificial respiration
Blow enough air into the dog’s snout until his chest wall rises, and then release your lips to allow the air to escape. You can give 20 to 30 breaths per minute.
4. Perform chest compressions
When you’re performing artificial respiration and the dog has no heartbeat, you must provide chest compressions to ensure oxygen gets to where it’s needed. To provide chest compressions, lay your hand over the heart, located at the intercostal space, and press down gently but firmly enough to a third or half of its usual depth. Perform about 10 to 12 compressions every five seconds.
Provide one artificial respiration breath for 10 to 12 chest compressions.
5. Perform abdominal compressions for large breeds
If you’re administering CPR to a large breed, place your hand on the dog’s abdomen and gently compress the front part of the belly or squeeze his abdomen. This can help in the circulation of blood back to the heart.
6. Periodically assess the dog
Stop CPR every 2 minutes and check if the dog has started breathing again. If not, continue with CPR until help arrives.
Precautions and risk of performing CPR on dogs
CPR is a physically intense procedure and should not be done with excessive energy as it cause additional complications such as broken ribs, collapsed lung, and increased stress to your dog’s body. These injuries are treatable, and thus Dog CPR can be a life-saving procedure for your dog when he’s in danger. It should not be performed on a healthy dog but should be done only when necessary. You can take dog CPR classes and training to have a better understanding of how to go about the procedure and have confidence when performing it.
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