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Save a Life:
Learn Animal CPR
For the EMS Provider and Pet Owner
Lori H. Feldman, D.V.M.
Henry J. Feldman, M.D.
(c) 1996
Dr. Feldman is a Massachusetts, Connecticut and New
York Licensed Veterinarian and a member of the
Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society.
Pet owners should
consult their veterinarian for specific details on
procedures outlined here.
For more great information check this website:
A. Airway
The first step in animal CPR (like
human CPR), after determining non-responsiveness, is
to obtain an open airway. You should not continue on,
until this step has been achieved!
-
Carefully pull the tongue
straight out of the animal's mouth to open the
airway.
WARNING: even an unresponsive dog may
bite by
instinct!!
-
Make sure that the neck is
reasonably straight; try to bring the head
in-line with the neck.
WARNING: Do not overstraighten the neck in
cases where neck trauma exists
-
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.
-
If
not then reposition the neck and try step 3
again.
-
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
-
If
you still cannot breath into the animal, proceed
to the Heimlich maneuver.
A. Heimlich
If
you were unable to clear the object from the airway
in A.
Airway above, you need to preform the Heimlich
maneuver :
-
Turn the animal upside down,
with its back against your chest
-
Hug
the animal with your fist in your hand, just
below the rib cage (for cats, just squeese one
hand in the same place).
-
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
-
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
Do not proceed
with CPR, even if the animal goes into cardiac
arrest. You must clear the airway
first.
B. Breathing
After achieving a patent airway,
one must determine whether the animal is breathing,
and whether this breathing is effective:
-
Carefully pull the tongue
straight out of the animal's mouth
WARNING: even an unresponsive dog may
bite by
instinct!!
-
Make sure that the neck is
reasonably straight; try to bring the head
in-line with the neck.
WARNING: Do not over-straighten the
neck in cases where neck trauma
exists
-
Breath at 12 breaths per
minute (1 breath every 5 seconds) by blosing the
mouth, and performing mouth-to-nose ventilations.
If they do not go in with ease go to
A-Airway
With
each breath just make sure the chest rises. (Do not
overinflate - especially on a small animal.)
Important - If the breaths do not go in,
STOP
and go back to A.
AIRWAY.
- Proceed to C.
Circulation, while continuing breathing
support as necessary.
C. Circulation
This is the final step of CPR and
should only be started after the airway and breathing
steps have been completed:
-
Make sure that there are no
major (pooling/spurting blood) points of
bleeding. Control as necessary by applying
pressure with your hand.
-
Check for a pulse in the
animal's groin. (Check carefully on a concious
dog or cat.)
-
Lay
the animal on its right side
-
Locate your hands where its
left elbow touches the chest. Approximately the
middle of the rib-cage (for cats use one hand in
a squeezing motion).
-
Compress the chest 15 times
followed by 2 rescue breaths (3 compressions
every 2 seconds)
Compress
-
1/2" - small dogs
-
1" - medium
dogs
-
1.5" - large dogs
-
Repeat as necessary
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 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 extimated time of
arrival
-
Steps taken (CPR, removal of
object...)
-
Breed/size (dog/cat)
-
If
a foreign body, what the suspected object
is
-
If
a poison or medication has been ingested
-
Mechanism of injury (hit by
car...)
-
Relevant medical history
(diabetes...)
Write the phone number of the 24
hour animal hospital nearest you here:
Pet owners should consult
their veternarian for specific details on
provisions outlined here.
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