Save a Life: Learn Animal CPR
For the Pet Owner
Lori
H. Feldman, DVM
Henry J. Feldman, MD
© 2004
Dr. Feldman
is a Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts Licensed Veterinarian and a
member of the Veterinary Emergency Care Society. In practice in Greenwich,
Connecticut at Greenwich Veterinary Hospital. Henry J. Feldman, MD
© 2004
Dr. Henry Feldman is a New York Licenced Physician at the NYU School of Medicine in the section of Medical Informatics.
Pet owners should consult their veterinarian for specific details on procedures outlined here.
website: http://members.aol.com/henryhbk
mailto:henryhbk@aol.com
The first step in animal CPR (lik human CPR), after determining That the animal is non-responsive, is to obtain a patent airway. You should not continue on past A-Airway, until this step has been achieved!
1. Carefully pull the tongue straight out of the animal's mouth to open the airway.
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 over straighten the neck in cases
where neck/head 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. 
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. If you still can't breath into the animal, proceed to the Heimlich manoeuvre
If you were unable to clear an objct from the airway in A-Airway, you will need to do the Heimlich Maneuver:
1. Turn the animal upside down, with its back against your chest
2. Hug the animal with your fist in your hand, just below the rib cage (for cats, just squeeze one hand in the same place)
4. 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
IMPORTANT: Do not proceed with CPR, even if the animal
goes into cardiac arrest. You must clear the airway first.
After achieving a patent airway, one must determine whether the animal is breathing, and whether this breathing is effective:
1. Carefully pull the tongue straight out of the animal's mouth to open the airway
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 over straighten the neck in cases
where neck/head trauma exists
3. Breath at 12 breaths per
minute (1 every 5 seconds)
With each breath just make the chest rise (do not overinflate, specially on a small animal)
IMPORTANT: If the breaths do not go in, stop and return
to A-Airway!
4. Proceed to C-Circulation, while continuing respiratory support as necessary
This is the final step of CPR and should only be started after the A-Airway and B-Breathing steps have been completed:
1. Make sure that there are no major (pooling/spurting blood) points of bleeding. Control as necessary by applying pressure with your hand
2. Check for a pulse in the groin
(check carefully on a conscious dog or cat!)
4. Locate your hands where its left elbow touches the chest, approximately the middle of the rib-cage (for cats use 1 hand in a sqeezing motion).
Compress
1/2" - small dogs
1" - medium dogs
1.5" - large dogs
6. Repeat as necessary
During an emergency it is very important that you remain calm. Animals can sense your unease, but cannot understand what is happening and you can't 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 object airway obstruction
and/or cardiac arrest.
Give them the following information via phone if possible:
Your name
Your Estimated Time of Arrival
Steps taken (CPR, removal of object...)
Breed/size (dog or cat)
If a foreign object is in the airway, what the suspected object is
If a poison or medication has been eaten
Mechanism of injury (hit by car...)
Relevant Medical history (Diabetes...)
Write the phone number of the 24 hour animal hospital
nearest you here:
..............................................
..............................................
For more information, please send mail to mailto:henryhbk@aol.com.
