Learn To Give Your Dog Or Cat CPR

Knowing CPR is a great thing, as you never know when someone may need help.  But did you know your fury friends also can benefit from proper CPR?  The process is similar to that of a human, but you want to make sure they are on laying on the their side.

Now, cardiac conditions are not nearly as common in pets as in humans, but there are still scenarios where it’s good to know the proper steps if your dog or cat is in trouble.

The steps are as follows:

1. Contact an emergency vet clinic.
2. Carefully approach the animal.  If they are aggressive or try to bite, then don’t attempt CPR.
3. If they’re not breathing, give the animal 4-5 rescue breaths.
4. Check the pulse using the artery on the inside of the dog’s thigh.
5. Proceed with 30 chest compressions by putting your hands on the animal’s heart.  The heart is located in the chest behind the elbow of the front leg. For larger dogs, use both hands like you would with a human.  For small dogs or cats, use one hand.

The American Heart Association recommends using the beat of Stayin’ Alive for the compression tempo.  Here’s a some more information on how to follow the beat.