CPR FOR CATS ~ SMALL DOGS

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  • #866702
    Jeankit
    Participant

    Posting as Furry/Purry FYI – Health & Safety:

    CPR cats or small dogs

    Check it out! Please Contact Your Vet ASAP!

    (One of our TDK FB Members Experienced this need recently…passing it on as helpful share.)

    #866717
    JerseyJoan
    Moderator

    Excellent reference guide, JK, thank you! I did CPR on Louie, and before him, Squeeker, but was unsuccessful in reviving either one. It is still upsetting to think about. Squeeker actually died the day I took a pet CPR course. I can only hope that if there is a next time, I will be successful.

    #866719
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Good information, JK. I found out the local Red Cross also offered pet first aid/CPR.

    #866732
    Sheila
    Participant

    Hi,

    I have been involved in rescue of small animals for a number of years. I have performed CPR on newborns and older animals- going back to 1979- all successful. I have also had to perform the Heimlich on adult animals and babies- all successful. I do not follow the method that the ASPCA poster shows- mostly because I figured out my own methods long before anyone had a ‘method’ (even vets).

    For mouth-to-mouth, I use the following: I have the animal on it’s back, gently extend their heads back, so that the jaw is horizontal with the neck (just like you would for a person-lean your own head back and feel how much easier it is to breathe).

    For small dog/cats/puppies/kittens cover the mouth and nostrils with your mouth and GENTLY breathe (use your fingers to feel the rise/fall of their sides/chest)- you want gentle expansion (put your hand on your own chest and feel how little your chest expands when you breathe)). It is better to be a little shallow than too much. I have saved entire dog/cat litters (all born dead). For large animals, I breathe in the nose and use my hands to keep the mouth closed.

    For chest compression, I have only performed that with the animal on it’s back- no matter the size of animal. I use my forefinger for kittens/puppies and more of my hand the larger the animal. I have never rolled animal to side for mouth-to-mouth. If the animal is small enough to hold in my hand, I have the animal lying, on it’s back, in one hand and use other to do compression, with a finger or fingers depending on animal size. Then for breathing, I make sure that the head is extended and give mouth-to-mouth as stated above.

    For Heimlich: I lean over and put animals back to my chest and then use the upward method using two hands (or a finger on each hand for smaller animals). I found that having them up against me, just like when performing on a person, gives much better stability. It is a little awkward for small animals (see below for puppies/kittens) but for large dogs, cat or even small, adult dogs (I have Pomeranian’s) leaning over them- having their back to my chest- keeps them in the correct position for their body to expel the object (we need to be upright- animals need to be in the same position that they would be in if they could cough and dislodge the object themselves.

    I recently had to do this on my oldest Pom (12 years old). A piece of meat dropped off the counter and she grabbed it and swallowed. It was too big to go down and she choked. I grabbed her, sat down, stood her on my lap, leaned over so she was up against my chest, and used my two middle fingers to perform the Heimlich. The piece of meat came out.

    If you must use the Heimlich, you might need to breathe for them- once blockage is removed- depending on how long they were without oxygen. You can Heimlich even if an animal has passed out. You know the blockage is removed when you breathe for them and feel the chest expand. You will not get that if the obstruction is still there.

    With the methods above, I have never lost a dog, cat, kitten or puppy.

    My best advice; PRACTICE so that when something happens you will be ready without hesitation. Because when it happens, it happens FAST and second’s can- quite literally- be the difference to saving, or losing, the animal. You can use a stuffed animal for CPR/Heimlich and a small balloon for breathing.

    When it is your own ‘baby’, it is scary but do your best to stay calm. The calmer you can keep yourself, the better off the animal will be and the clearer your thinking will be. The more you practice, too, the calmer you will be if you are ever called upon to save the life of your animal or a friend or neighbor’s animal.

    I hope that some of this helps 🙂 Take care.

    #866740
    JerseyJoan
    Moderator

    Hi Sheila – thank you for your input, very informative!

    #866767
    Jeankit
    Participant

    Again, paw up – kudos – thank you Sheila for helpful share!

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