Q :My dog stopped breathing, how do I resuscitate him?
Answer:When a pet has an accident, the owner usually panics and doesn’t know how to deal with the situation, thus missing the best opportunity to save the pet. In fact, as long as the first aid is done properly, there is a chance to save your dog’s life.
What is the first step to take when your dog has an accident? Dogs do not tolerate pain, naturally, they can not cooperate with the owner’s rescue action, the owner in the first instance must first calm the dog’s anxiety. Use a gentle tone of voice, repeatedly call the dog’s name, or gently caress the dog’s forehead and the back of the neck with the palm of your hand, and try to distract the dog from the pain.
However, before your dog is taken to the hospital, make sure to grasp the first minute, first aid, you are your pet’s life-saving angel!
1. Observe vital signs
CHECK:Is the body temperature, breathing, heartbeat steady? Is there any aggression?
Body temperature: The normal body temperature of dogs and cats is 38-39 ℃. Stick your hand into the inside of the dog’s thigh and feel that it is slightly higher than normal, and if it is too high or lower than the palm of your hand, you have to cool it down or keep it warm immediately.
Breathing: Dogs and cats breathe about 10 to 40 times per minute, depending on the size of the body and slightly different. If they are not breathing, artificial respiration can be used.
Heartbeat: The average heartbeat of dogs and cats is 70 to 130 beats per minute, which can be observed by palpating the pulse on the inner thighs; if there is no heartbeat, CPR must be performed immediately.
Aggression:The dog’s painful parts will never be touched, and must be covered with a large towel, or use a muzzle, muzzle to tie the mouth, under safe conditions for further inspection and first aid.
2. Contact an animal hospital
Check:Search for the nearest animal hospital.
While administering first aid, ask a bystander to contact a familiar or nearby animal hospital by phone as soon as possible, detailing the condition of the sick or injured animal and consulting on first aid methods and procedures, so that the animal can be transported to the hospital as soon as possible.
Expert Reminder: Some owners are used to sending their dogs to star animal hospitals, even without considering the distance. This is an emergency situation, for the dying dog, I am afraid that the best time to save; especially in case of difficult labor, heat urgency, puerperal fever and other emergencies, must first be sent to the nearest animal hospital emergency, this is very important!
3.Two strokes to save your life
Artificial respiration: Respiratory arrest
Preparation:Make sure that the dog’s chest ribs and cervical vertebrae are not fractured or deformed. Move the dog to a flat surface (for medium and large dogs) or a table (for small dogs) and lie on its side or back. The rescuer should be in a kneeling position in front of the dog’s head. Next, open the dog’s mouth and check if there is any foreign body blocking the trachea; if there is, dig it out with fingers or a cloth. Straighten the neck, open the mouth and pull out the tongue.
Steps for Rescue
a. Gently hold the dog’s mouth and nose, and let the dog’s incisors gently bite the tongue.
b. Blow into the dog’s nostrils with the rescuer’s mouth and press the lower edge of the rib cage with the fingers to prevent air from entering the stomach. While blowing, keep an eye on the chest out of the corner of your eye. Then leave your mouth over the nostrils and let it exhale the air in the lungs automatically. If the dog still can’t inhale on its own, repeat the blowing, 10 to 40 times per minute depending on the size of the dog, until it resumes breathing.
c. Check for heartbeat or pulse every 10 breaths. If the heart stops beating, CPR should be performed immediately.
d. Once breathing is restored, wrap the dog in a large towel to keep it warm, avoid moving the dog, and send it to the doctor as soon as possible.
CPR Condition: Respiratory Arrest
First aid preparation: Observe whether the injured part is bleeding or fractured, or there is a foreign body blocking the airway? If there is no lung hemorrhage or rib fracture, and there is no obstruction in the airway, gently place the dog on the ground with the left side of the chest facing upward, open the mouth, and pull out the tongue. The rescuer is positioned in front of the dog in a standing kneeling position, with small dogs on their sides and medium to large dogs on their backs with their necks straightened.
Procedure
Side-lying small dogs: Hold the palm of one hand against the sternum, with the thumb on top and the four fingers on the bottom, and gently press on the chest at a rate of 90 to 120 strokes per minute, one after the other. Every 5 to 10 presses, hold the dog’s mouth and nose with one hand, gently press the depression at the lower edge of the rib cage with the other hand, and blow once from the dog’s nostrils.
Medium to large dogs lying on their backs:The rescuer presses the root of the left hand against the lower third of the dog’s sternum, folds the hands, crosses the fingers, crosses the fingers of the left hand with the tips of the fingers pointing upward, straightens the arms, and applies force to the root of the left hand at 60 strokes per minute. Every 5 strokes, hold the dog’s muzzle with one hand, gently press the depression at the lower edge of the sternum with the other hand, and blow through the dog’s nostrils once.
After repeating five cycles, check to see if breathing, heartbeat or pulse has returned. If recovery has occurred, CPR can be stopped; otherwise, continue with the above actions.
If the dog has regained its heartbeat but is still not breathing, continue mouth-to-nose artificial respiration, ranging from 10 to 40 times per minute, depending on the size of the animal, until breathing is restored.
Special Note: Do not perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a normal dog.
Do not practice CPR on a normal dog, as improper application of pressure can lead to cardiopulmonary injuries.
