CPR is a way of stimulating the heart and the lungs to function. The basics of CPR can be abbreviated as ABC: A for airway, B for breathe, and C for circulation. Any pet owner can learn these emergency basics.

Performing CPR

Adult dogs may need full-blown CPR in some emergencies. Drowning, choking, electric shocks, or trauma may all cause your dog to stop breathing or his heart to stop beating. Luckily, dogs aren't as prone to heart attacks as people. First you need to have a clear airway. Your dog should be basically unresponsive, so you shouldn't be in any danger as you open her mouth and clear away any debris. (If your dog is fighting, she probably does not need CPR!) Close the muzzle and breathe into the nose. Tryfiveor six quick breaths right away. If that doesn't work, you need to go into a routine of about fifteen or twenty breaths per minute. You should be able to see the chest wall expand as you breathe into the dog's nose.

CPR Compressions

To start circulation going, your dog will need chest compressions. Place her gently on her right side on a reasonably flat surface. Make sure there are no broken ribs you would be pushing on. (If ribs are broken, your dog's chest will move in an erratic pattern, not as a unified area.) For a big dog, put the heel of your hand against the chest, above and behind the dog's elbow, then put your other hand on top of the first. A small dog or puppy may just need one hand around the chest. Push quickly ten times. If you don't get any response, you need to do sixty to eighty compressions a minute.

If you have a partner to help work on your dog, one of you can breathe into the nose while the other person does chest compressions. If you have to work alone, alternate breathing and chest compressions.