Many people are familiar with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for people, but they may not know it can also be done on dogs. It combines artificial respiration with heart compressions and can help dogs whose hearts have stopped beating and that have stopped breathing. If a dog in distress has stopped breathing, but her heart is still pumping, artificial respiration alone can be used.

Artificial Respiration

To breathe for your dog, first check to see that the airway is clear. If you see a foreign object, take hold of her tongue and pull it, using a washcloth to get better traction. That might dislodge the object. If not, try to remove it with your fingers or tongs.

If you can't reach it, perform the Heimlich maneuver. If that doesn't restart the breathing, you'll need to start breathing for your poodle. Do this while someone drives you to the vet:

• Place your poodle on her right side. If she's small, you can cradle her in your lap. Straighten her neck by lifting her chin.

• Hold her mouth closed and put your mouth completely over her nose and mouth (or just the nose, if your poodle is a Standard). Blow two breaths into her, and watch for her chest to rise, a sign that her lungs are expanding.

• Blow just hard enough to move her sides (but no harder). Let the air escape between breaths. Do 15 to 20 breaths per minute, watching to see if she starts breathing on her own. Be absolutely sure that your poodle isn't breathing before starting artificial respiration. Watch her side to see if it's rising and falling, or put your hand or mirror under her nose to detect breath. Look at her gums — they'll turn blue if she's not breathing.

Chest Compressions

If your poodle stops breathing and her heart stops beating, you'll need to combine chest compressions with the artificial respiration. Feel for a heartbeat with the palm of your hand directly behind the left front elbow (or put your ear there and listen). Alternatively, use three fingers to check the femoral artery, located on the inside of the thigh at the groin. Be absolutely certain that the heart has stopped beating before you start chest compressions. Doing CPR on an animal that is breathing and/or whose heart is beating can damage her heart and lungs.

If your poodle weighs in at under 20 pounds, you'll do chest compressions using the cardiac pump technique, in which you squeeze the heart (through the skin) to pump blood. To find the heart, gently flex her left front leg backward. Her heart is located where her elbow touches her side.

To start the compressions, place your small poodle on her right side, cup your hand over her heart and squeeze firmly, pressing in about half an inch, with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other. Try to do a squeeze each second, or more frequently if you can (up to two squeezes a second). If your dog is a puppy, you can hold her in the palm of your hand and use your thumb and one finger to help the heart pump.

Directly compressing the heart of dogs over 20 pounds is ineffective because the space between the ribs and heart is so large. Instead, do compressions at the highest part of the chest.

Lay your poodle on her side and kneel behind her, with her back against your knees. Place your hand flat on the highest part of the rib cage (which is also the widest part), place the other hand over it, straighten your arms, and push down firmly. The smaller the dog, the less pressure you should use. Press for one count and release for one count. Try to compress 60 to 80 times per minute.

Alternate between one breath and five compressions for any size dog. Continue until your poodle starts breathing on her own and her heart starts pumping, or until you arrive at the animal hospital.