Canine CPR
CPR - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation - is an attempt to supply blood flow and oxygen to the tissues of the body when normal respiration and/or heart function have failed. Time is critical as irreversible tissue damage occurs within 2-4 mintues of respiratory or circulatory arrest. Signs of cardiac arrest include unconsciousness, cessation of breathing, pale to grey-white gums, dilated pupils.
1. Check for heart activity
- ~ listen to the chest
~ feel for pulses - femoral artery
2. Call for help if available!
3. Airway
- ~ open mouth, pull out tongue, look and feel for obstructions
~ clear mucus - be careful - DO NOT GET BITTEN!
4. Breathing
- ~ with head and neck extended, hold dog's nose with his mouth closed
~ inhale, place your mouth over dog's nose and mouth and exhale, watching for chest expansion as you blow.
~ remove your mouth to allow lungs to deflate.
Circulation - CPR
- ~ for deep-chested dogs, place dog right side down with his spine against your body.
~ position your hands one on top of the other with fingers entwined and the heel of the palm at approximately the level of the 4th-6th rib, 1/3 of the way up the chest from the sternum.
~ apply compression in a firm, steady downward motion, release.
~ rate: approximately 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
~ single resusciator: 2 breaths / 15 compressions
~ double resuscitators: 1 breath / 3-5 compressions
~ check efficiency by feeling for pulses
~ DO NOT STOP FOR LONGER THAN 30 SECONDS
~ prognosis is poor if fixed and dilated pupils do not constrict down after initiation of CPR.
