HOUSTON – Pets are more than just animals. They are family members, and when something happens, you want to be able to do your best to help. Pet owners know dogs and cats can get themselves into all kinds of trouble, so knowing pet CPR can be important in an emergency.
“Being prepared is the key to any emergency situation,” said Casey Farris from Pet CPR USA.
Farris teaches a class on how to perform CPR on your pet. She said professional groomers, doggie daycares and firefighters have taken her class to learn how to rescue dogs and cats but anyone can learn.
How to rescue a choking pet:
“Get behind them and press on their lung area and that will act like a fireplace bellows and create pressure and spit out the object,” Farris instructs.
If your pet is unresponsive and not breathing you should:
1) Put them on their right side, left side up and start CPR
2) Lock your left thumb under the animal’s armpit, brace the dog against your body with your right hand
3) Start compressions, pressing down 1/3 to 1/4 the width of the animal.
4) Extend the animal’s airway. Pull the tongue past his/her teeth.
5) Hold the animal’s mouth down tight, like a sandwich.
6) Place your mouth over the snout (nostrils) of the animal. Give two breaths. One breath = rise and fall of the chest.
7) Check for pulse on the animal’s back leg.
8) If you don’t have a pulse, continue with CPR.
Keep doing this until you reach an emergency vet hospital.
Contact Farris if you’re interested in getting trained in pet CPR: petcprusa.com
