Pet First Aid - Do Dogs Ever Need CPR?

Pet first aidis something that pet owners should learn.  Medical emergencies and emergency situations that require CPR and first aid can happen to pets as well as people.  Knowing what to do if your pet needs help in a variety of situations can help keep your pet calm and increase their chances of recovery and survival.  Prevention is always best to prevent an accident from happening, but pets will often wander away or consume something that could be toxic.  Having peace of mind from pet first aid training and learning how to perform pet CPR can help save pet lives. 

Pet first aid and CPRcan be taken online for convenience.  Pet first aid and CPR renewal classes can also be taken online so that your certification card does not expire or lapse.  These specialty first aid courses are open to anyone who wants to take them.  Pet owners are encouraged to take them so that they will be able to act with knowledge and confidence if their pet ever needs emergency care.  Any individual who works with pets or at a veterinary office are required to have pet first aid and pet CPR certification. 

Similar CPR steps for humans apply to dogs too.  The first step is to check for a pulse or for breathing.  The inner thigh along the femoral artery is a common place to check the pulse for a dog.  You can also look for visible signs to determine if the dog has stopped breathing.  The gums or lips will be discolored or grayish in color.  The pupils will not respond or dilate when exposed to lights.  If the animal is not breathing, you can perform CPR.  CPR on small dogs requires breaths given by placing your mouth over the nose and mouth.  CPR on large dogs can be given breaths by placing your mouth over the nose.  Small dogs receive chest compressions at ½ inch to 1 inch deep and receive five compressions per breath of air.  Large dogs receive chest compressions at 1 inch to 3 inches deep and receive ten compressions per breath of air.  Taking CPR and first aid certification for pets helps you learn what to do and how to do it correctly to save an injured pet.