“Pet First Aid”

Rescue Breathing and

C.P.R.

Signals of Cardiac Arrest:

	No spontaneous breathing
	No heartbeat or pulse
	Grey-colored mucous membranes
	Dilated pupils not responsive to light

If there is no pulse, administer CPR

Rescue Breathing:

ABC’s of CPR

	Open the airway by tilting the neck and head slightly back and pull the tongue between the front teeth
	Sweep mouth with your finger (only if it is unconscious)
	Check for breathing (look, listen and feel for air)
	If NO breathing, close the mouth and place your mouth over the animal’s nose and forcefully blow
	Give 4 or 5 quick breaths, then check for pulse
	If the animal has a pulse, and breathing is shallow, irregular or non-existent, continue to give rescue breathing until you reach the veterinary hospital. (maximum of 20 minutes)

Cardiac Arrest: C.P.R.
Small Dog or Cat (Under 30 lbs.):

	Lay animal on right side
	Kneel next to pet with animals’ chest facing you
	Plant palm of one hand over ribs at the point where the animal's elbow touches the chest
	Place the other hand beneath the right side of the body, compress the chest ½ -1 inch
	If alone, 5 compressions to 1 breath of air
	If two people, one person does breathing while the other does compressions at a rate of 3 compressions to 1 breath of air
	Stop and check for pulse.

Medium to Large Dog (30 to 90 lbs.)

	Kneel with the animal’s back to you
	Using both hands, compress the chest 1-3 inches at the point where left elbow of the front leg lies when pulled back to the chest
	If alone, give 5 compressions to 1 breath of air
	If two people, do 2 to 3 compressions, for each breath of air

Giant Dogs (over 90 lbs.)

	If alone, 10 compressions (at a rate of 80-100 per minute) to 1 breath of air
	If two persons, 6 compressions to 1 breath

No spontaneous breathing