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Check the scene for safety.
If it is an unfamiliar or aggressive dog or if
you feel you can't perform CPR, immediately contact your
veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic for assistance.
Keep the dog comfortable and calm, if possible.
Check for signs of breathing.
If
the dog is unconscious, get down to floor level and see if its
chest is moving. Try to feel or hear if air is coming from the
dog's mouth or nose. Check for a pulse by feeling the femoral
artery along the neck.
Clear the
airway.
If the dog is unconscious, open its mouth,
pull out the tongue, and check for any signs of obstructions
or blockages. Extend the dog's head and neck.
Wrap the dog's muzzle.
For
protection against bites, wrap the dog's muzzle with a flat
strip of cloth or pantyhose. Loop it over and under the
muzzle, and tie it behind the ears to prevent he dog from
pawing it off.
Deliver oxygen via the mouth-to
snout method.
If nothing is blocking the airway,
tilt the dog's head slightly back. With he dog's mouth closed,
place your mouth over the dog's nose, forming an airtight
seal. Breathe in enough air to cause its chest to rise and
fall. Aim for a rate of 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Avoid
hard inhalations, which can force air into the dog's stomach
and cause its lungs to over inflate and collapse.
Check for a heartbeat.
Place your
hand behind he dog's front left elbow on its lower chest.
If there is no pulse, begin chest
compressions.
Position the dog on its side with
its spine against your body. Place one hand on top of the
other about a third of he way above he sternum on the chest,
and interlace your fingers. Apply about five steady downward
motions at a rate of one per second. Follow with one breath
via the mouth-to-snout method. After every two minutes
alternating chest compressions and breaths, stop and check for
a pulse.
Be Prepared.
To locate a
local American Red Cross chapter offering pet first-aid
courses, call (213) 739-5200. For the First Aid for Dogs &
Cats book ($10) or video ($19.99), call (800) 627-7000 or
visit http://www.arcla.org/.
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