If you have a dog, you will know that they are part of the family, and that their wellness is almost as important as that of any other member of the family. You may have thought long and hard about doing a first aid course, or finding out a bit more about what to do in a paediatric emergency, but do you know how to look after the wellbeing of your dog in the event of an emergency?
If your dog stops breathing on their own in the event of sudden illness or an accident, you may find yourself required to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in order to keep the dog’s oxygen going to the vital organs until help arrives.
Start by making sure that your dog is unconscious – you can do this by talking gently to your dog, rubbing him or gently shaking him to try to wake him up. It is paramount that you ensure your dog is unconscious and not in a deep sleep before attempting rescue breathing, as if your dog were to wake up to find you mouth to mouth with him, you could end up getting seriously hurt.
Start by clearing the dog’s airways by extending his head and neck and trying to keep them in line. Open his mouth and pull the tongue forward. Make sure that the mouth is clear of saliva or vomit by using your fingers.
Check again at this stage to see if your dog is breathing, as sometimes just aligning the head and neck can start the dog breathing on his own. If there is no sign of breathing after 10 seconds, start to do CPR.
Pull the tongue forward, hold the mouth and lips shut by cupping both your hands around his muzzle. Put your mouth over his nose and blow air into the nostrils until you see the chest expand. For a dog, do the same thing but use your mouth to seal his nose and mouth. Do this four or five times and keep checking for breathing.