How To Perform The Heimlich Maneuver And CPR On Your Dog

Like & Follow Us On Facebook!

jelly1

 

How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver if your Dog is Choking.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

If the dog is suffocating, it will often panic. A dog may paw at its mouth if something is lodged, though this does not necessarily mean it is choking. Another suspicious sign of choking is an unresponsive or unconscious dog; in these cases, check the throat and mouth for foreign objects.

PRIMARY CAUSE

Almost any small object can cause choking, though the most common are hard rubber balls, lumps of gristle, and chew toys or sticks that have become swollen due to moisture.

IMMEDIATE CARE

Be very careful when dealing with a choking dog, as even calm animals will panic when they cannot breathe. Protect yourself by restraining the dog, but do not muzzle it.

  1. Use both hands to open the mouth, with one hand on the upper jaw and the other on the lower.
  2. Grasping the jaws, press the lips over the dog’s teeth so that they are between the teeth and your fingers.
  3. Look inside the mouth and remove the obstruction with your fingers.
  4. If you can’t move the object with your fingers, use a flat spoon handle to pry it away from the teeth or roof of the mouth.

If the dog is still choking and you can’t see anything in the mouth, or the dog has fallen unconscious, follow these guidelines.

For a SMALL Dog

Pick the dog up by its thighs and gently shake and swing it. If his condition does not improve, apply forward pressure to the abdomen just behind the ribcage.

For a LARGE Dog

Do not try to pick up, shake, or swing a large dog; you’re more likely to do further damage due to the animal’s size. Instead, perform the equivalent of the Heimlich maneuver:

  1. If the dog is standing, put your arms around her belly, joining your hands. Make a fist and push firmly up and forward, just behind the rib cage. Place the dog on his side afterward.
  2. If the dog is lying down, place one hand on the back for support and use the other hand to squeeze the abdomen upwards and forwards.
  3. Check the dog’s mouth and remove any objects that may have been dislodges with your fingers.

Note that the object might be quite a way back towards the throat, so you might have to hunt around and hook it out with your index finger. If the dog requires CPR, the steps on performing CPR on your dog are below.

How To Perform CPR On Your Dog

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Dogs

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR, is a combination of chest compression and artificial respiration. It is normally used when you cannot feel or hear the dog’s heart beat. Once the dog stops breathing the heart will go into cardiac arrest and cease beating.

Before performing this procedure please keep in mind that Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is hazardous and can cause physical complications or fatal damage if performed on a healthy dog. It should only be performed when necessary.

 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for puppies/ dogs less than 30 pounds (14 kg):

  1. Lay the dog on a flat surface with his/her right side against the surface.
  2. Cup your palms and hold the dog with one palm on either side above the heart region. (You can also place your thumb on one side of his chest and keep the fingers on the other side.)
  3. Compress the chest for one inch to one-quarter or one-third the width of the chest for a count of one and then let go for a count of one. Carry on at a rate of 100 compressions in a minute.
  4. If only one person is available, breathe into the dog’s nose once for every five compressions that are done. If two persons are available, give artificial respiration once every two or three compressions are done.
  5. Continue with the CPR and artificial respiration until the dog begins breathing on its own and the pulse becomes steady.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for medium/large dogs weighing more than 30 lb (14 kg):

  1. Lay the dog on a flat surface with his/her right side against the surface. (You will need to stand towards the dog’s back.)
  2. Put one of your palms on the dog’s rib cage, near the heart region, and put your other palm on top of it.
  3. Without bending both the elbows, press the rib cage in a downward motion.
  4. Compress the chest for one-quarter to one-third the width of the chest for a count of one and then let go for a count of one. Carry on at a rate of 80 compression’s per minute.
  5. Close the muzzle with your hand before beginning artificial respiration. If only one person is available, breathe into the dog’s nose once for every five compression’s that are done. If two persons are available, give artificial respiration once for every two compression’s are done.
  6. Continue performing CPR until the dog begins to breathe and has a steady pulse.
  7. If the dog does not show any signs of improvement after 10 minutes of CPR, you can stop as it has not proven successful.

At any point where you feel your pup is in serious harm, it is always best to immediately seek veterinary attention. #dogs #animals #pets

via: PetMD

 

Like  Share Be Awesome

 

Like & Follow Us On Facebook!
jelly1