Artificial Respiration
alert Veterinarian that you are on your way!
ideally you should be performing all of this on your way to the vet clinic – remember safety first for yourself and your passengers
Signs of Respiratory Distress
– obvious trauma
– Cyanosis (blue lips and tongue)
– not breathing – no chest movement
Action
– pull tongue forward, look for foreign bodies/blockage – remove if possible
– close mouth tightly, wrap lips around to form a seal
– place your mouth over the animal’s nose
– blow into the nose until the chest rises (adjust your breath volume to animal size)
– remove your mouth after each breath to allow air to escape
– give 1 breath every 3 seconds, repeat for 10 repetitions
– reassess breathing and ensure there is a pulse
if there is no pulse – go to CPR…..
CPR – Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
this procedure is performed only when there is no heart beat and no breathing
Signs
– unconscious
– no breathing and no heartbeat felt with hand and/or no femoral pulse
Action
– lay animal on its right side on a firm flat surface
– extend head and neck, pull tongue forward and remove any visible foreign objects
– ideally this is a 2 person job – one person to perform mouth to nose breathing and one to perform chest compressions -2 breaths to 15 compressions, but if you are the only one you will alternate breaths/compressions
– continue as you transport to Veterinarian
CPR on small animal (1-5 pounds)
– one hand supports the spine while the other hands has a firm grasp on the chest.
– squeeze in on both sides gently but firmly to a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch. We are aiming ofr 80-120 compressions per minute
Large Animal (over 5 pounds)
– place hands on lower half of the chest just behind the elbow
– compressions 1-2 inches deep, 80-120 compressions per minute
Remember to recheck pulse every minute and to stop CPR if a pulse is felt, you may need to continue breathing for the animal until you reach a Vet.