Re: Tips for caring for your pet in an emergency

On Mar 29, 5:51 pm, Glass Bread <Devereauxb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
An article about preparing for pet emergencies and caring for pets
after an accident or other emergency.

Instead of spamming us, give details:

It's not a scenario you want to imagine: finding your dog unconscious
on your living room floor or your cat hit by a car. Finding your pet
not breathing or with his heart not beating can be a terrifying
experience, but there are things you can do. The most important step
you can take is staying calm. If there's another person with you, have
her call your veterinarian while you perform CPR.

Step 1: Check for responsiveness
Before you begin doing anything to your pet, make sure he is truly
unresponsive.

* Check his breathing by placing your hand in front of his nose
and mouth. (Be sure not to cover them and block his airway!)
* Check for his heartbeat by placing your ear against area where
your pet's left elbow touches the chest.

Step 2: Secure an airway
If you don't see or feel your pet breathing, you immediately need to
make sure his airway is clear.

* Carefully pull his tongue forward out of his mouth. (Even an
unresponsive animal can bite by instinct.)
* Look into the throat for a foreign object. If you find one,
remove it carefully. (See Pet First Aid for instructions on responding
to choking in pets.)
* Move the head until the neck is straight. (Don't move the neck
if you suspect it is injured.)

Step 3: Rescue breathing

* Close your pet's mouth and breathe directly into his nose
not his mouth
until his chest expands.
* If the chest doesn't expand, check again for a foreign object in
the throat and reposition the airway so it is straight.
* Once you've gotten the chest to expand, continue the rescue
breathing, repeating the breaths 12 to 15 times per minute (once every
four to five seconds).

Step 4: Chest compressions
Do not begin chest compressions until you've secured an airway and
started rescue breathing.

* Gently lay your pet on his right side.
* The heart is located in the lower half of the chest on the left
side, behind the elbow of the front left leg. Place one hand below the
heart to support the chest; place the other hand over the heart.
* Press down gently on your pet's heart. Press down about one inch
for medium-sized dogs; press harder for larger animals and with less
force for smaller animals. To massage the hearts of cats and other
tiny pets, compress the chest with the thumb and forefingers of one
hand.
* Press down 80-120 times per minute for larger animals and
100-150 times per minute for smaller ones.
* Alternate the chest compressions with the rescue breaths.

Continue the heart massage compressions and the rescue breathing until
you can hear a heartbeat and feel regular breathing. Once your pet is
breathing and his heart is beating, call your veterinarian
immediately.

Unfortunately, even in the hands of well-trained veterinary health
professionals, the overall chance for success with resuscitation is
low. In an emergency, however, it may give your pet his only chance.

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