Every dog owner needs to learn this skill

Virgin Radio

25 May 2022, 12:25

If you have a beloved four-legged friend in your life, this is the skill for you.

Many of us know how to do CPR for humans, but not for dogs.

It could make the difference between life and death for your beloved pet.

Pet insurance company Animal Friends has paired with Dog First Aid Training to teach people how to do it.

Animal Friends' qualified dog first aider Patricia Gardiner says the skill is 'often overlooked'.

"It is so important that people upskill themselves on dog first aid, including dog-specific CPR," she said.

"These skills are so often overlooked however they could save yours, or another dog's life!"

First off, if you find a dog that appears to be unconscious, approach with caution and call out to it.

Animal Friends says to touch the dog gently with your foot, so if the dog reacts aggressively, you can remove yourself from the situation more easily.

"Look and listen for any signs of life. If there aren’t any, come down and stroke the dog with the back of your hand. The back of the hand is much less invasive than with the front of the hand, where you’ve got the weight of the fingers and the heat of the palm," they explain.

If after this there are no signs of life, you'll need to take the femoral pulse via the femoral artery.

The artery is found on the upper inner thigh of your dog's rear leg.

Look for a depression where the artery crosses the femur bone.

If there is no pulse, you'll next need to start two minutes of compressions.

This is around 200 compressions.

Most dogs need to be lying on their right side so you have access to the left side of the chest.

The exception to the rule is barrel-chested dogs such as bulldogs, who need to be on their back.

If the dog is under 10kg, place your hands directly on the heart.

If over, place hands on the widest part of the rib cage.

When it comes to pressure, you need to go to around a third of the dog's body depth with each compression, with around two compressions every second.

"If you remember that song ‘Staying Alive’ or ‘Nellie the Elephant’ these are the songs that will keep you in time," they explain.

If the pulse hasn't returned, the next step is to check inside the dog's mouth and clear anything that could be obstructing their breathing.

To perform mouth-to-snout you need to tuck the tongue in and firmly close their muzzle.

You know it's working when their chest rises with each breath.

"Something else to help the air get through is if you can pull the head forward to elongate the airway. If you aim to have as straight a topline as you can, with the neck and back as in line as possible. This is stretching out the airway meaning your air can get through to where it needs to go so that will aid with your rescue breaths," Animal Friends says.

"You do two breaths and between each breath you are removing your mouth and breathing fresh air into your lungs. This is so you don’t pass out, and that you’re breathing fresh air into the dog. Then you go into 30 compressions, 2 breaths, 30 compressions, 2 breaths, 30 compressions, 2 breaths."

Repeat this three times and check for a pulse or signs of life in between.

Continue up to 20 minutes or until further veterinarian help arrives.

Want to know more? Find out about pet first aid here.

Hopefully you will never need to use this, but it's a good skill to know.