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Detailed Notes: Breathing and CPR for Cats and Dogs
Detailed Notes: Heimlich Maneuver Cats and Dogs

Detailed Notes on Breathing and CPR for Cats and Dogs.
This is an integral part of CPRanimal.html

If animal was drowning, do not attempt to remove water from lungs. I have not seen this advocated by a DVM but this follows the determination not to attempt to remove water from the lungs of human victims before CPR since it does not significantly impede the breathing and CPR process and attempts to remove it may cause further damage (see CPR).

If possible neck or back injury do not move or tilt the head to open mouth. Open mouth with fingers and be sure that tongue is not doubled back or blocking throat.

Do not try to check pulse, unless you know exactly where to find it. Valuable time may be lost attempting to find a pulse. I have not seen this advocated by a DVM. However, since most people who might attempt breathing and CPR, looking for a pulse may be time costly. No longer recommended by lay persons for human victims (see CPR and also American Hearth Association Journals

Clearing breathing passage ways Checking for objects in the mouth. Do not do this blindly. Look at what you are doing. Look inside mouth. Clear out any mucus, phlegm or vomit. If you can see something blocking and you think you can get it out with you fingers, place something which will keep animal from biting down in the entrance to the mouth, and using finger sweep, remove any blockage. Do not do a blind finger sweep. Dogs have a bone at the base of the tongue which is the hyoid apparatus or Adam's apple). which may be mistaken for chicken bones or other obstruction unless you see what you are doing. Also, if you do not see what you are doing, this may push any obstruction further down, or could hurt the animal in other ways. further discussion

Safety procedure for not getting bitten even by an unconscious animal: It may be necessary to place a roll of tape or something soft on one side of the mouth before reaching in. Several sites indicate that the animal may bite down automatically even when unconscious.

Breathing Mouth to snout or using cupped hand
Blowing air into the lungs would appear to be almost impossible through a dog's or even a cat's mouth. The muzzle usually being too long and the possibility of air escaping through the sides too great. Therefore it would appear that holding the mouth shut and breathing though the nose is usually the best option in most cases. If the nose is congested, it may be necessary to attempt breathing through the mouth with the sides of the mouth held as air tight as possible. Secondly, whether to put your mouth over the snout or to cup one hand securely and as airtight as possible over the snout and blowing in through the nose or mouth would be a decision each rescuer should make. Both methods would appear to be sufficient if in fact the hand grip is reasonably air tight.

Amount of air blown into the animals lungs must fit the size of the animal - just enough to cause its chest area to rise and than fall - and no more. Breaths should be 1 per 2-3 seconds. (20-30 breaths per minute).

CPR Breathe into the animal 2 times (1 in 2 seconds) and press down on chest 5 times in about 2-3 seconds

Procedure for pressing down - Animal should lie on its right side, put heel (fingers for small animal) of one hand on the rib cage (where middle of foreleg touches chest when folded). If you feel pulse return, continue with breaths only until the animal breathes on it own,

or until there is movement.

Time to do CPR before stopping
Most sites (see stopping below) indicate the amount of time to do CPR procedures before stopping. However, the time varies widely, so in the end it is left to the individual to decide when further attempts are not going to prove beneficial. The times range from 10 minutes to 60 minutes with most sites indicating 20 minutes.

Cycle of :
Breaths: 1 breath every 2-3 seconds (depending on size)
followed by CPR: 3-5 compressions.

There is apparently no standard cycle of number of breaths and number of compressions or the timing. See breathing/compression.

If you feel pulse return, continue with breaths only
Continue until there is movement or self breathing or 20 minutes has passed.

Air still blocked. If air still not going through, or chest does NOT rise even though blowing should be sufficient, or you can see the blockage but can not get it out, do the Heimlich Maneuver which attempts to dislodge any blockage which can not be dislodged by hand.