Instructions
Check if your puppy is unconscious by gently talking to it, rubbing it and/or shaking it. Only if you are certain that the puppy is unconscious and not simply sleeping, should you consider the need for rescue breathing. Otherwise you could be injured by a startled puppy.
Check to see if puppy is breathing. You can do so by watching for a rising and falling movement in the chest, listening for breathing sounds and/or by feeling for air with your fingers by its nose. Sometimes a puppy may not be spontaneously breathing while it is asleep if its head and neck are in poor alignment. In this case, adjusting the puppy's position is all that would be necessary. Once adjusted, if it still does not breathe, it would be necessary to begin artificially breathing.
Place the puppy flat on its right side, and extend the head and neck to open the airway. This is accomplished by slightly tilting puppy's head up and back as it rests on the floor, creating a natural alignment for air to enter freely. Gently grasp tongue and pull forward until flat. Ensure mouth and throat are clear of any foreign objects or vomit, by using a finger to gently sweep the area. Do not begin breathing until absolutely certain there is nothing blocked in the airway, as doing so can be push the object further into the puppy's windpipe.
Begin breathing for the puppy. Pull tongue forward and hold mouth and lips shut with both of your hands. Place your mouth over the puppy's nose and mouth or for larger breeds place your mouth over the nose and cup the muzzle. Make sure you have a tight seal and give a full breath, while watching for the chest to expand. Continue giving four or five rapid breaths and watch to see if puppy begins to breathe on its own. If not, continue with artificial respiration. Puppies under 30 pounds should average 20 to 25 breaths per minute. Larger puppies should receive 12 to 20 breaths per minute.
How to Do Rescue Breathing for a Puppy
For most pet owners, puppies are a beloved member of the family. As a result, it is important to know how to properly care for a puppy in the event of an emergency, like if it was to stop breathing. A puppy can stop breathing for a variety of reasons such as illness, injury, poisoning or choking. Understanding how to perform mouth-to-muzzle resuscitation, or artificial respiration, could mean the difference between life and death for your puppy.