Cardiac chest compressions are something the guardian of every puppy needs to know and hopes never to need. It's especially important to know the technique for giving cardiac chest compressions to a newborn or young puppy if your adult dog is pregnant and you will soon be caring for an entire litter. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, usually referred to as CPR, is needed when respiratory arrest leads to cardiac arrest. This basically means your puppy stops breathing, and this eventually leads to its heart stopping. Being able to give your puppy CPR might save its life in an emergency.
Things You'll Need
- Towel
Instructions
Hold the puppy in your cupped palms at about the level of your waist.
Hold the puppy with its head pointed downward so that any fluid or foreign objects will drain from the mouth, throat and/or lungs.
Put your mouth over the puppy's nose and mouth.
Breathe three small puffs of air into the mouth and nose of the puppy.
Feel the puppy's chest wall to check for a heartbeat.
Holding the puppy in your palm, compress the chest in the area at the back of the puppy's bent elbows if you do not feel a heartbeat. With your thumb on the puppy's back and your forefinger on the chest, compress quickly. Perform about 20 compressions before stopping to give the puppy more puffs of air.
Give the puppy a few more puffs of air every 20 seconds.
Check for a heartbeat every minute.
Rub the puppy's body vigorously with a towel if you begin to feel a slow heartbeat.
Continue breathing for the puppy for up to 20 minutes. Continue chest compressions for five minutes. If the puppy is not breathing and does not have a heartbeat within this amount of time, the dog likely cannot be saved.