CUSTOM CAT CARE FROM SLEEP-EAS-ZZ…

Both Jean and I recently had the experience of learning pet CPR and First Aid through TAPPS (Triangle Area Professional Pet Sitters) with Dr. Lapham. We are professional pet sitters with A1 Pet Care and wanted to gain this knowledge because the safety of all the animals we care for is so important to us. Now although Jean and I see a variety of pets, we highly recommend this for pet owners, not only for their own furry friends, but for the possibility to help someone else’s also! With learning this, you will panic less and respond quickly, which is always good for you and also the animal.

It starts with the basics or ABC’s (airway, breathing, circulation)

1. Airway – make sure the cat or dog is breathing, look, listen and feel.
2. Breathing – if they are not breathing, pull out their tongue a little, close mouth and tilt head slightly. Give 4-5 breaths from mouth to snout. You will want to see the chest rise.
3. Circulation – You will need to check to see if their heart is working. This will be checked by a pulse point. For a dog, check inside the rear leg, towards the top. And for a cat, is outside the left front leg, behind the shoulder.

Rescue Breathing – Is when you will have to breathe for them and will have to do this when they have a pulse but have no sign of breathing on their own.

• Step 1: First do the ABC’s listed above. Then, look, listen and feel.
• Step 2: If not breathing, using mouth-to-snout resuscitation, give 4-5 breaths.
• Step 3: Check for a pulse.
• Step 4: If there is a pulse, but no breathing, begin mouth-to-snout resuscitation with 1 breath every 3 seconds. For cats & small dogs, give 1 breath every 2 seconds.

CPR – Can only be performed if they are not breathing and have no pulse.

• Follow all steps up to step 3. If there is no pulse, begin CPR.
• Step 4: For a dog – Place dog on his right side on a hard surface. The point of where the dog’s elbow touches the body is where you place your hands for compressions. Put your one hand on top of the other and clasp your fingers together. Lock your elbows and begin compressions. Push down about 2-3 inches. Give the compressions first then a breath. After about 1 minute, check for a pulse, and then repeat if there is no response.

For cats or really small dogs – place hands on either side of the animals chest, right behind the shoulder blades. Compress down only about ½ – 1 inch.

For Giant dogs – 1 breath every 10 compressions.

For medium to large dogs – 1 breath every 5 compressions.

For small dogs – 1 breath every 5 compressions.

For cats or really small dogs – 1 breath every 3 compressions.

The top 12 animal emergencies are bite wounds, bleeding, breathing stops, burns, choking, diarrhea, fractures, heatstroke, poisoning, seizures, shock, and vomiting.

Some essentials the should be in your first aid kit for your pet would be: scissors, tweezers, paper towels, bandanna or nylon stocking for a muzzle, 3×3 sterile gauze pads, vet wrap, saline eye solution, styptic powder, benadryl, plastic baggies, and a nylon leash.

It’s not a scenario that you never want to imagine for your pet, but the benefits of knowing pet CPR and First Aid may give them that only chance they have in an emergency situation.

Michelle,
A1 Pet Care

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