Let us continue today with the type of care that you can offer your pet in an eventuality that demands urgent and immediate attention – even as you contact your veterinarian.
There are several situations that necessitate quick action on your part in order to prevent your pet from dying. The ones that are foremost in the list of emergencies, and those which confront veterinarians, are: electric shocks, heat strokes, obstructed air passages, physical traumas to the head (sometimes resulting in unconsciousness), a prolonged epileptic attack, poisoning, burns, suffocations (by drowning or inhalation of smoke/toxic gases), and snake/insect bites. We will deal with all these problems over the course of the next few weeks.
The greatest emergency, obviously, is the one that causes the heartbeat and breathing to be severely compromised, or to stop altogether. Your action at home, therefore, is directed towards reinstating breathing and the cardiac function. This will be done by artificial respiration and/or heart massage.
ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION
The dog or cat that is showing severe signs of breathing distress is usually semi-conscious, and even unconscious. Often, in these circumstances, the heart also would not be functioning well. In fact, there might even be a total cessation of heartbeats. This means that you may have to tackle both problems simultaneously.
There are two procedures that you can undertake within the context of Artificial Respiration. Firstly, you can use the method of Chest Compression. This means that you will be exerting a manual force to the chest. In so doing, you will be pushing the air out of the lungs. On release, the chest would then expand again, thus sucking air back into the lungs. The technique is simple:
i) Check for any blockage in the nostrils/mouth.
ii) Wipe away any accumulated discharge from the nostrils and mouth.
iii) Place the dog/cat on its side (on an even surface), preferably with the left side up (right side down on the flat surface).
iv) Place the palm of your hand (if it is a big dog, you may have to use both palms) on the animal’s chest and press down quickly, then release. Carry out this manoeuvre every 3-5 seconds, and continue until the dog begins to breathe rhythmically on its own.
You may also wish to carry out the mouth-to-nose technique:
i) Clear away any secretions that may be present around the nostrils and mouth with a clean tissue. If you are very fastidious, you may wish to use a gentle disinfectant (e.g. Dettol, Savlon)
ii) Pull the dog’s/cat’s tongue forward, and hold the animal’s mouth closed with your hand.
iii) Form a cup with your other hand and place it around the nose of the animal, and blow into the nostrils of the animal steadily for about 3 seconds. Your cupped hand is actually forming a connecting tube between your mouth and the dog’s/cat’s nostrils. Of course, you may wish to place your mouth over the animal’s nose directly.
iv) The air that you blow into the lungs would cause the chest to expand. When you stop, the elasticity of the chest would cause it to go back to its original position and force the air out.
v) This action should be continued until the dog/cat begins to breathe on its own.
I hope this necessity never arises; but if it does, please don’t be squeamish. It is your companion animal’s life that is at stake. Of course, even while you are carrying out this exercise, and before the animal has been revived, someone should be trying to contact your veterinarian.
