Performing CPR on a dog

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If a dog is not breathing or you can not feel a pulse you may well save it’s life by giving it CPR.

To do this:

Lay the dog on the right side, so his heart is upwards, ensure that the head is in line with the body and tilted slightly back to open the airway
Place your hand, palm upwards under the jaw, to close the lower jaw and place your thumb across the top of the nose to hold the mouth shut.
Take a full breath and bring you mouth down to the snout. Give 4 or 5 quick breaths and the chest should rise
Then lift the left elbow on front leg back towards chest, locate the heart and lock your fingers on both hands together, place your locked hand on the chest and lock your elbows

Give about 15 short, gentle compressions (in 10 seconds)
Give one breath and an abdominal squeeze by sliding your left hand under the abdomen, just above the rear leg hip joint, and use your right hand to squeeze. This action helps to circulate the blood back to the heart
Keep this sequence going and if you have someone to help you one can do the chest compressions and the other focus on abdominal squeeze
When the dog starts to breath normally, keep it laying on its side in recovery position and keep the dog warm, until help arrives or you can get veterinary attention