CPR for Cats

Taught by Genghis Kahn

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR as it is commonly called, could be one of the most important things you ever learn. It might make it possible to save the life of a cat who is a victim of drowning, electrical shock, or cardiac arrest.

        

If you encounter a cat (or dog if you are feeling noble) that is unresponsive and doesn't appear to be breathing, the first thing you should do is to call the kitty by name if you know it, or just "Kitty! Kitty!" if you don't. Gently shake the kitty while calling him.

      

If you receive no respose, check for a femoral pulse in the inguinal crease (the area where the hind leg is next to the abdomen) and make sure nothing is in the cat's mouth to block the airway.

        

Carefully pull the tongue out of the mouth and look into the mouth and down the throat for possible foreign objects. You may reach into the mouth and remove an object if one is discovered, but be very careful! Even an unresponsive cat may bite!

        

Make sure the neck is reasonably straight and try to bring the head in-line with the neck. Do not hyperextend in cases where neck injury exists!

        

Attempt 2 rescue breaths, by closing the mouth, and performing mouth-to-nose breathing. If they go in with no problems continue to the next step.

      

If there is a problem, reposition the neck and try again. If it appears that no air is getting to the lungs, proceed to the Heimlich maneuver.

Heimlich:

Turn the animal upside down, with its back against your chest With both arms, give 5 sharp thrusts (bear hugs) to the abdomen. Perform each thrust as if it is the one that will expel the object Stop, check to see if the object is visible in the airway, if so, remove it and give 2 mouth-nose rescue breaths. If the breaths do not go in, go back to step 1

Use gravity to help you expel the object Do not proceed with CPR, even if the animal goes into cardiac arrest. You must clear the airway first.

       

 After achieving an open airway, one must determine whether the animal is breathing, and whether this breathing is effective:

      

Ventilate the animal by closing the mouth, and performing mouth-to-nose breathing.

Ventilate at 20 breaths per minute. Can you see the chest rising and falling with the breaths? If you can, proceed to next step while continuing respiratory support as necessary

This is the final step of CPR and should only be initiated after the airway and breathing steps have been completed: Make sure that there are no major (pooling/spurting blood) points of bleeding. Control as necessary

Lay the animal on its right side

Locate your hands where its left elbow touches the chest. Approximately the middle of the rib-cage. Place the heel of one hand on the cat's chest with the other hand palm-down on top.

Compress the chest 15 times followed by 2 rescue breaths (3 compressions every 2 seconds)

Compress approximately1/2" (Take care not to break the ribs)

Repeat as necessary

Important:

During an emergency it is very important that you remain calm. Animals can sense your unease, but cannot understand what is happening and you cannot verbally tell them. Your body language is very important. Be calm, yet deliberate in your actions. When you determine that you either have corrected the life-threatening problem, or are unable to stabilize the animal, you should transport to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital.       Ask someone to notify your emergency clinic, or vet, that you are coming in with a cat in respiratory arrest with a foreign body airway obstruction and/or cardiac arrest.

        I sincerely hope that you never have to use this information!

Exam

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Illustrations:

• Emergency First Aid for Your Cat
  Tamara S. Shearer, DVM
• The Well Cat Book
  Terri McGinnis