In a viral TikTok post, a veterinary nurse shared CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) tips that she says all dog owners should know in case of emergency. Newsweek spoke to veterinarians to learn more about this potentially lifesaving procedure.
The video, shared in February under the username @jade.the.vet.nurs, shows how the nurse performs emergency CPR on dogs weighing over 7 kilograms [15.4 pounds], giving detailed instructions about specific dog types.
“If you found a dog that’s collapsed, they’re not breathing, you need to perform an initial assessment; you need to remember ABC,” the nurse says in the clip, as she gets ready to perform her tips on a stuffed dog toy.
She says that A stands for airway, making sure that their airways are clear and removing any potential obstructions; B is for checking whether the dog is breathing; and C is for circulation, checking that they have a pulse, and a heartbeat.
Then the nurse moves on to showing how to actually perform CPR on them, which she says, varies by dog.
Newsweek spoke to Dr. Liza Cahn, veterinarian for Embrace Pet Insurance, who explained how this process differs from dog to dog, and when it is appropriate to perform this procedure on your pet.
She told Newsweek that, generally, CPR consists of two parts; rescue breathing and chest compressions, although the correct way to perform it on a dog depends on their size and body shape.
According to Cahn, it is important that, before trying to perform CPR on your dog, you attempt to stimulate them by shaking them and calling their name, and that you assess the ABCs, as explained above. Then, call for help as you begin the procedure.
“For small dogs weighing under approximately 15 pounds,” Cahn said, “use the one-handed technique, encircling the chest with one hand directly over the heart. For medium and large dogs, use a two-handed technique, placing interlocked hands over the widest part of the rib cage.
“For deep-chested breeds such as greyhounds, perform the two-handed technique placing hands directly over the heart, and for flat-chested dogs, like English bulldogs, place them on their back with your hands pressing down on the breastbone. Compress the chest 1/3 to 1/2 of its width at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.”
Compressions are followed by rescue breathing. According to Cahn, to perform rescue breathing, you should extend their neck, close the dog’s mouth, and form a seal with your mouth over their nose, giving two 1-second breaths, watching for slight chest rise and allowing the dog to exhale between breaths.
“Have one person perform rescue breathing, and another perform chest compressions, or repeat a 30:2 cycle (30 compressions, then two breaths) until you have transported your pet to the emergency vet, pulse or respiration restart, or you are physically unable to continue,” Cahn added.
If you are a dog owner and you are interested in learning more about CPR for the safety of your pet, a veterinarian or a nurse can help you. Not all veterinarians suggest performing CPR on your pup unless you are trained to do it.
Dr. Noelle Herrera, criticalist at Saint Francis Veterinary Specialists and emergency in Decatur, Georgia, a Thrive Pet Healthcare partner, told Newsweek that, to be maximally effective, CPR should be performed by trained veterinary professionals.
“Time is of the essence in cases of CPR. Therefore, pet owners should be prepared for an emergency by knowing where the closest 24-hour pet emergency facility is, calling the facility when they are on their way so that the medical team can be expecting them, knowing ahead of time if they would want CPR performed on their pet or not, and having an emergency fund so that there is less financial stress,” Herrera said.
Stock image: A person places their hands on a dog during CPR.
getty images
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 6.1 million views and more than 463,000 likes on the platform.
One user, Freedom, commented: “Vets should have ambulance service.”
Kiyona posted: “I did CPR on my mom’s elderly dog who had a severe seizure. Stopped breathing, blue tongue. She made it!”
Nia added: “I’m so anxious just watching this. it’s good to know but I hope I will never need to do it on my dog.”
Newsweek reached out to @jade.the.vet.nurs for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
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