Know how to recognize respiratory distress and to carry out the correct procedures.
As soon as a dog has stopped breathing and after the airway has been cleared, he should be ventilated artificially.
The Causes:- Obstruction of the air passage;- abnormal breathing (poisoning, hypoxia);- breathing has stopped.
Symptoms:
- No thoracic or abdominal movement.
Action to be taken:
- Remove the dog from distress if there is a safe place (cut the elecricity, leave a smoke-filled room).
1st situation:- unconscious animal, sporadic breathing, regular thoracic and abdominal movements: place the dog under permanent observation.
2nd situation:- unconscious animal, breathing has stopped, no respiratory movement, cyanotic mucus (bluish): ensure that the air passage is unobstructed (remove the collar, open the mouth and pull the tongue, leave the head extended and in a sloped position).
Give two breaths;
If the thorax lifts, verify the femoral pulse:- pulse is present: continue artificial respiration;- pulse is absent: perform a cardiac massage.
If the thorax does not lift, the air passage is obstructed at the trachea. In this case, one can perform the Heimlich maneuver (as on a person) using a sharp upward force at the base of the sternum to eject the foreign body.
Technique: mouth to nose. Keep the mouth closed with the hands, blow into the dog's nostrils progressively. The breathing is passive.
Breathing frequency:- 12 to 16 for a large dog;- 15 to 20 for a small dog.
For those who are reluctant to place their mouth over that of the dog, it is possible, although less efficient, to perform a thoracic massage in order to restart the breathing by profiting from the inactive lung space. In this case, the dog should be placed on its side on a hard surface.
3rd situation:- unconscious animal whose thorax does not lift after the first two breaths given or a conscious animal that goes down the wrong way: if possible, support the dog by its hind legs, head towards the ground.
4th situation:- unconscious animal, respiratory arrest and pulse absent.
Signs of improvement:Reappearance of spontaneous breathing with a full, regular, or normal frequency of thoracic movements:- 12 to 16 for large dogs;- 15 to 20 for small dogs.
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