CPR for dogs: how to save a life

By / 8th October 2020 / Dogs

You may remember a public health campaign using LEGO characters to teach people the correct way to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on someone who wasn’t breathing following a heart attack.  The catchy BeeGees tune “Staying Alive” with its speedy tempo showed just how quickly compressions need to be done when performing CPR on a person (103 beats per minute). We hope you will never need to use it, but as it is Restart A Heart Day we thought we’d give a step-by-step checklist so if one of the four-legged members of your family collapses with a heart attack you are familiar with CPR for dogs and would potentially know how to save a life. 

Step-by-step CPR for dogs

  1. Does the dog have a pulse or is he breathing? Place your finger on the inside of the dog’s hind leg on the dog’s femur (or thigh bone) and then move a finger’s width away to find the femoral artery and pulse. Bring the left elbow back to the chest to locate the heart and look for signs of a heart beat.
  2. If the dog has a pulse DO NOT give compressions.
  3. If the dog does not have a pulse and is not breathing, ensure the dog’s airways are clear.
  4. Place dog on the right side. Bring the left elbow back to the chest to locate the heart. Place hands on the area just above the ribs and begin compressions (5 compressions at a fast speed – think “Staying Alive”). Placement of hands will depend on the size of the dog.
  5. Follow with one breath.  Then go back to the chest compressions.
  6. Alternate compressions and breaths.
  7. Check pulse again after 1 minute. Continue compressions and checks until the dog has a pulse.
  8. If the dog recovers, seek immediate professional help. After 20 minutes stop CPR if there is no pulse and the dog is not breathing.

The following YouTube video by Veterinary Secrets fully demonstrates the technique to follow. Seek advice from a qualified veterinarian in your area for the appropriate CPR technique for you and your dog.

Information given in this article is not a substitute for advice from a qualified medical professional.  Please consult a vet for advice specific to your dog.