Dog First Aid: Artificial Respiration

feature 1, artificial respiration - By Staff Writer on Friday, November 19, 2010 - 15:05

This is a lifesaving technique that is used when a dog has stopped breathing.  A dog can stop breathing whether or not their heart stops beating.  Lack of oxygen to vital organs and the brain can cause severe injury and death if it happens over a prolonged period of time. 

When To Use
Artificial Respiration can be used when a dog has stopped breathing from a trauma or illness.  If the dog is choking you must dislodge the object from the dogs throat before this will be effective.  It should only be performed if the dog has stopped breathing and any dog exhibiting shallow breathing or other respiratory problems should be rushed immediately to an emergency vet clinic.

How To Perform
There are two common ways to perform artificial respiration on dogs.  The first is the compression method which relies on the elastic recoil of the chest walls to move the air and the second is mouth-to-nose resuscitation.

Compression Artificial Respiration

1. Lay the dog on its side on a flat surface and check for a pulse.  If there is no pulse you will need to perform CPR compressions in addition to artificial respiration.
    
2. Check for any airway obstruction and signs of breathing.  A rising and falling chest is an indication of breathing while blue gums will be in indication of lack of oxygen.  Any blockages will need to be removed prior to offering artificial respiration.  Use the Heimlich maneuver to remove any objects that are lodged in the throat.
    
3. Press slow and steadily on the chest with your hands to move the air out of the lungs.  You should hear it moving out.  If it will not expel there may be something blocking the airway.
    
4. Once the air is expelled lift your hands off the dogs chest and listen.  the walls of the chest should expand again and air should move back into the lungs automatically.
    
5. Continue the process until the dog can breathe on its own or until you arrive at a veterinarian.

Mouth-to-Nose Resuscitation
This technique tends to be more effective than the compression method of Artificial Respiration however the compression method should be tried first.  

1. Start with the dog on its side on a flat surface and check for a pulse.  If there is no pulse you will need to perform CPR compressions in addition to artificial respiration.
    
2. Check for any airway obstruction and signs of breathing.  A rising and falling chest is an indication of breathing while blue gums will be in indication of lack of oxygen.  Any blockages will need to be removed prior to offering artificial respiration.  Use the Heimlich maneuver to remove any objects that are lodged in the throat.
    
3. Raise your dogs head lifting the chin straight to open the airway.
    
4. Use one hand to hold the dogs mouth shut.
    
5. place your mouth completely over the nose and blow gently.  As you blow watch to see that the dogs chest is rising slightly.  Small dogs will require less air to move the chest while larger dogs will require longer breaths to fill the lungs.  Once the chest rises stop.
    
6. Wait for the air to leave the lungs and the chest to fall and continue.  Give about one breath every 3 seconds.
    
7. Continue until your dog can breathe on its own or until you reach help at an emergency veterinarian.

Check in your area for classes where you can practice artifiical respiration before you need to use it.  The more practice you have the more comfortable you will be performing it in an emergency.  The most important thing you can do for yourself and your dog is remain calm.