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CPR and Oxygen Masks Save Dogs and Cats in Fires
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It's easy to perform CPR on a pet. For step-by-step instructions, watch the video.
Scared and frightened, pets often hide when a fire breaks out, making it difficult for rescuers to find them in a burning home. While more than 40,000 pets die annually in house fires, even more are saved thanks to the heroic efforts of firefighters.
Firefighters now know to look for pets these days, and in the process of rescuing them from under beds and couches, they often have to perform the same life-saving techniques as they do on people -- CPR and mouth-to mouth resuscitation. Some fire stations now even carry specially-designed oxygen masks just for pets on their trucks because pets often need immediate fresh oxygen to recover from smoke inhalation.
Al Machado, a firefighter in New Bedford, Massachusetts, was part of a recent rescue that involved pulling four dogs, three cats, a chinchilla, a ferret, and several frogs from an apartment building. One of those cats needed mouth-to-mouth to restore breathing. Machado didn't hesitate.
When Standard-Times reporter Steve Urbon asked "what it tasted like giving the breath of life to a cat, Mr. Machado just laughed, grimaced and said, 'Like fur.' "
While it may sound gross or even difficult to do, mouth-to-mouth and pet CPR are actually easy to learn. As a former Pet CPR instructor, I found a video (above) that will take you step-by-step through the process. Learn how to find your pet's pulse, how to perfom mouth-to-mouth, and where to find your pet's heart for CPR.
But if you want more hands-on training, contact your local American Red Cross about their Pet CPR classes. You never know when you might be first on the scene.
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