Monday, March 28, 2011

Dog First Aid - Strangulation

By Jerry Welsh


Strangulation can kill your dog in 5 minutes! Dog owners would naturally want to keep the pet safe. However there are times when the preventive measures taken by the dog owner would result to the death of the pet. A dog owner that leaves the dog for a few minutes leashed inside the car would never thought to find the pet hanging out of the window - DEAD. Another dog owner would tie the dog on a pole to prevent the pet from going out on the road can find the pet strangled as it tried to jump over the fence. Venetian blind cords can be lethal when played with puppies as it can result to strangulation.

Strangulation is horrible. The life of a healthy and energetic pet can be snuffed in seconds. A strangled dog would panic as it will be prevented from breathing when the airway closes. As the dog is prevented from breathing, no air will enter the lungs and the brain will be deprived of oxygen as the carotid arteries are blocked. Strangulation will cause the dog to cough, the gums and tongue to turn blue and to lose consciousness. Deprived of oxygen, the dog can die in a matter of minutes.

Strangulation may not always result to the death of the pet if this fatal condition is noticed at once and first aid treatment is immediately administered. The pressure on the dog's neck must be removed immediately. Don't waste time in trying to untangle the pet. The collar or the leash must be cut at once to free the neck and to open the dog's airway. After the constriction on the neck is removed, extend the neck to open the airway. It may be necessary to pull the tip of the tongue forward.

Artificial respiration must be administered if the pet is not breathing on its own. Close the mouth of the dog firmly and with the mouth over the dog's nose blow two quick breaths. The rescue breathing should make the lungs expand. The dog should receive 15 to 20 breaths per minute.

The heart would stop beating if the pet stops breathing for a few minutes. Place the palm of the hand on the dog's left chest and feel for the heartbeat. CPR must be administered if there is no heartbeat. Alternate five heart compressions with one rescue breathing. For every minute, the dog must receive 15 to 20 breaths and about 80 to 100 compressions.




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