We asked many people about times where they may have had to do CPR or first aid on their pets, and the response has been amazing. One story that I wanted to share is about CPR. This story from Beth is a great example of why Pet CPR is important to learn. Here it is, in her own words:
I performed CPR on my 14 year old Dog. I can say it works and was an absolute gift for me to be able to do and help out my sweet pet. It is worth knowing how to do, you really never know when a relaxing day will turn into a life or death situation for animal and human alike.
It was the wee morning hours and we had just moved into a new home the night before. My husband and our 14 year old lab mix, Marley, were outside enjoying our swimming pool. Marley had been swimming for 14 years as we had moved from Arizona where she would often join us in the pool or lake and would calmly swim around cooling off.
As we readied to unpack my husband got out of the pool and went in to refill his coffee. Marley left the pool when he did but remained outside. When my husband returned to the pool area a few minutes later Marley was floating head down in the water motionless.
My husband dove in and grabbed her placing her on the pool deck. He called for me in hysterics (I was unpacking in the back room). I immediately saw Marley and my heart sank but my training in emergency care and CPR kicked in immediately. I was able to revive her after three rounds of pet modified compressions and pet modified rescue breathing. She responded just like I would have expected a human would in a near drowning. It is an indescribable moment to see life return when you have preformed CPR. See Marley cough and begin to have a heart rate was joy and sadness, fear and love and in this case topped with guilt. We love our pets and Marley was a deeply ingrained part of our family, we surrounded her with much affection and love and special care.
She had ice cream that day and we ordered a fence (we had intended to buy one anyway but we put it before buying a washer/dryer/fridge etc) that ensures no one ever enters the pool, no matter their level of comfort, in the water, alone. Life is always very fragile and it is a game changer to have the training to preform life saving care.
Pet CPR gave us more time with an animal we love, it was a treasure to be able to provide her with rescue care that brought her back from tragedy and allowed us to cherish life just a hair more as well.
Beth