BREATH STOPPAGE
(Caused by smoke, gas or drowning)
Dogs may be overcome by smoke, gas and excessive water in the lungs. When this occurs, you will have to revive the dog. Speed is essential.
Symptoms of breath stoppage
The symptoms include unconsciousness, breathing stopped, pulse weak or absent (check for pulse at pressure points) and irregular heartbeat.
First Aid for smoke or gas exposure
Quickly remove the dog from the smoke- or gas-contaminated area. Work fast and take precautions against being overcome yourself. There is usually more air three or four feet from the ground or floor.
As soon as you get the dog out into the fresh air, start giving him artificial respiration. Place the dog on his side, with his forelegs stretched out in front, his hind legs stretched out to the rear.
Take your handkerchief and pull out his tongue. This is to prevent the tongue from lolling back and obstructing his breathing passage. Next, put your two hands on the dog's chest, press down, release, wait, press down again, release again, wait again. Do this rhythmically; maintain a press down, release and wait system of thirty times per minute for large dogs, twenty times per minute for smaller dogs. An aid to keeping the rhythm may be as follows: as you press down, say "out goes the bad air"; when you release, say "in comes the good." You may have to work a long time, but stay with it. Treat for shock when the dog revives and then get him to a veterinarian.
First Aid for drowning
First of all, a drowning dog is rare. Most dogs are instinctive swimmers. But there is always a first time.
Here's what to do after the dog has been hauled out of the water:
Take off his collar. If he's not too large, hold him upside down to drain out the water.
Then apply artificial respiration. Have someone call a veterinarian. Keep working on the dog. Treat for shock when he revives.
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