Did you know that there is such as thing as pet CPR? Do you need to be trained in pet CPR? The simple answer is if you own a pet, yes! I never knew there was such as thing as pet cpr training until a friend told me about a dog who had been stung by a bee. It seems the dog had a very bad allergic reaction and went into cardiac arrest.
This happened at an agility training course where weekend agility training was taking place. Luckily there were several dog owners there who were trained in pet cpr. They were able to save the dogs life. This group immediately decided that they would set up a pet cpr training course for their members. They contacted the local chapter of their American Red Cross.
The American Red Cross offers a Pet First Aid Course where they teach you emergency care procedures for dogs and cats and also sell full-color reference guides explaining first aid steps that can be used until you reach veterinary care.
There are also businesses that teach pet first aid and pet cpr techniques. One of them is PetTech. You can find their information online. They have trained instructors located all over the country. Along with pet cpr and emergency training their courses involve all aspects of pet care. These courses give you hands on training using animal training mannequins.
So why else might you want to pursue pet cpr training? I have a friend who is a professional pet sitter. She has had to use her expertise more than once on a puppy. Choking is the number one emergency for children, and for puppies and kittens too. Being certified in animal cpr and having animal emergency training also sets her apart from those pet sitters who don't have the training. She has found that her pet cpr certification has really helped her get her career off the ground and owners are willing to pay for the peace of mind it affords them knowing she can handle any emergencies that may arise.
What can happen to cause your pet to need pet cpr? As mentioned above, a reaction to a bee sting. Some animals have reactions to veterinary prescribed medications. What if your dog or cat swallows something poisonous in your home? Would you know what to do?
If you're in an area where the Red Cross does not offer pet cpr training you can order their pet first aid book and their instructional video online.
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Melinda
Posted 165 days ago
I never knew there was such a thing as pet cpr. I guess it makes sense! I have six dogs that are outdoors all the time. I guess I should look into taking the class or ordering the video.
