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What would you do if your dog was involved in an accident or became incapacitated due to some other type of health problem or sudden emergency?
Are you prepared to save your dog’s life?
Who knows what type of emergency could arise. Some of the most common situations that could result in you having to perform CPR on your dog are:
- You might have to evacuate (with your dog) due to fire, flood, or other natural disaster
- Your dog could be hit by a car
- A fire could break out, causing smoke inhalation
- Your dog could become strangled (it happens more often than you might think!)
- Your dog could accidentally drown in a pool, or some other body of water
- Your dog could stop breathing
- Your dog could start choking on anything from a toy, to chicken bones, to rocks to rawhide bones
- Your dog could get electrocuted after chewing an electrical cord, or walking on a downed electrical wire
- Your dog could have a heart problem
Or, your dog’s heart could stop beating for some other reason.
According to a recent AP / Petside poll:
63% of dog owners would perform CPR on their pet in the event of a medical emergency. (Women more than men — 65%, compared to 50%.)
However, few pet owners are prepared to handle pet emergencies. Specifically, only 20% of pet owners have a pet first-aid kit with medical supplies in their home.
Some other interesting facts regarding dog owners’ preparedness for dog emergencies:
- 62% of dog owners let their dogs ride in their cars unrestrained (rather than in a pet carrier).
- 59% of pet owners say pets are only a minor consideration when picking out holiday decorations, even though 14% say their pets have gotten into the decorations before.
- 54% of pet owners don’t have a fire evacuation plan for their pets.
- 53% of pet owners don’t have a natural disaster evacuation plan for their pets.
- 41% of pet owners have experienced at least one emergency trip to a vet.
- 17% of pet owners have had a pet attacked by another animal.
- 16% of pet owners have had a pet experience an allergic reaction.
- 15% of dog owners say they’ve left their dogs alone in a car or truck.
- 11% of pet owners have had a pet hit by a car.
- 7% of pet owners have had a pet eat something poisonous.
Your best bet is to learn dog CPR now, so you’ll be ready if and when you ever need to use it to save your dog’s life!
I like to help Dog Parents find unique ways to do things that will save time & money — so I write about "outside the box" Dog Tips and Dog Hacks that most wouldn't think of. I’m a lifelong dog owner — currently have 2 mixed breed Golden Aussies that we found abandoned on the side of the road as puppies. I've always trained my own dogs and help friends train theirs, as well. Professionally, I worked at a vet and have several friends who are veterinarians — whom I consult with regularly. (And just because I love animals so much, I also worked at a Zoo for awhile!) I've been sharing my best ideas with others by blogging full-time since 1998 (the same year that Google started… and before the days of Facebook and YouTube). My daily motivation is to help first-time dog owners be better prepared from the first day your new puppy enters your home. I like to help dog owners understand what's 'normal' and what you can expect in terms of living with and training your dog — how to get through the ups & downs of potty training, chewing, teaching commands, getting your dog to listen, and everything else that takes place during that hectic first year! When I'm not training, walking, grooming, or making homemade treats for my dogs, you will find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I've written over 500 articles for dog owners on this site!
