Robin Burden answered
Reviving a puppy that's stopped breathing may be possible if action is taken right away. If not, a dead puppy sadly remains dead.
How to revive your puppy I once had a Border Collie/Labrador hybrid, and when she had puppies, one of them was born without a heartbeat and no sign that she was breathing.
What my dad did at the time probably saved the puppy's life - he performed CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), in much the same way you'd try and revive a human who wasn't breathing.
There are two difference between dog CPR and human CPR:
How to perform CPR on a puppy:
1. The first thing to do is to make sure your puppy's mouth is open, and its tongue is hanging out of its mouth (a puppy's tongue can roll back into its throat, causing it to choke).
2. Next, blow air into the dog's airway. For a puppy, you should be able to cup your hand over the nostrils and mouth. You only need to blow 2 or 3 times.
3. You'll then need to start pressing down firmly on your puppy's chest area. The recommended number of compressions for an animal under 10 pounds is 120 compressions per minute.
The most common method of compression on a dog is from the side of the rib cage, with the front leg placed at an angle. For a very small puppy, you may be able to lie it on its back and press against the center of its chest.
The rate of breaths to compressions should be 2 to breaths for every 30 compressions.
How to revive your puppy I once had a Border Collie/Labrador hybrid, and when she had puppies, one of them was born without a heartbeat and no sign that she was breathing.
What my dad did at the time probably saved the puppy's life - he performed CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), in much the same way you'd try and revive a human who wasn't breathing.
There are two difference between dog CPR and human CPR:
- A dog's airway is designed slightly differently
- The structure of the rib cage on your dog may require a different type of compression
How to perform CPR on a puppy:
1. The first thing to do is to make sure your puppy's mouth is open, and its tongue is hanging out of its mouth (a puppy's tongue can roll back into its throat, causing it to choke).
2. Next, blow air into the dog's airway. For a puppy, you should be able to cup your hand over the nostrils and mouth. You only need to blow 2 or 3 times.
3. You'll then need to start pressing down firmly on your puppy's chest area. The recommended number of compressions for an animal under 10 pounds is 120 compressions per minute.
The most common method of compression on a dog is from the side of the rib cage, with the front leg placed at an angle. For a very small puppy, you may be able to lie it on its back and press against the center of its chest.
The rate of breaths to compressions should be 2 to breaths for every 30 compressions.
