Learn To Help Your Pet

This page offers information to help you UNTIL your vet is available.

NEVER try to replace your vet's knowledge and education with your own!!

VITAL SIGNS

FIRST AID MATERIALS:

TECHNIQUE INSTRUCTIONS
1. Taking the temperature:
(a) Lubricate a rectal thermometer with water-soluble lubricating
jelly or petroleum jelly. Insert the thermometer gently into the
cat's rectum approximately 1/2 to 1 inch.
(b) Wait two minutes, and then remove and read the thermometer.
(c) Normal temperature is between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees F.
 
2. Taking the pulse:
(a) Lay your hand just behind the cat's shoulder blade on either side of
its chest and feel for the heart beat or..
(b) Place your hand in the groin area of the cat's abdomen and feel for
the femoral pulse.
(c) Count the beats per minute (e.g., count for 15 seconds and multiply
by 4).
(d) Normal pulse at rest should range from approximately 110 to 140
beats per minute. If the cat has been recently active or is excited, its
pulse may be significantly higher.
3. Taking respirations:
(a) If the cat is lying quietly, watch the chest rise and fall.
(b) Count the number of breaths the cat takes in a minute.
(c) Normal resting respiratory rate is approximately 24 to 28 breaths
per minute.

CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION

(CPR)

WARNING!!! CPR is a technique of LAST RESORT!
When the cat shows NO signs of life!
If there is ANY evidence that the cat is breathing,
DO NOT PERFORM THIS TECHNIQUE!!

  TECHNIQUE INSTRUCTIONS:  
  1. Lay the cat on its side (and throughout these procedures keep the cat on its side).  
  2. Check for breathing by watching cats chest rise and fall.  
  3. IF THE CAT IS BREATHING, proceed no further. Do not use CPR.  
  (a) Establish an airway by removing any debris from the cat's mouth or  
  by moving the tongue from the back of the throat.  
  Check for breathing by watching the cat's chest rise and fall.  
  (b) Check for a pulse by placing a hand over the cat's  
  chest just behind the shoulder blade to feel the heartbeat or by placing  
  a hand in the groin area to feel the femoral pulse.  
  5. IF THE CAT IS STILL NOT BREATHING:  
  (a) Cup your hand(s) over the cat's nose and mouth to form a seal.  
  Deliver 1 (one) breath into the pet every 2 (two) seconds.  
  If the seal is proper, you should observe the cat's chest rise and fall.  
  REMEMBER A CAT HAS SMALL LUNGS!  
  TINY BREATHS FOR TINY LUNGS !  
  (b) If after you have delivered 5 (five) breaths the cat  
  does not show signs of breathing on its own or signs of  
  consciousness, and there is no heartbeat, then have a  
  helper place a hand just behind the cat's shoulder blades  
  and apply gentle but firm compressions downward  
  (compressing 1/2 to 1 inch) at a rate of 1 (one)  
  compression every 2 (two) seconds. If a helper is not available,  
  alternate delivering 2 (two) breaths then 10 (ten) compressions.  
  (c) Check for pulse and breathing every 2 (two) minutes.  
  If there is no pulse and breathing, continue for up to 10  
  (ten) minutes before giving up.  
     
Please learn the necessary techniques to keep your cats
alive and well. Practice on hard plastic dolls to
understand resistance, learn your cats pulse points and
respiration so that it will become second nature to you
and the first time you use it won't be in an emergency.
Love your cats!

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