RECOVER Works to Improve Veterinary CPR Success Rates After Cardiac Arrest

July 25, 2012 by 6 Comments

Dos and Don’ts for Performing CPR on a Dog

New guidelines for CPR may help more pets survive cardiac arrest. Photo Credit: AmazonCares

Decoded Science asked Dr. Fletcher what he recommended for pet owners faced with an animal in cardiac arrest. His reply was to get the animal to a veterinary hospital as quickly as possible, as delay in getting advanced care reduces the pet’s chance for survival.

People without hands-on CPR training should not attempt to resuscitate the animal, as there is the potential to do more harm than good. CPR-trained people should, however, do the following while transporting the animal:

  • 100 – 120 Chest compressions: Push the chest to 1/3 to 1/2 its normal depth, then allow the chest to recover completely.
  • Trade off doing compressions every 2 minutes if there are enough people present, as responder fatigue may results in leaning on the chest between compressions, reducing their effectiveness.
  • Give 2 one-second breaths mouth to snout (mouth) after every 30 compressions.


An online CPR course for veterinarians and veterinary technicians is in the works, with a course for lay persons to follow. Until then, CPR training from the Red Cross or local fire department is the best option. For larger groups, Minnesota–based BART (Basic Animal Rescue Training) offers FEMA approved animal specific CPR and emergency care training.

Could better pet CPR training save lives? Image by Minita

More Research Needed on Animal Response to CPR

The literature review showed a number of knowledge gaps in the field of veterinary CPR. There is little research on things as basic as optimum hand placement for chest compressions, and whether dogs should be placed on their side or on their back during CPR. As the information from the RECOVER literature review spreads throughout the veterinary community, researchers will hopefully tackle these unknowns.

Dr. Fletcher expressed his gratitude for the amount of effort this all-volunteer group of over 100 veterinarians put into the project. Most participants logged 60 or more hours and 95% said they would be willing to do it again. This is great news, as RECOVER plans to re-evaluate the state of veterinary CPR knowledge every five years.

Resources:

Fletcher, D., Boller, M., et al. Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation: Evidence and Knowledge Gap Analysis. 2012. Special Issue: Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. Volume 22, Issue s1. S1-s131. Accessed July 25, 2012.


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  • Sarah

    If pets could give informed consent, it’s quite likely they would insist on DNR orders. One could argue that these intrusive, painful, distressing and above all costly interventions are done to treat the owner’s emotional pathology rather than the pet’s physical ones. In a world where decent health care is beyond the reach of so many humans, this frivolous use of resources approaches immoral.

  • http://arkvets.com.au/ Art

    Maybe you’re right Sarah, but isn’t it what we do when we’re in the verge of losing someone or something so dear to us. We do everything we can to save them, to hold them..Personally I know I wouldn’t stay idle if my pet is dying, I know I would do anything or everything..I can’t just stand the idea of doing nothing..

  • Todd

    I would disagree with Sarah. I think most people who deal with animals regularly note their intense will to live, sometimes under dire circumstances. Additionally, not providing CPR to a pet doesn’t mean some other person gets more health care. The world doesn’t work that way.

  • George

    So, Sarah, what exactly should veterianrians do when an animal, say one under anesthesia for a supposedly routine procedure, suddenly goes into cardiac arrest? Be comforted by the thought that since “we live in a world where decent health care is beyond the reach of so many humans, this frivolous use of resources approaches immoral”? I’ll have to try that one out and see how it flies with the next owner whose pet dies due to cardiac arrest. While we are on the topic, Sarah, what frivolous indulgences have you yourself sacraficed in the interests of universal health care for humanity? Before spewing out trite, hypocritical humanist blather in the future, may I suggest you try thinking a little bit more about the implications of what you are saying.

  • Bonnie

    Quite to the contrary, Sarah, I find that my animal patients have an incredible will to live and would likely not insist on a DNR order.

  • http://www.animalnaturopath.com.au Sara

    When I die and come back as a dog – please don’t let Sarah be my owner!