Emergency care is one of the most important aspects of a veterinary clinic because it can mean life or death for a critically injured patient. In times of emergencies, the veterinary staff needs to be able to think and act quickly. The veterinary staff must also be able to recognize signs of an emergency and be able to provide the appropriate treatment. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is required when the animal's heart isn't pumping enough blood or oxygen through the body. When the body isn't getting enough blood and oxygen, it begins to shut down, which can severely damage the body's organs. Because of this, the veterinary staff must be prepared to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation quickly and accurately.
The goal of performing cardiopulmonary…show more content… Small-animal CPR differs from large-animal CPR. The difference between the two includes the hand placement and the rate of compression. Giving a small animal CPR includes placing them in lateral recumbency, which means the animal is moved on their side with their legs facing away from the handler. After the animal is appropriately positioned, a hand is placed on the animal's lower chest, and compressions are applied directly over the animal's heart at 120 to 130 compressions per minute. After compressions, employ rescue breathing and repeat the process until breathing is restored. Large animal CPR involves placing them in lateral recumbency and placing a hand on the largest part of their chest. The rate of compression for large animals is one hundred compressions per minute. After compressions, employ rescue breathing and repeat the process until a heartbeat is found. For the Labrador retriever mentioned earlier, the veterinary staff will use the method that is used for large animals. There are alternatives to giving an animal CPR, which includes equipment found in an emergency crash
