SEPTEMBER 2019It’s bad enough that our furry friends can’t tell us when they’re
feeling under the weather, but pets will actually go so far as to
mask their symptoms. “Dogs and cats often hide their illness,”
says Deborah C. Mandell, VMD, a professor at the University of
Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. “They just want
to be happy, a nd t hey ju st wa nt u s to be happy.” Aw!
That’s why it’s critical to know what your pet’s typical vital signs and behav-
iors look like, says Dr. Mandell. You should track mucus color, gum color,
heart rate, pulse rate, and body temp—and be able to take those measure-
ments comfortably. (Yes, you should know how to take Fluffy’s temperature
rectally.) Also watch for changes in their eating, bathroom habits, and overall
attitude. With this baseline knowledge (ask your vet to show you how to find
your pet’s pulse or what sort of thermometer to buy, for instance), you’ll be
able to more quickly tell when something just isn’t right. “You know your pet
the best,” says Dr. Mandell. “But if you’re ever unsure, of course, call your vet.”GET THE HEART PUMPING
For every minute that goes by without
help, a cardiac arrest victim’s chances of
survival drop by 10 percent—so it’s vital to
act fast, says Raina M. Merchant, MD, an
associate professor of emergency medi-
cine at the University of Pennsylvania.
CPR works by manually pumping the
heart so blood continues to circulate
and oxygen gets to the brain.WHEN TO DO IT If someone collapses
and is suddenly not responding and not
breathing, that should be your cue to
begin chest compressions. Dr. Merchant
stresses that a heart attack and cardiac
arrest are not the same thing—CPR
should be done only to treat the latter
(and you can usually ID cardiac arrest
because it will involve a very abrupt loss
of responsiveness).HOW TO DO IT Put both hands on the
middle of the person’s chest and press
hard and fast. “The most important
thing to remember is to go down and
come up,” says David Markenson, MD,
chief medical officer for the American
Red Cross Training Services. “You need
that pressure change.” Compressions
should be done at a rate of 100 to 120 per
minute. So pump to the beat of “Stayin’
Alive” and keep going until help arrives.
As for mouth-to-mouth? Don’t worry
about it. The latest American Heart
Association guidelines encourage un-
trained bystanders to use “Hands-Only
CPR” on teens and adults. So just do
something, focusing on chest presses.CLEAR THE AIRWAY
Choking: It’s not just for kids. Chicken
bones, popcorn kernels, baby carrots—
there are plenty of foods that can get
lodged in an adult’s throat. In fact,
choking is the fourth leading cause of
unintentional-injury death, according
to the National Safety Council. That’s
why it’s important to know how to
perform back blows as well as chest
and abdominal thrusts (the technique
also known as the Heimlich maneuver).WHEN TO DO IT More often than not,
the body will try to clear a foreign item
on its own—hence all the hacking. But if
a person is unable to cough or speak,
says Dr. Markenson, that’s when you
should step in.HOW TO DO IT Your first move is to
initiate back blows. Approach the person
from the front so you don’t scare them.
Next, walk around to their back and bend
them slightly forward at the waist before
administering a series of five “blows” to
the area between their shoulder blades
with the heel of your hand. If that doesn’t
work, five abdominal thrusts are next:
“Put your fist with the other hand on top
of it right above their navel and push in
and up,” says Dr. Markenson. Alternate
between series of blows and thrusts
until the offending object comes out.
If the person’s abdomen is too large to
wrap your arms around (or if they’re
pregnant), position your hands higher
up on their chest and perform the same
motion (now a chest thrust).The Life You Save Could Be Fido’s
Available at a store Near You!
Na ral
Training Treats
for Dogs
A tasty treat you’ll feel good
about giving