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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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