Strangulation can take your pet away from you in a few minutes! Dog owners would take precautionary measures to prevent anything untoward incident to happen to the pet. However there are times when the preventive measures taken by the dog owner would result to the death of the pet. A dog owner that leaves the dog for a few minutes leashed inside the car would never thought to find the pet hanging out of the window – DEAD. To keep the pet safe from running vehicles, the owner would tie the pet near a fence but the pet interested with the sounds on the other side would jump over the fence and get strangled. Venetian blind cords can be lethal when played with puppies as it can result to strangulation.

Strangulation can be nightmare for any dog owner. A few minutes is all it takes to kill a frisky and perfectly healthy dog. A strangled dog would panic as it would be prevented from breathing when the airway closes. As the dog is prevented from breathing, no air will enter the lungs and the brain will be deprived of oxygen as the carotid arteries are blocked. Strangulation will cause the dog to cough, the gums and tongue to turn blue and to lose consciousness. Death follows in seconds as the brain is starved for oxygen.

Strangulation may not result to death if the dog is seen in time and first aid is administered at once. The pressure on the dog’s neck must be removed immediately. Time must not be wasted in trying to untangle the dog. The collar or the leash must be cut at once to free the neck and to open the dog’s airway. After the constriction on the neck is removed, extend the neck to open the airway. It may be necessary to pull the tip of the tongue forward.

If the pet is not breathing, administer artificial respiration at once. Close the mouth of the dog firmly and with the mouth over the dog’s nose blow two quick breaths. The chest should rise as the lungs expand. Fifteen to twenty breaths per minute must be given to the dog.

If the dog has stopped breathing, it is possible that the heart has stopped beating as well. Feel for the heartbeat by placing the palm on the left side of the dog’s chest. If there is no heartbeat commence CPR at once. Alternate five heart compressions with one rescue breathing. The dog should receive about 15 to 20 breaths and 80 to 100 chest compressions per minute.

More information on dog first aid and strangulation can be found at Sarah’s Dogs.