Growing up on a farm, I learned some basics about pet CPR but I was only recently certified. I thankfully have not had to use it yet, but it does put me at ease to know that I could help my pets if they needed me to. When I went through the class I received this pet first aid kit and I remember thinking in class that it would be the perfect gift for one of my friends. So, for this past birthday, I got him a first aid kit for his dog and cat. Within a few days of even getting the kit, he had to use it. His dog had swallowed a few long plastic pieces from a toy that was "indestructible". They gave him the correct amount of hydrogen peroxide and he threw it up. They were so thankful, as he is known for eating things he should not and it has caused great discomfort in the past. Though you would not think this could be fatal, it could. If he would not have been able to pass the plastic or if it got twisted around his intestines, it could have been a very different story.
Along the same lines, I saw on Dogster a couple of weeks ago a story about a Chicago physician saving his little Chihuahua's life with CPR. Here is the story about Dr. Larry Kosinski saving Valentino's life:
This has all made me think about how important pet CPR really is. If you have pets you should be certified, it is really easy and the class I went to was even fun. Secondly, you should have a first aid kit on hand, you can even make one yourself. Below I will list a link for how to get in touch with the organization I was certified from, Petal The Dog, it is a great organization that will benefit other dogs and the instructor is very knowledgeable and makes the class easy to follow.
If you are not certified already, I hope this will encourage you to do it. It is a very comforting feeling to know you can help your pet if you need to.
