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:
- 1. Rectal thermometer
- 2. Water soluble lubricating jelly or petroleum jelly
- 3. Watch or clock with second hand.
| 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! ~~BACK~~  ~~HOME~~ |