Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Every second is critical when a victim is in need of CPR-regardless whether it be mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-snout.
Dogs, much like humans, can be saved from choking with the right intervention. Odds are however the average pet owner wouldn’t know the proper lifesaving technique.
On Feb. 17 a one-day clinic will be offered at Napanee’s Westdale Park Free Method Church that will demonstrate a handful of canine First-Aid and CPR techniques. The session will be hosted by the Ontario SPCA Lennox and Addington and led by Jade Farrington of Hoof n Woof Pet First Aid.
“People learn CPR, they learn bandaging, when to go to the vet, when they can handle it at home,” said Farrington, who likened the course to that of St. John’s or Red Cross-except in this instance the patients are dogs. “I like to work with rescue because I do fundraisers with them too so if we get lots of registrations then I can donate more and more money.”
Registration for the course is $169 and comes with a detailed manual that participants get to keep. A portion of the registration fees will be donated to the OSPCA L&A Animal Centre.
“We actually get feedback from clients that have taken our courses where they’ve applied the CPR or choking strategies and they’re so grateful because it actually saves their pet when they had no idea what to do before,” said Farrington.
Participants will practice the methods on a dog dummy.
“We teach people with hands on strategies, they’re not just sitting there watching a PowerPoint all day,” said Farrington. “They actually get to apply the strategies so when it comes to a real life emergency, they’ve got that muscle memory already developed and they can start to apply those skills a little bit quicker and a little bit faster in an emergency.”
Techniques include abdominal thrusts, CPR, mouth to nose resuscitation, bandaging, splinting, wound care, drowning prevention, heat stroke, bites and poison care.
To book a spot in the upcoming session call 613-921-4553 or visit hoofnwoof.ca/book-now.
The session will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.