Even if your dog loves to swim, it is essential that you take necessary precautions in case they start drowning. If your pet dog accidentally falls into the water, it is vital that you know how you can save it from drowning. Pet owners need to be extra careful, especially when they take their pet to a beach or near some other water body.
Even if they have a pool in their house, the dog can still drown in it. There are various strategies that can be put to use to save the dog. Dogs are not big enough to not drown. In Maple Valley, many residents own dogs of different breeds. It is essential that you have knowledge of your breed.
Every breed is going to have some distinct features that need to be recognized by the owner. When you get a pet, it becomes your responsibility to ensure their safety and living. You can check websites or videos on how you can adequately take care of your pet.
You can also reach out to a veterinarian to learn more about your pet. Contact an animal hospital in Maple Valley, WA, in case of any emergency.
How can you recognize if your dog is drowning?
Drowning is not something that will necessarily come with a warning; it can happen really fast. Thus, it would help if you did something quickly in order to control the situation. Let us look at various that indicate drowning:
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They might be floating low in water:
If you notice that your dog is almost entirely underwater and only its nose is above it, that is a sign that it is drowning.
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Noticing panic in their movements:
If you notice that your pet dog is in water and paddling very quickly, that might be because they are panicking. They are not able to keep their head out of water and feel like they will drown.
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Not responding:
If you notice that your dog is still in the water or floating still, that can be because they are not conscious.
What are the steps you can take immediately?
There are various immediate steps that one can take; let us look at some of them:
- You need first to ensure your own safety. Put on a life vest before you enter the water to rescue your dog.
- Call someone around you to help you rescue or save your dog.
- Another thing that can be done is to take a boat to where the dog is in order to rescue him. You can also swim if needed. Make sure you approach your pet with calm and not panic.
- Once you make it to where the dog is, lift them gently and put some support on their head when pulling them out. When they are out of water, check their pulse.
How can you perform CPR on your dog if needed?
If you notice after pulling the dog out of the water that they are not breathing, CPR needs to be administered:
- You will have to open the dog’s mouth and remove any obstacles or water by using your fingers.
- If the dog is small in size, try to cover their nose. You need to cover their mouth as well and blow gently in their mouth if required.
- If the dog is large, what you can do is close their mouth and give a blow to their nose on the gap every four to five seconds.
- As far as compressions are concerned, if the dog is small, you need to do a hundred to hundred and twenty compressions in a minute.
What do prevention tips involve?
- Do not let your dog near water if you know they cannot swim very well.
- Put a life vest on your dog if you are on a boat or going swimming.
- Introduce water gradually to your dog and try to teach them how they will exit any waterbody.
Reach out to an animal hospital if some emergency is there. They can look into it and provide emergency services.
