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Some pets love to swim while others absolutely hate the water. But either way, chances are your pet is going to be exposed to pools, lakes and rivers so it's a good idea to know what to do in the event of a near drowning. Dogs and cats that suffocate while submerged under water suffer near drowning. This can happen with animals that become fatigued while swimming or if they have a condition that prevents them from swimming effectively or makes them more susceptible to ingesting water. If you notice your pet submerged in water, remove him completely from the water and then you're going to want to put him a position to help water run from his nose and mouth. And you're going to do that by lifting him in the air and have his head pointed downward toward the ground. Now if it's an animal small like Motor, you can lift him up completely. In larger animals you may simply need to lift up on the hind end to get the head pointed toward the ground. After you have done this you want to assess your pet's vitals. If he's unconscious and he's not breathing you may need to perform rescue breathing. If he also doesn't have a pulse, full CPR may be necessary. Even if your pet isn't showing any signs of problems, it's possible that he's ingested a large amount of water. And this can lead to complications such as electrolyte abnormalities. So it's a good idea to get your pet evaluated by your veterinarian.
In this lesson, we're going to go over what you should do if you find your pet submerged in water and he or she has suffered a near-drowning.
Some pets love the water and love swimming, and those pets are likely the canines in your household and not your cats. Regardless of their love of water or hatred of it, there's still a good chance that your pet may be exposed at some point to backyard pools, lakes, rivers, and oceans.
It's always a good idea to be prepared for anything, and this includes what to do in the event of a near drowning.
Dogs and cats that suffocate while being submerged underwater is a situation that can happen for a variety of reasons. Your pet may have been swimming along just fine and then suddenly became fatigued. Or your pet may have a condition that prevents them from swimming effectively or perhaps your pet is just more susceptible to ingesting water for whatever reason.
How it happened isn't nearly as important as what you should do next.
If you notice your pet submerged in water, remove him completely from the water. You'll want to put him into the best position to help drain the water from his system, meaning through his nose and mouth. The technique for this is as follows:
Pro Tip: Gravity is your friend in these situations. If ever you get flustered and have trouble remembering what to do, just think about it logically. You need to get that water out of your pet and the best way to do that is with an assist from gravity.
After you've done this, you'll want to assess your pet's vital signs, even if he appears fine and dandy and fully recovered. If your pet is still unconscious at this point, you'll need to perform rescue breathing. And if there's no pulse, you may have to begin full CPR.
Warning: Even if your pet isn't showing any signs of trouble following his near-drowning, he still may have ingested a very large amount of water, and this in itself can lead to complications, such as an electrolyte imbalance. Therefore, it's always a good idea to have him evaluated by a veterinarian as quickly as you can.