PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Knowing how to do CPR and basic first aid on dogs could help pet owners save their animal's life.
Animal lovers learned dog CPR and first aid at Huron Valley Ambulance in Plymouth.
Peggy Steffes, a mobility transportation supervisor at HVA, lost her boxer Rudy to a heart attack. She was certified in CPR for humans but not pets so she couldn't help her dog.
"I wish I would have had the chance to at least try and save him," she said.
Steffes spoke at a training session, where pet owners were learning CPR, rescue breathing and how to remove an obstruction from a choking animal's throat.
Lifesaving actions depend on an animal's size, so the training class uses stuffed dogs for attendees to practice CPR techniques.
'With dogs, they all come from different breeds and they all come in different shapes and sizes, so it's kind of different depending on what type of dog you have," said Jason Trojan, community relations coordinator at HVA.
For more information about learning dog CPR, contact Huron Valley Ambulance.