Pet First Aid and CPR Class: “Make a Plan!”

By Valerie K. Kane, HSSV Volunteer


In my last post, I wrote about the latest HSSV class I’d signed up for: Pet First Aid and CPR, taught by Diane Troup of CParf! and A Dog’s Life. Diane is not only a professional dog trainer, but also a Santa Clara firefighter and certified CPR and Basic Life Support instructor (for humans).


We started the class learning to perform CPR and basic life support on a dog or cat. We practiced on a variety of life-sized stuffed dogs of various breeds. We also learned and practiced several first aid techniques including how to bandage a wound, treat shock and poisoning, and perform the “Heimlich” maneuver on a choking pet.

Knowing how to perform these first aid skills could be a lifesaver for your pet. But ironically, the most important lesson I took away from class had nothing to do with these techniques. The most important takeaway for me was: always have a plan. You certainly don’t want to create your emergency plan in the middle of the emergency, so make your plan now.


For example, when you are home alone or are out on a walk, make sure you have someone to call if you need help. Know the phone numbers and directions to your veterinarian’s office and the nearest 24 hour emergency animal hospital.

The first thing I did after class was program my vet and emergency hospital numbers into my cell phone—the simplest thing, but I hadn’t thought of it until I took Diane’s class.


Check out the HSSV event calendar, where you’ll find more useful and informative classes and events.