How to perform CPR on a dog or cat
This is specifically for the moment a pet is unresponsive, not breathing, and has no heartbeat — not general first aid (see our basic pet first aid guide for choking, bleeding, and seizures). CPR won't always work, but knowing the steps, drilled from the Red Cross's pet first aid curriculum and the veterinary RECOVER resuscitation guidelines, gives a genuinely unresponsive pet their best chance before you can reach a vet.
Confirm it's actually needed first
Check for breathing (watch the chest) and a heartbeat or pulse (place a hand over the left side of the chest, or feel for a femoral pulse on the inner thigh) for several seconds. Only start CPR if there's neither — a pet who is breathing or has a pulse should not receive chest compressions.
Hand placement (this depends on your pet's chest shape)
For cats, small dogs, and deep-chested dogs (like Greyhounds or Dobermans): place the heel of one hand directly over the heart, roughly where the elbow touches the chest when tucked in, with your other hand stacked on top. For barrel-chested dogs (like Bulldogs or Labs): lay the dog on its back and compress over the widest, flattest part of the sternum instead.
Compressions
Push hard and fast — roughly 100-120 compressions per minute, compressing about a third to half the width of the chest, and letting the chest fully recoil between compressions. This is a real, physically demanding pace: it's faster than most people expect, closer to the beat of a fast pop song than a slow, gentle press.
Rescue breaths and the 30:2 rhythm
After 30 compressions, gently close your pet's mouth, extend their neck to straighten the airway, and give 2 rescue breaths by sealing your mouth over their nose and breathing in until you see the chest rise. Repeat this 30-compression, 2-breath cycle continuously, checking briefly for a return of breathing or heartbeat roughly every 2 minutes.
When to stop, and getting to a vet
Continue until your pet starts breathing on their own, you reach veterinary care, or you physically cannot continue. If a second person is available, have them call an emergency vet while you perform CPR, and switch to their car for transport as soon as possible — CPR should ideally continue en route, which is much easier with two people. This is genuinely one of the situations where having someone else in the house matters.
Our basic pet first aid guide covers what to do for choking, bleeding, and seizures — the situations that come before it ever gets to this point.
Get "Basic pet first aid"
Educational content only. This article is for general educational purposes and isn't a substitute for professional veterinary, behavioral, or medical advice — always consult a licensed professional about your own pet's specific needs. Frolicy's articles are researched from publicly available sources and written with AI assistance; they are not written or reviewed by a licensed veterinarian or behaviorist. Frolicy and its owners aren't liable for outcomes from following this content. See our Terms of Use for full details.