Pet CPR and First Aid: What to Do When Your Pet Stops Breathing
What would you do if your dog collapsed right in front of you? Most people have never thought about it until it actually happens. In Episode 11 of Voices of Vital Care, host Nohelani Graf sits down with Kate Klasen, pet CPR instructor and founder of Bishop’s Mission, to discuss the skills every pet owner should have and why most don’t. This is a conversation that will change the way you think about caring for the animals in your life.
Kate brought along her dog, Bishop, who served as the world’s most relaxed visual aid throughout the episode. If you love animals and have ever pondered what a career in veterinary care might look like, the Veterinary Assistant certificate program and the Veterinary Technician associate degree program at Pima Medical Institute are worth considering.
“Knowing even the basics — how to check for a pulse, how to start compressions — gives you something to do in the worst moment instead of just panicking.”
—Kate Klasen, Pet CPR Instructor and Founder, Bishop’s Mission
Kate’s path to teaching pet CPR started with a personal scare. After 20 years as a first responder, she watched her five-pound chihuahua start choking at breakfast and felt, for the first time, completely helpless. She improvised a Heimlich-like maneuver and got lucky. That experience sent her searching for real training, and once she found it, she knew she had to share it with other pet owners.
She describes what pet owners can do in an emergency the same way she once described EMT-level care for humans: it’s not about replacing the vet; it’s about stabilizing your pet long enough to get there.
“So I kind of compare doing a class as learning that EMT level. So we are learning the information to stabilize them, to be able to get them to the vet and at least do something, because most people don’t think, you know, we’re so used to our 911 system, so we don’t have help coming on the way. So you have to realize that you not only have to deal with the emergency, stabilize that emergency, you have to transport it as well.”
—Kate Klasen, Pet CPR Instructor and Founder, Bishop’s Mission
That distinction matters more than most pet owners realize. With humans, help is on the way. With pets, you are the help — and you are also the transport. Kate’s class is built around that reality, giving everyday pet owners the knowledge to assess, act and move with purpose when every second counts.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why the first few minutes of a pet emergency matter more than most owners realize, and why “I’ll just drive to the vet” is not always an option when your pet is choking or has stopped breathing
- How to read your pet’s vital signs before an emergency happens, including gum color as an indicator of oxygen levels and overall distress
- What an emergency assessment looks like for an animal, and the key differences between performing CPR on a dog versus a human, including hand placement, positioning and rescue breathing
- How compression technique changes based on the size and breed of your dog, and why barrel-chested breeds like bulldogs and French bulldogs require a different approach entirely
- What to include in a pet first aid kit, from vet wrap and digital thermometers to honey packs for hypoglycemic episodes and Benadryl capsules (with an important note on checking for xylitol)
- How to mentally prepare for a pet emergency using the same breathing technique professional responders use to stay calm under pressure
- Why taking a pet CPR class builds muscle memory that can carry you through a real emergency, even months or years later, and how that same curiosity can lead to a career working with animals
- How to find your nearest emergency veterinary clinic ahead of time and what information to communicate when you call, so your pet gets triaged faster when it matters most
Who this episode is for: Any pet owner who wants to feel prepared, confident, and ready to act in the moments that count.
The opinions expressed in the podcasts are not those of Pima Medical Institute.
Beyond the Episode
The demand for animal health care professionals is strong and growing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics*, employment of veterinary assistants is projected to grow 9 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, with approximately 22,200 openings expected each year. The median annual wage for veterinary assistants was $37,320 as of May 2024. For those who advance into veterinary technician roles, the median annual wage climbs to $45,980, with the same 9 percent growth projection and roughly 14,300 openings per year.
Kate mentioned in the episode that she worked as both a vet tech and a vet assistant before opening her grooming salon. That career path, which often starts at the veterinary assistant level and can grow into a veterinary technician role, which is exactly what programs at Pima Medical Institute are designed to support. Whether you are drawn to clinical care, emergency response, or the kind of hands-on animal work Kate describes, there is room to build a career around it.
Ready to learn more? Learn how to apply or reach out to the Pima Medical Institute admissions team to find out if the Veterinary Assistant or the Veterinary Technician program is the right fit for you.
