Pet CPR & First Aid of the Lehigh Valley

10/27/2024

🎃 Fall is in the air, and that means Halloween is just around the corner! Now is a great time to review some safety tips for your pets!⁣
⁣
⁣⁣As much as we love Halloween, it brings certain risks to our favorite cats and dogs. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Some tips to remember:⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
👻 Costumes - Though it’s fun to dress our pets up in costumes, make sure your pet is comfortable in the costume before Halloween. Ensure there are no choking or chewing hazards on the costume your pet may ingest and that their hearing or vision is not inhibited by the costume. ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
🍭 Candy - Yum! Just make sure your pet has no access to the candy and treats, especially if they include xylitol, chocolate, nuts, or raisins, which are very toxic to animals.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
🎃 Decorations - Festive decorations like pumpkins, gourds, fake spider webs, burning candles, glow sticks, and loud scary noise makers can also tempt or scare your pet. Always keep an eye on them! ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
🍬 Candy Bags and Treat Bags - To prevent pet suffocation, keep all candy bags and food bags safely out of reach of your pets. Cut them up and safely discard them. Pets can suffocate within minutes once they put their head in a bag. Make sure your children are aware of these dangers, too, and that their Halloween loot is safely stored away from your furry family members. ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Visit our website to learn more about how you can keep your pets safe at all times! 🐶🐱
www.preventpetsuffocation.com

10/27/2024

Great class today in Cold Nose Lodge’s beautiful addition space! Lots of sharing and participation among the students. Thanks for spending your day learning important skills!

04/07/2024

We have had a few people reach out about concerns about traveling tomorrow during the hours of the solar eclipse.

Monday’s event is expected to last from 2:08pm to 4:35pm, with maximum viewing time around 3:24pm.

There's really no reason to be concerned about harming your pets eyes. Dogs and cats don't normally look up into the sun, so you don't need to get any special eye protection for your pets. We do recommend to keep your pet inside in case there is a firework celebration of the eclipse which may spark anxiety in a pet. Otherwise enjoy this very exciting and educational event!

03/24/2024

The loss of this beautiful French Bulldog, Nala, to suffocation in a chip bag last week has left this distraught owner devastated. Korey Renee writes, "my beautiful girl. we lost her tragically the day before last. she got into a chip bag i left on the table while we were at work. i always leave my chips out. i never thought to pick them up. i never did before. i forgot to get it.. she got stuck.. i found her already gone when i got home. the guilt i carry and the weight of all of this is so so painful. i am devastated. this girl was my shadow through life and has gotten me through some of the hardest times. she’d throw herself in front of me to protect me if she thought i was in danger. i only wish i could’ve done the same. i’m so heartbroken. i don’t know how to live through this and cope with the loss of her. her toys, her bed, her harness hanging by the door. i can’t go for a walk as much as i want sunshine because she won’t be with me and i know she would’ve wanted to come. i can’t go to work because maybe if i had just stayed home that day. i can’t leave because my anxiety of something bad happening at home consumes me. every time i walk thru the door i replay the devastating evening over and over again and again. waking up is hard because she’s not here. though i still hear her crying to go out. her bed is laying over top of where i found her because it helps me see her sleeping peacefully instead of gone the way she was. my heart aches. please tell me this gets better. please tell me anything that can help me. she would be 4 in a month.. and she gave me the best few years she could’ve ever given anybody.
EDIT: the bag she got into was sealed with a chip clip. it still didn’t matter.."

Too many of us know the pain and heartache of Korey Renee from losing a beloved pet so suddenly to suffocation. Pet suffocation always catches us off guard. Please share in memory of Nala so we can prevent pet suffocation and more heartache. Thank you.
www.preventpetsuffocaton.com
suffocation

12/10/2023

What a great group of Pet Tech students at Queen of the Valley! Congrats to our graduates!

12/03/2023

Great class today of Cold Nose Staff, Pet Pros and Pet Lovers!

11/13/2023

Great class for members of Lehigh Valley Therapy Dogs today!

11/11/2023

What a great idea! 😀

10/22/2023

Great class of pet parents, professionals and Cold Nose staff members!

08/11/2023

Please be aware of this danger!

The Comeau family is crushed after losing their sweet Corgi on August 3rd when he suffocated in a chip bag. Jill Comeau writes, "Our 2 year old Corgi, Patrick, died after suffocating in a Doritos bag. Our daughter found him laying motionless with the bag on his head. He was already gone. We are devastated and were unaware of how dangerous this is. I worried about so many other things that could’ve harmed him but never thought of such a common household item being deadly."

Most people still have not heard of pet suffocation until it happens to them. That's why we have to be vigilant with spreading awareness on how to prevent pet suffocation. Please share in honor of Patrick, gone too soon.
www.preventpetsuffocation.com

03/22/2023

03/07/2023

Thank you Cold Nose Lodge for hosting a great class consisting of their staff members and various pet professionals (crisis workers, search and rescue, and pet sitting).

11/27/2022

Always cut your chip bags before placing them in a trash can!

A sad start to the holiday season for the Sprague family who lost their beloved Red Merle Border Collie a week before Thanksgiving when she suffocated in a chip bag, devastating the whole family. Monica Sprague writes, "While we bought Sylvia as a family dog, well, she quickly became my daughter’s dog. She slept with Shelby, tolerated Shelby dressing her up, she went every where with Shelby. My hubby and I moved to Germany for 4 years and our daughter stayed in our home with Sylvy and our two cats. She and Linzie got their own home 6 months before we got back from Germany and took the cats and Sylvy with them. We returned and brought the cats home but Sylvy stayed with them. They got a Blue Heeler in May. Both dogs were both prone to getting into the trash. Shelby and Linzie knew this. She ordered a pet proof trash can 11 days ago.

Anyway, last Thursday she put the trash in the laundry room and shut the door between the kitchen and the laundry room but somehow the dogs got in. Both Linzie and Shelby were at work. He arrived home moments before Shelby. She called us in absolute devastation. We barely understood what she was telling us, she was crying so hard. We drove the 45 minutes to their house and she was on the floor holding our sweet Sylvia in her lap. Linzie said he found Sylvy in the living room with a tortilla chip bag on her head. He took it off, it still had condensation in it. He tried chest compressions and was just starting to blow breaths into her mouth when Shelby got home. She thought she heard a faint heartbeat and called 911, no emergency vet near them. The closest is 30 minutes away. The paramedics pronounced her death before we ever arrived. It has been the hardest pet loss because Shelby and Linzie are grieving so and as a parent I want to fix it but can’t. We buried Sylvy near the lilac bush. Sylvia was my daughter’s best friend. The pet proof trash can arrived the next day. They have both been so devastated. Now we cut all our bags apart but we so wish we had known before losing Sylvia."

Please share on honor of Sylvia who would've turned 10 years old this week. Spreading awareness is our best defense against pet suffocation. Thank you.

www.preventpetsuffocation.com

11/07/2022

Great class at Cold Nose Lodge today!

09/30/2022

This pup has talent!

09/07/2022

This young pup suffocated in a chip bag in late August, leaving her crushed owners heartbroken. Emily Deluca writes, "I'm so glad you created this website and nonprofit. We recently lost our dog Olive to pet suffocation via chip bag and reading all the other stories has really helped me cope with the trauma and guilt my husband and I experienced.

Olive found a bag of potato chips that someone had left in the house (still under renovation) and got her head stuck inside and died from suffocation within minutes. Matt and I were outside in the backyard and I came in found her and I went into shock. We attempted CPR and then my husband and I frantically brought her to the vet who told us she died from suffocation and there was nothing we could have done and she was otherwise a healthy young dog.

Olive was my world, my best friend, my running/hiking buddy, my co-worker, my therapist, and I enjoyed every second of taking care of her and training her. She brought joy into my life in a way I didn’t know was possible - and I know she brought joy and happiness into the lives of everyone that knew her. She was sassy, playful, curious, and full of so much love.

We had never heard of this sort of thing happening or of the severe and the immediate dangers - and now we will never forget. We named her Olive because she was our Olive branch with each other 🫒 We will remember the 2 years we had with her forever.
Rest In Peace my beautiful little Olive. 💔🐶

We want to remind everyone that we have to not only inform our family members about pet suffocation, but friends, neighbors, pet sitters, babysitters, housecleaners, and home repair workers, as well. It's the random food bag or container left behind accidentally that can get your pet into trouble quickly. Please share in honor of Olive, gone too soon. Thank you.

07/01/2022

Skipping our fun fact today to suggest a couple of calming ideas... If you have an anxious pup, here's a DIY version of a calming wrap. Also consider making a safe spot in a darkened room with quieting music/sounds and maybe even some essential oils. Maybe a movie night with your pets is in order for this weekend. What's your favorite 'pet' movie??

06/29/2022

Please be aware! Suffocation happens so quickly!

This dedicated veterinarian was devastated when she couldn't save her own dog from pet suffocation two weeks ago. Jen writes, "I just lost my golden retriever to suffocation from a small plastic fertilizer bag on Thursday. I’m a DVM and I couldn’t save my dog. It was too late. One of the worst moments of my life. If nothing else, I want to warn everyone of the dangers of small plastic bags getting stuck on dogs' heads and causing suffocation. My sweet boy Monty was outside in our yard when I went to look for him. It was too late. After planting flowers the night before, my husband/son left a small plastic bag out (I had no idea). I called his name and he didn't come. I saw him slumped down on on the ground with his back to me and ran to him thinking maybe he had been bitten by a snake. He was lifeless. I ripped the bag off his face and tried to resuscitate him but he was gone. My son helped me get him into my car and my friend stayed with the kids while I drove him to work. My staff was devastated along side me. RIP Monty, the best red dog ever. "

Please continue to share. Spreading awareness is our best defense against pet suffocation. It happens within minutes. Thank you.

06/05/2022

Great Class at Cold Nose Lodge today!

05/09/2022

The Herbert family is devastated after losing their young Labrador, Willow, several days ago when he suffocated in a chip bag. Erica Herbert writes, "I wanted to reach out. Unfortunately, I wish I had run into this organization before it happened to me. My almost 3 year old Lab, willow, passed about a week ago from a chip bag. The heartbreak and guilt is terrible. I will be donating and hope to get the word out to many others. ❤️ It was the perfect storm of events. I was supposed to be leaving for a trip the next day so I had errands to run and my 11 month old daughter was sick and not sleeping like she usually does. The entire day is a blur now but I had asked my mom to come over to watch her while I ran out for errands. Our house is gated everywhere because of our daughter so Willow was downstairs in what I felt was a safe space when I left him. My mom had gotten out a snack when she got there because my daughter usually goes right to sleep and she comes down to hang out with Willow. But, since my daughter would not sleep she was upstairs for the 30 min I was gone. I came home to screaming. It was traumatizing. She had found him with the chip bag on his head. He was gone. He had been downstairs alone so many times and nothing like this ever happened. He was spoiled and we all took such good care of him. We never thought this was the way he would go. All we can hope is that we can save another dog from dying this way. We love you forever, Willow."

There are still so many people who have never heard of pet suffocation. Please share in memory of Willow so we can continue to prevent pet suffocation. Thank you!

05/01/2022

Lehigh Valley Therapy Dogs & Kennel Club members learned important skills like CPR and choking management today!

05/01/2022

Ready to train LV Therapy Dog group!

04/07/2022

Please be aware of this unexpected danger!

Another grieving pet owner is crushed after losing her beloved American Pocket Bully named Zeus yesterday when he suffocated in a chip bag. Renae Siegfried writes, “My sweet boy 😭🥺. I came home about 5:15 this evening (4/6/22) Couldn’t find him in the house. Walked out back found him unresponsive. His head was stuck inside a Doritos bag. He was still very warm, but his tongue was purple. I worked on him (CPR) for about 20 minutes. I was by myself. Preston (husband) was at work. I could not get him back. I cannot even describe the pain I am going through right now. The image of him laying there with the bag around his head will forever be burnt in my eyes. This boy had saved me so many times mentally and I couldn’t save him. I’m so angry and heartbroken at the same time. It can’t even be real. God help me please. Willow (his sister) is so upset also. They were two peas in a pod. I’m just completely lost right now. The sight of him laying with the bag is the only thing I can see. It’s devastating. I’m an ER nurse and I could not save him. My healthy 4.5 year old boy is gone because of a Doritos bag.
I woke up this morning and the house is so quiet. He is everywhere I turn. Pictures, nose smudges, scratches on the door frame, blankets, and his hoodies. This pain is unbearable.”

So many of us know this visceral pain of losing our cherished dog to suffocation. Help us prevent this from happening to other pets and
families by sharing. It’s our best defense against pet suffocation. Thank you.

03/09/2022

CPR saved the day! What a close call!

A happy ending for this little Dachshund mix pup named Honey who was saved with CPR after almost suffocating in a snack bag yesterday. Melissa Deckelbaum writes, "I am a veterinary technician. I share my home with my husband, my teen son and a daughter who is away at college. We have three dogs. After working an overnight shift one hour from my home, I returned home and found my son's dog in his room with a snack bag stuck on her head suffocating. He had left for school at 7 and I got home at 9. I have no idea how long she had her head in that bag. She was limp, unconscious and hyperventilating. Her gums and tongue were blue. I immediately started giving her mouth to snout breaths and some chest compressions. In a few short minutes, which seemed like hours, she was conscious and walking around, although she was lethargic and stumbling. I brought her to a local emergency vet, luckily she was stable and required no oxygen, but I kept her there for the day since I had to go home and sleep. Within hours she was completely normal and home, acting like nothing happened. I, however, am traumatized by the whole incident. The vision of her laying there with a bag over her head. The thought that had I gotten home a few minutes later, this would have had a completely different outcome. I work with sick and dying animals everyday, I’ve had my share of my own personal pet losses, but this is something I will never get out of my mind."

Honey was very lucky and almost didn't make it. We recommend every pet owner learn Pet CPR. You never know when you might need it. There is a CPR video posted on the Blog on our website at www.preventpetsuffocation.com. Please share!