White tiger cubs choke easily on their food.
Tiger cubs are active and playful. When more than one cub is housed together, the young animals may vie for food and could easily bolt their food to prevent a sibling from taking it. Choking is not uncommon among white tiger cubs, and immediately after the food bolus is removed from the cub's mouth, cardiopulmonary resuscitation may be required. CPR should be applied by the person closest to the cub to prevent it dying of suffocation before the veterinarian arrives.
Instructions
1. Ensure that the tiger cub's airway is not still blocked. Tilt the cub's neck slightly back, pull out its tongue and remove the food bolus with your fingers. Do not attempt CPR on the tiger if its airway is blocked.
2. Place the tiger cub on its side on a flat surface. Look for an elevated work surface if possible, because it will be easier for you to apply CPR.
3. Check to see if the tiger cub's chest is moving.
4. Place your cheek at the tiger's mouth to feel for exhaled breath.
5. Pull out the tiger cub's tongue again and close the animal's mouth.
6. Tilt the cub's head back slightly once again.
7. Breathe into the tiger's nose. Give up to five breaths, but be extremely careful, because the tiger cub's lungs are considerably smaller than your own. By breathing too forcefully into the cub's lungs, you can do considerable damage.
8. Breathe only sufficient air into the cub's lungs to cause its chest to rise slightly.
9. Check if the tiger cub has a pulse. Feel behind the cub's left scapular, or shoulder blade, for the apical pulse.
10. Continue to breathe for the tiger cub, should you find a pulse. Breathe once every two seconds and monitor the tiger, until it begins to take its own breaths.
11. Commence immediately with chest compressions, should the tiger cub not have a pulse.
12. Position yourself behind the tiger cub and place your hands on either side of the tiger's chest. Gently compress the chest. Do so very slightly.
13. Breathe once into the tigers nostrils for every three chest compressions.
14. Check every 60 seconds for a pulse.
15. Continue until you feel a pulse.
Tags: Breathe once, Check tiger, chest compressions, every seconds, food bolus, into lungs