What is the basic sequence for CPR in small animals?

• A. Check responsiveness; call for help; start chest compressions (approximately 100–120/min) with minimal interruptions; provide rescue breaths; administer epinephrine per ACLS-like protocol; address reversible causes (the 4 Hs and 4 Ts).
• B. Call for help; provide rescue breaths; start chest compressions; check responsiveness; address reversible causes.
• C. Start chest compressions; call for help after 5 minutes; no breaths.
• D. Provide rescue breaths only; no chest compressions.

Answer: (A)

In small-animal CPR, the emphasis is on a rapid, organized response that maintains perfusion while you oxygenate and treat reversible problems. The best sequence starts with assessing whether the animal is responsive, then calling for help, so a team is ready. If there is no pulse, you begin chest compressions right away at a steady rate of about 100–120 compressions per minute with as few interruptions as possible to keep blood flowing to the brain and heart. Providing rescue breaths is important, so you include ventilations as part of the cycle to maintain oxygenation during CPR.

As CPR progresses, you administer medications such as epinephrine at appropriate intervals (an ACLS-like protocol is used in veterinary practice) to support perfusion and rhythm. Throughout the resuscitation, you also look for reversible causes and address them—the 4 Hs and 4 Ts—because treating those factors can convert arrest to a recoverable situation.

The other sequences miss key elements or place steps out of order: they skip the initial responsiveness check or the immediate call for help, they omit ventilations, or they delay essential steps like drug administration or addressing reversible causes. This integrated approach—rapid recognition, prompt high-quality chest compressions, ventilation, medication, and reversible-cause management—best reflects how CPR is effectively performed in small animals.