Take a deep breath Lassie!

[NJFFSA16]

It had to happen...sooner or later

By The Associated Press
When a firefighter carries a pet from a burning home, the
rescued animal often isn't out of the woods. Many times the
jubilant moment turns to anguish when the dog or cat later dies
from smoke inhalation.
One problem: Long, mangy snouts make it difficult to fit oxygen
masks made for people over dogs' noses.
Now, a growing number of fire departments in Illinois and around
the country are using masks specially made for pets. The plastic,
cone-shaped masks, long used by veterinarians for anesthesia, have
a rubber ring that provides a tight seal, forcing pure oxygen into
canine and feline snouts.
Many firefighters say once humans are out of harm's way, they'll
do everything they can to save a family's beloved pet.
"Pets are an important part of people's families," said Tom
Krueger, medical officer for the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire
Protection District, 35 miles north of Chicago, which recently got
the masks. "Some people consider them like their kids."
Unless a home is engulfed in flames, "we're going in to get
'em," he said.
Fire departments in Antioch, Buffalo Grove and Wauconda also
acquired the special masks in recent months.
The general manager of the Waukesha, Wis.-based company that
makes the devices said sales have exploded this year. The company
sells the masks in sets of three: one for cats, one for small dogs
and one for big dogs.
"It has just kind of snowballed," said Jeff Baker, vice
president and general manager of Smiths Medical Veterinary
Division. He said the company has sold 1,500 sets over the last
year - more than the company has sold in the last 15 years.
Humane societies and businesses often raise money for
departments to buy the masks. Norwalk, Conn.-based Best Friends Pet
Care, a pet boarding and grooming company, has helped 60 fire
departments in 10 states buy the masks through its Cause for Paws
campaign, spokeswoman Deb Bennetts said.
Bennetts said firefighters without the devices have gone to
extreme measures to save pets from smoke inhalation - everything
from sticking the oxygen hose straight into the animal's nose to
"mouth-to-snout" resuscitation.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[PattyV]

I do like dogs, but mouth-to-snout resuccitation is just too far

[Dave404]

I can see masks for dogs.....but cats cmon do we really need to save cats!

[IACOJRev]

Originally posted by Dave404
I can see masks for dogs.....but cats cmon do we really need to save cats!

AMEN!!

[stm4710]

Question is......would your cat want to save you?

[ffemtPAJ]

once again, my kitty says hi!

[Dave404]

ROFLMAO Here kitty kitty, nice kitty!!

[SSHANK42]

ffemtPAJ, good picture. It is now my background at work, at least until the big wigs notice it. The cat is saying what I want to most of the time.

[Frosty42]

Coming soon to the State of Wisconsin.....Cat Hunting! No kidding, a firefighter in the western part of the state actually got this drafted into a senate bill.

[FF2BKE]

When my Dad was still fighting fire they went on a circus truck fire. They resucitated a lion (or a tiger, can't remember which) with a SCOTT mask.

Tricky business...

[PattyV]

You may see me resucitating a dog if there is some 8 year old crying about their dog dying, and they have that defiled look that people cant help but give in to on their face.(i mean really, i would find it so gross, but who can say no to that face?) But it would take something else to get me to resucitate a cat that big!!!
(imagine the hair that your pet lion would leave on your circus furniture! bad enough with my cat as it is)

[PattyV]

[tk1918]

...this is great!!!

http://www.dataflo.net/~mpurintun/vi...commercial.avi

[fireguy919]

Originally posted by tk1918
...this is great!!!

http://www.dataflo.net/~mpurintun/vi...commercial.avi

I hope your happy my wife is going to kill me when i go home and try this.

[ffemtPAJ]

Originally posted by tk1918
...this is great!!!

http://www.dataflo.net/~mpurintun/vi...commercial.avi

poor kitty. that isn't funny.

[Ladder8]

Guess we'll have to be qualified on these then...

"Critical Care Fluffy is a realistic, full-size, cat mannikin. She has a realistic airway, with representations of trachea, esophagus, epiglottis, tongue, articulated jaw, and working lungs. She is designed for the CPR or anesthesia trainee to perform mouth-to-snout rescue breathing and/or endotracheal tube placement and manual ventilation, and chest compressions while appreciating an artificial pulse. She can assist with learning exercises in cat restraint, bandaging, and intravenous access (several vein practice sites)."

http://www.rescuecritters.com/p16.htm

[ffemtPAJ]

Critical care Fluffy?? That is too funny. Don't let anyone in my department see that. It will become mandatory training. Actually, there is a private "animal ambulance" in my area. Claims to provide 24 emergency care to pets. I'll just keep their number handy instead! I'm a pet lover, but there are limits...

P.S. I assume there is a "critical Care Rover", too?