Woman saves dog's life 2 days after seeing video about pet CPR -- How to learn lifesaving procedure

YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - After seeing a video about pet CPR, a woman learned more about the procedure, a move that helped her save her beloved dog's life.

Pam White, who is the aunt of FOX 2 reporter Jessica Dupnack, was scrolling on Facebook earlier this month when she saw a video of a California man using CPR to save a stranger's dog.

"I thought I should go back and look at it, and so I watched the video on how to do CPR on a dog," White said. "In this case, it was like fate."

Fate because White had no idea that two days later, she would need the procedure to rescue her dog, Cabela.

"All of a sudden Cabela just collapsed and fell over," she said. "Because I had seen that, I just started doing some chest compressions and then Brian was doing nose-to-mouth breathing, and a few minutes later, she aroused and she came to."

After the rescue, White learned that Cabela, who is 12, has a heart condition. Between the first save and the vet visit it happened again, and again they revived her.

White said she felt good helping her dog because if it weren't for that video about pet CPR, Cabela might not be here.

"So, I like to say how we can become our pet's first responder in any scenario," Hannah Moretto said.

Moretto owns Mitten's Pets, a cat grooming business in Ypsilanti Township. Mitten's will be hosting pet first aid and CPR classes this summer.

"The class helps build that confidence to know what to do," she said.

These classes, which go over CPR for both cats and dogs, are scheduled at Mitten's Pets on July 23 and Aug. 20. Bleeding protocols, choking management, how to respond to heat and cold injuries, and other lifesaving techniques will also be taught. 

The five-hour-long courses are $95. Register here.