Heather Navarro

Puppy Comes Back to Life After Firefighters Use Pet Oxygen Mask

California Firefighters saved a pup from a fire after the dog was pulled from the flames not breathing and without a pulse.

A fire broke out Tuesday on the 1800 block of 7th Street in Santa Monica, California, where the dog's owner, 35-year-old Crystal Lamirande, told the firefighters her dog was trapped inside.

Firefighter Andrew Klein sprang into action, getting on all fours to search the apartment for Nalu, a 10-year-old Bichon Frise/Shih Tzu, as another firefighter sprayed water to keep the flames at bay. Klein found the unconscious dog a few feet from the fire in a bedroom.

"He was totally lifeless," Klein said. "I picked him up and ran out of the apartment because time is key, especially with a small dog ... Failure was not an option."

As Lamirande knelt nearby crying, firefighters performed CPR on Nalu and worked on the pup for 20 minutes with a pet oxygen mask until the animal came back to life.

Nalu was taken to an animal hospital for further care.

Lamirande, a radiology nurse, said she couldn't believe how much time the firefighters took to save her dog, who she describes as family.

"His eyes were glazed over and he was not breathing and I assumed he was dead," she said. "The firefighter said 'I'm a positive person. Let's just get him back.'"

Lamirande said Nalu spent the next 24 hours recovering in an oxygen chamber and was almost back to his normal self again Thursday.

"He's been coughing but right now he's fine and he's so happy and smiling," she said.

Klein, a self-described dog lover with two four-legged friends at home, said he felt proud of the outcome.

"He was essentially dead, so to see him kissing people and walking around wagging his tail was definitely a good feeling," he said. "He's very happy, and we're very happy, too."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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