RECOVER Initiative releases first-of-its-kind newborn resuscitation guidelines

The RECOVER Initiative recently announced the release of their Newborn Resuscitation Guidelines for Puppies and Kittens, a first of its kind resource for veterinary professionals who care for puppies and kittens immediately after birth. With these guidelines, veterinary teams now have evidence to guide their support of their newborn canine and feline patients in their critical first moments after birth.

“There is evidence that more than 10% of puppies born after difficult labor, or simply even born by Cesarean section, do not survive the first 24 hours after birth,” said Jamie Burkitt, DVM, DACVECC, Guidelines Co-Chair of RECOVER. “With these guidelines, we aim to provide veterinary teams with evidence- and consensus-based practices with the goal of optimally supporting newborn puppies or kittens during this fragile period.”

About RECOVER

The Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER) Initiative is a non-profit program within the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care and the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society. It was created in 2010 to create evidence-based guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation of veterinary patients. More than 100 veterinary specialists came together to create the first CPR guidelines in 2012, and a new set of guidelines published in 2024.

Apart from guidelines creation, the RECOVER Initiative works to meet its mission of empowering veterinary professionals, pet owners, and others who care for animals to provide lifesaving care by offering courses and certifications on the resuscitation of dogs and cats. The initiative also conducts research to fill in knowledge gaps in our understanding of how to most successfully support animal health during cardiopulmonary arrest.

What’s in them

The newborn resuscitation guidelines were created by a task force of experts in small animal theriogenology and reproduction along with RECOVER chairs. The guidelines provide a review of fetal cardiorespiratory circulation and the changes to neonatal circulation that happen at birth. They also include an evaluation of the evidence supporting neonatal resuscitation treatment recommendations

In the guidelines, veterinary professionals can find everything from appropriate warming and drying techniques, positive pressure ventilation and chest compressions, and the administration of life-saving drugs when needed. Veterinary professionals can refer to the newborn resuscitation algorithm included in the guidelines for step-by-step decision-making support during a resuscitation when life-saving decisions must be made quickly.

How to access them

The newborn resuscitation guidelines are available open access via a special issue the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care and also on the RECOVER Initiative website.

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