OVERVIEW
The Respiratory Distress Response Checklist provides a structured record for responding to breathing difficulty or abnormal breathing during grooming or pet care. It is an attachment to SOP 2.14: Respiratory Distress Response Procedure and is intended to be used with the related heat stress, incident reporting, injury response, and emergency veterinary transport procedures.
The checklist documents immediate actions such as stopping the service, turning off dryers and other loud equipment, moving tools away, relocating the pet when safe, adjusting restraints when appropriate, and reducing noise and activity. It also records breathing and gum color observations when safe, owner communication, veterinary care recommendations, grooming decisions, and incident reporting.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
- How to document that grooming or service was stopped immediately.
- How to record that dryers, clippers, and loud equipment were turned off.
- How to document tools being moved away from the pet.
- How to record safe relocation to a quiet, open, well-ventilated area.
- How to document restraint adjustments when appropriate.
- How to record reduced noise and activity.
- How to document breathing and gum color observations when safe.
- How to record immediate owner communication.
- How to document veterinary care recommendations when appropriate.
- How to record observations and future appointment requirements.
BUSINESS BENEFITS
This checklist creates a consistent record of the actions taken when a pet experiences respiratory distress or abnormal breathing. It supports documentation of equipment use, safety measures, observations, owner communication, veterinary recommendations, grooming decisions, and incident reporting. The dedicated observation fields also help staff record what was happening before and during the concern, including the service being performed and whether drying equipment was in use. This provides a structured record for management review and future appointment planning.
RECOMMENDED FOR
- Groomers
- Bathers
- Grooming Assistants
- Front Desk Staff
- Salon Owners
- Managers
- Mobile Groomers
- Veterinary Grooming Departments
- Training Staff
IMPLEMENTATION NOTES
Use this checklist with SOP 2.14: Respiratory Distress Response Procedure, SOP 2.12: Heat Stress and Drying Safety Procedure, SOP 2.06: Incident Reporting Procedure, SOP 2.07: Injury Response and Client Notification Procedure, and SOP 2.16: Emergency Veterinary Transport Procedure. Complete the response items as applicable, document observations and equipment use, contact the owner immediately, and record veterinary recommendations when appropriate. Complete the Incident Report Form and document future appointment requirements when needed.
