ABSTRACT
Objective
To provide an update on data in the RECOVER small animal CPR registry and to describe the cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) and CPR event data collected since registry implementation in 2016.
Design
International, multi-institutional veterinary CPR registry data report.
Setting
Twelve veterinary private practices and 10 university teaching hospitals.
Animals
Data from 1207 dogs and 458 cats undergoing CPR entered into the RECOVER CPR registry between February 2016 and January 2025.
Interventions
The RECOVER CPR registry is a multi-institutional online database designed for the standardized collection of CPA and CPR event data in dogs and cats. Records of all cases entered since its implementation in 2016 were downloaded, and summary data were provided after removing test, duplicate, and incomplete entries.
Measurements and Main Results
Twenty-two hospitals in North America (73%), Europe (14%), Australia (9%), and Asia (5%) contributed data on 1665 CPR events, which represents a 38% increase in registry contributors and 134% increase in entered cases in the reporting interim. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved in 470 (28%) animals: 341 (28%) dogs and 129 (28%) cats. Sustained ROSC was observed in 189 (16%) dogs and 77 (17%) cats, and 44 (4%) dogs and 12 (3%) cats survived to discharge. Euthanasia remained the most common cause of death in 72% of dogs and 70% of cats that achieved sustained ROSC but did not survive to discharge.
Conclusion
The RECOVER CPR registry has grown consistently since inception. Its data have contributed to multiple publications, enhancing our understanding of the epidemiology and outcomes of CPA in dogs and cats. This larger data set further corroborates the finding that good outcomes are infrequent, highly variable by setting (e.g., anesthesia), and influenced by modifiable factors (e.g., euthanasia), underscoring the need for continued large-scale, collaborative studies to identify factors associated with improved survival.
Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, EarlyView.Wiley: Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care: Table of Contents