Updated RECOVER CPR guidance reshapes veterinary code protocols

Version 1 — Brief

Veterinary CPR guidance got its first major overhaul since 2012 with the publication of the 2024 RECOVER guidelines, and Clinician’s Brief is now helping translate those changes into day-to-day practice through a podcast discussion with Jacob Wolf, DVM, DACVECC, a University of Florida criticalist and coauthor of the updated guideline paper. The RECOVER update, published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, covers basic life support, advanced life support, and periarrest monitoring in dogs and cats, and was developed through a modified GRADE-based evidence review. Among the headline changes: high-dose epinephrine is no longer recommended, atropine is limited to a single dose if used, and bag-mask ventilation is preferred over mouth-to-nose ventilation in nonintubated patients. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, this is less about a brand-new CPR playbook than a tighter, more standardized one. The updated recommendations keep much of the 2012 framework, but they sharpen decisions around drug dosing, airway management, and early assessment, while adding revised algorithms, a rhythm diagnosis tool, and an updated drug table. That matters for hospitals trying to reduce confusion during codes, refresh crash-cart protocols, and align staff training with current evidence. The RECOVER initiative says nearly 40,000 guideline downloads followed the 2024 release, underscoring how quickly practices are looking to operationalize the changes. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: Expect more clinics to update CPR training, wall algorithms, and mock-code workflows as the 2024 RECOVER recommendations continue to move from publication into practice. (rvc.ac.uk)