Dog resuscitated by firefighters after house fire in California

Rescuers thought the game was up for Jack the Shih Tzu when they pulled him from a blaze

Firefighters have resuscitated a dog that was saved from a burning home in California.

Jack the Shih Tzu’s was found behind a sofa during the blaze and carried outside by a firefighter in scenes seen on a video posted to the Bakersfield Fire Department’s Facebook page.

The dog appeared lifeless until Matt Smith put a pet oxygen mask - kindly donated by a local Girl Scout troop - over Jack and rubbed his belly.

Slowly, the pet began to revive and by the end of the video, Jack is seen on all fours again and panting heavily.

The dog was taken to a veterinary hospital where medics discovered burns on his paws and respiratory tract injuries. But after extensive oxygen therapy, he is doing well.

Jack was reunited with his owners, a married couple, the following day. They were unharmed, but the fire had caused $50,000 (£38,500) damage to their home.

Firefighters in Bakersfield, California, coaxing Jack the Shih-Tzu back to life (Screengrab/ Bakersfield Fire Department)

Mr Smith also paid Jack a visit in hospital to check on his recovery.

John Frando, a spokesperson for the Bakersfield Fire Department, said he almost stopped recording because he feared Jack wouldn’t make it.

"I thought Jack was going to die," he said. "He was in really bad shape."

The department said it was "an honour and duty to serve our community...and that includes protecting our pets, livestock, and wildlife as well".

Additional reporting by AP