DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital in Portland, Ore., hosted 10 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) K9 handlers from across the western United States Aug. 18–19 for a two-day course on operational canine first aid and pre-hospital care. Photo courtesy DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital Photo courtesy DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital Photo courtesy DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital Led by DoveLewis emergency veterinarian Sarah Tauber, DVM, the training focused on helping handlers recognize and respond to medical emergencies when immediate veterinary care is not available. “ATF canines face unique hazards, from traumatic injuries and heat illness to opioid and toxin exposure,” says Dr. Tauber. “Our goal is to give handlers the knowledge and practical skills to recognize emergencies, stabilize their canine partners, and support their care until they can reach a veterinary hospital.” The curriculum combined lectures with hands-on training in tactical canine casualty care, CPR, hemorrhage control, wound packing, bandaging, airway management, heat-related illness, toxicology and patient assessment. DoveLewis veterinarians and critical care residents led scenario-based skills stations. ATF explosive detection dogs may work in rural areas and during nights and weekends, when access to veterinary care can be limited. DoveLewis said the training demonstrates how veterinary professionals can extend their expertise into the prehospital setting. “As veterinary professionals, we have an incredible opportunity to share our expertise with the people caring for animals before they ever reach us,” said Dr. Tauber. “Giving K9 handlers practical knowledge for those first critical moments is one way we can extend the reach of veterinary medicine beyond the hospital walls.”
