Australian Military Vets Train to Provide Critical Care for Working Dogs in Combat

The Royal Australia Air Force (RAAF) is taking steps to ensure that military working dogs injured in the line of duty receive the critical care they need. With the help of highly experienced vets, medivac teams are now being trained to provide medical assistance to dogs as well as their handlers in the event of an explosion.

Registered full-time vet Captain Alexandra Blecich is leading the charge in teaching military medics how to care for wounded dogs in the field. This includes administering the right drugs, handling dogs under anesthesia, and finding the best way to transport them on stretchers.

One of the challenges faced during training was the lack of suitable stretchers for dogs. Improvisation was key, with medics using a work table padded with a mat to safely transport injured dogs.

Additionally, a full-size mannequin of a dog is being used as a training aid to simulate real-life scenarios. Proper application of a canine-specific tourniquet is crucial to prevent further bleeding in injured dogs.

Group Captain David Cooksley, clinical director for emergency and aeromedical evacuation, recognized the importance of providing medical support to military working dogs. He emphasized the legal and moral responsibility to care for these valuable members of the team.

With the implementation of canine critical care training, the RAAF is ensuring that no member of the team, whether two-legged or four-legged, gets left behind in times of need.

For more information on this initiative, you can visit here.