Djbouti — CJTF-HOA veterinarian and medical staff trained military personnel on several medical life-saving procedures during a military working dog canine (K9) tactical combat casualty care class at Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti, Jan. 29, 2025.
In the event a K9 is injured, any personnel with the training can perform life-saving procedures to aid a K9.
The life-saving tactics were similar procedures performed on human beings such as bleeding control, airway management, IV placement.
However, the training focused on nuances with how to identify and detect problems in the event the K9 is injured. Tactics like finding a pulse, inserting an IV, and tourniquet placement were among the many procedural items that were demonstrated and practiced.
One important lesson was teaching the personnel to not use a tourniquet due to K9 limbs being thinner and the tourniquet being unstable.
The training used a plush, stuffed ‘demo dog’ to prevent injuries on real K9s however they performed real pulse checks on a live K9.
The personnel walked away with valuable skills that can be used where a K9 requires immediate medical care due to heat or combat related injuries.
