AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar – Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron received familiarization training on the military working dog’s anatomy on April 19.
Military working dogs require extra care when they are in need of medical attention, so soldiers with the 195th Medical Detachment Veterinary Support Services help the Airmen take the first step in keeping the animal alive in the event they are injured and no veterinary staff is nearby.
“The importance of this training today was to provide non-veterinary medical staff with the knowledge to start first aid to the military working dog,” said U.S. Army Spc. Ian Orourke, with the 195th Medical Detachment Veterinary Support Services. “So when we are on our way, they [the Airmen] can start saving the dog’s life.”
The benefits of the training exceeded expectations for the Airmen when U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kaleb Sermeno, a military working dog handler with the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, brought his military working dog Ben to the class.
The Airmen were shown how to locate the femoral artery, which is on the inner side of the thigh, for the purpose of getting the dog’s pulse. In addition, Semeno showed the class what a dog’s healthy gums look like, where to place intravenous (IV) catheters if dehydration occurs, and the normal range for respiration and temperature.
Reflecting on the training, U.S. Air Force Capt. Andrew Bisset, flight nurse with the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, said, “In the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, once in a while we are involved with transportation of military working dogs. This training is not common and we would like to set up similar training at home station.”