Photo By Douglas Stutz | Canine Examination Basics for Corpsmen …Navy hospital corpsmen, along with Navy...... read more read more
There was a heightened sense – and scent – of collaborative operational readiness training for U.S. Navy and U.S. Army personnel recently.
Navy hospital corpsmen, along with Navy Medical Corps, Medical Service Corps and Nurse Corps officers assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness Training Unit Bangor, augmented their Tactical Combat Casualty Care proficiency in the first of four live exercises learning about providing battlefield trauma care to military working dogs.
“At the end of this exercise, medical officers and corpsmen will build confidence in their ability to increase military working dog survivability on the battlefield and strengthen teamwork skills by working together for a common goal,” explained U.S. Army Capt. Tania Thompson-Borho, Army Veterinary Corps and officer in charge of the Veterinary Treatment Facility located on Naval Base Kitsap Bangor.
Military working dogs have long been part of America’s operational readiness, although they didn’t have an official role until 1942 during World War II. Since then, they’ve been with soldiers, Sailors, airmen and Marines up through Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom until present day. There are approximately 1,600 military working dogs currently serving in a variety of mission essential land, sea, air roles, including security, search and rescue and part of foot – and paw – patrols.
“This training will improve the ability of non-veterinary medical providers like Navy corpsmen to render correct and timely treatment for military working dogs having a medical emergency in an operational environment,” said Thompson, joined by two of her vet clinic animal care specialists.
“Our goal is to reciprocate learning K9TCCC from our Army colleagues with sharing our TCCC methods to those soldiers assigned to the veterinarian clinic on [Naval Base Kitsap Bangor] base,” added Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Meier, NMRTU Bangor department head who coordinated the event for the Naval Hospital Bremerton’s branch health clinic staff.
“We’re going in stages, starting with what is normal for a dog,” continued Thompson “Dog normal is vastly different than human normal, especially when it comes to treating any type of injury.”
Thompson initially explained basic canine anatomy and physiological body structure, examination principles, followed by tactical field care advice. Just as with treating a human casualty with TCCC concepts – with a corpsman having to take into account the tactical side as well as dealing with traumatic injuries on a human casualty - there are key areas to focus on a wounded dog, such as airway, respiration and circulation.
“There’s also hypothermia and head trauma. Military Working Dogs can suffer from shock,” Thompson said. “The parameters to check for shock include heart rate, pulse and body temperature. If their mental awareness seems depressed instead of alert, the dog could be in an early decompensatory stage of shock. A late decompensatory stage would have a dog in a stupor.”
The second week of training is slated to cover airway (tracheostomy), respiration (needle decompression) and intubation (with two faux canine mannequins). The third week will focus on treating a massive hemorrhage, treating shock and providing cardiovascular support, and bandaging. The last training session will go over appropriate medications for military working dogs and emergency first aid CPR procedure for a canine.
Just as TCCC is mandatory training for Navy hospital corpsmen before deploying to equip them with the necessary techniques, abilities and knowledge to provide emergency medical support and evacuation during a combat environment, those in attendance can now use the K9TCCC standards of rapid response, prompt assessments, and precise applications for canine care.
“This is great collaboration and very special training for all of our staff who could attend. Even though I was on leave, there’s no way I was going to miss attending this,” exclaimed Meier.
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2025 10:37 |
| Story ID: | 492606 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 108 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Corpsman and Canine Connection for Operational Readiness, by Douglas Stutz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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