Page 13 - Chiron Issue 2 2014

Military Working Dog Trauma Treatment Op HERRICK 19
Camp Bastion’s Role 3 Hospital has an enviable reputation as one of the world’s leading trauma centres. From the point of injury a rapid, highly specialised medical evacuation chain comes into action in order to deliver lifesaving treatment to soldiers out on the ground. This outstanding level of care goes beyond the treatment of injured personnel: Military Working Dogs (MWD) are equally entitled to emergency medical care, and are evacuated through this same chain.
As there is not the capacity to send a veterinary team forward on the helicopter to treat injured dogs, training all personnel involved in the medical evacuation chain in canine emergency care is a crucial part of the deployed Veterinary Officer (VO) and Veterinary Technician’s (VT) role. While the training programme for all deployed MWD handlers in canine first aid is well established, in recent Op HERRICKs there has been a considerable increase in the level of engagement with our counterparts in the medical world. This aims to improve the care of seriously injured MWD casualties during the evacuation process, until they can be received by the vet team in Camp Bastion.
All clinical personnel involved in the medical evacuation process, from the initial helicopter crew collecting the dog to the trauma specialists working in the Emergency Department (ED) back in Camp Bastion, are now routinely trained in the most important areas of canine and emergency and critical care. This allows them to deliver life-saving treatment until the Veterinary Officer arrives. This training has been developed and delivered alongside our US Veterinary counterparts and has dramatically improved the level of care that can now be offered to injured MWD across ISAF.
In addition to receiving a lecture on the subject, medics are put through their paces with training serials involving our
By Capt McMillan
trusty canine first aid mannequin “Jerry”. These serials are done both on the back of the medical helicopters, as well as in the Emergency Department (ED). Despite Jerry being very much worse for wear after several years in Helmand, the medics involved always take their role in “treating” him very seriously. For both the vets and medics, this collaboration has proved to be both interesting and very rewarding. Furthermore, there have been several recent cases where this level of cooperation has ensured a successful outcome for injured MWDs.
As well as this enhanced training, another recent development on Op HERRICK 19 has been the creation of a permanent, specialised K9 Resuscitation Trolley in the ED itself. This contains everything from appropriate muzzles to emergency drugs
and specialist monitoring equipment. The trolley lays out all required equipment in a clear, easily visible fashion. Everything is to hand and is easily maintainable. Already this has proved more than fit for purpose and has made the treatment of MWD casualties within the hospital much more efficient and effective.
Equine Training Squadron Community Engagement
Our wide and varied community engagement tasks extend beyond the parade of horses, jumping demonstrations, displays of RAVC ceremonial tack and shoeing demonstrations carried out by the farriers shown at the Defence Animal Centre Open Day. On Sunday 1st June LCpl Monique Biggadyke and I were deployed with the Veterinary Training Squadron horse ambulance to the Rutland County Show. This was a great opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities to the general public and we set up the horse ambulance with lots of information on horse rescue equipment as well as setting up a mock canine surgery. We also took along picture boards detailing the veterinary work we do on
LCpl Monique Biggadyke making friends with the locals at Rutland County.
operations as well as some laboratory equipment and training aids. Our stand attracted plenty of interest throughout the day from young and old alike. We were extremely fortunate with the weather which stayed dry and sunny for the duration. Throughout the day we were also able to briefly explore the showground during breaks and admired the birds of prey and enjoyed the sheep show which was adjacent to our stand. It was a great opportunity to meet locals and show them what we do and to build up the rapport with them.
The Royal Army Veterinary Corps’ presence in the area will only increase as 1 Military Working Dog Regiment are due to move to the area soon.
By Cpl Moore
Chiron Calling 13