K-9 Down

 Life-saving emergency training

to protect our working dogs

Frankie’s Friends helps underwrite this special community education seminar, a highly specialized two-day program in advanced first aid and emergency procedures for emergency rescue personnel and for handlers of working military, police and search/rescue dogs.

K-9 Down was developed to address the unique set of risks canine teams encounter in their work. While many course participants have training in human first aid and emergency life support, often they lack knowledge and skills in how to recognize and address life-threatening canine health emergencies. In the past, the lives of some of these highly trained animals were put at risk or lost because their human partners did not know how to correctly administer life-saving techniques.

Two levels of training are offered: BASIC and ADVANCED.

The BASIC COURSE is offered at BluePearl Veterinary Partners hospital locations and at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

Click on a link below for information and to register for a BASIC COURSE:
Raleigh on February 16 & 17, 2013
Tampa on March 9 & 10, 2013

The ADVANCED COURSE is offered only at North Carolina State University in Raleigh and is reserved for personnel who have previously attended the Basic K-9 Down Course and desire further training, or for those who already have advanced medical training such as physicians, tactical medics, paramedics, etc.

Click on a link below for information and to register for an ADVANCED COURSE:
Raleigh on February 16 & 17, 2013

Curriculum

The two-day course is tailored for police officers, firefighters, medics, search and rescue teams, military dog handlers or other canine handlers with specialized training. A series of lectures are presented the first day on topics ranging from the normal canine physical exam to toxicities and heat exhaustion. Lectures include health hazards, physical examination, IV/oxygen/transport, fluid therapy, heat stroke and hypothermia, smoke inhalation, burn wounds, gastric dilation, gunshot wounds and bandaging, poisoning, emergency drugs.

On the second day, the group is divided and assigned to one of two half-day sessions, which offer hands-on training in small group sessions. Laboratory sessions include taking vital signs, safe handling, transport techniques, IV catheter placement, endotracheal intubation, bandaging, splinting, tourniquet use, oxygen administration, stomach tube procedures and canine CPR. 

Please direct questions about the curriculum and content to course coordinator Rita Hanel, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC, at rmhanel@ncsu.edu. Dr. Hanel is clinical associate professor in emergency and critical care at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.