First first first aid course for military working dogs successfully completed
Last Friday, the first group of Defence dog handlers completed the first module of the course ‘Combat Casualty Care for dog handlers’. Twelve dog handlers, working in different parts of Defence, received their certificates at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. This course allows them to give their military working dog in the field the necessary medical care until a vet can be called in.
This course is intended for all operational dog handlers of Defence, including the DSI, Royal Military Police, and other special units. The dog handlers participating in this course mainly work with German or Malinois shepherds (or crossbreeds). The aim is for them to be able to provide professional care for injured or sick military working dogs until a vet or veterinary clinic is available. In many situations, it is not possible to get a vet to the scene in time, or to transport the animal to a vet. It is therefore important, both for humans and animals, that dog handlers can effectively apply first aid to their working dogs.
The training is provided by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine's Education for Professionals (OvP) learning line. Chiara Valtolina, American and European Specialist in Veterinary Intensive Care and Emergency at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , led the course: ‘We spent a week working with this group, teaching them as much as we could about providing first aid in various emergency situations. In the process, they learned how to perform an operation carefully but effectively, and what to look out for in all kinds of challenging situations. I really liked how driven the group was, you can see they want the best for their dog!’
The course content was developed in collaboration with the Coordination Centre of Expertise on Working Conditions and Health (CEAG) and coordinated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN). From the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, the organisation and implementation of the course were provided by Daniela Salvatori and Chiara Valtolina.
The team behind the course is looking at follow-up options, such as advanced modules focusing, for example, on providing first aid in simulated scenarios on site.
