UT College of Veterinary Medicine Hosts Workshop for K9 Handlers and First Responders

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Knoxville, TN. — The Emergency and Critical Care Service at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) is hosting “Emergency Management of the Working Dog.” (Online registration is open). The workshop is designed to help K9 handlers and first responders become familiar with emergency techniques so they can respond appropriately in the field and during transport to a veterinary facility. “One of the unique differences between human and veterinary medicine is access to pre-hospital care.” says Leslie Wereszczak, director of Emergency and Critical Care at UTCVM. “Because early intervention can provide a more positive outcome, we want to give the first responders those tools so they can administer life-saving treatment.”

The workshop will be held Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at UTCVM. Lectures are scheduled for the first half of the day. MAJ Shane Chumbler, Deputy Chief, Animal Health Branch at the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence in San Antonio, Texas is the featured guest lecturer, as well as ECC faculty, residents and nursing staff.  Chumbler completed his veterinary medical degree and his residency in emergency and critical care at UTCVM.  Topics will include K9 Tactical Combat Casualty Care (K9TCCC), CPR, wound management & bandaging environmental injuries, toxicology for the working dog, Gastric Dilation-Volvulus (bloat), and IV catheter placement & fluid resuscitation. Following lunch, participants will be able to practice various techniques on models.

Space is limited and the workshop is only available to K9 handlers and first responders. Online registration is available here. The deadline to register is April 22. Contact Wereszczak at lwereszc@utk.edu for additional information.

The complimentary workshop is provided in memory of Crossville Police Department’s K9 Officer Cain, whose watch ended August 2, 2017, in the line of duty.