First Aid Training Helps Save a Plymouth Police K9 from Heat Stroke
In February, Dr. Sara and the team at Northwest Animal Hospital in Plymouth hosted K9 First Aid Training for the Plymouth Police K9 Officers. The class was designed to teach K9 handlers how to recognize and treat different emergency medical conditions that might occur in the dogs. The officers were also provided with first aid kits to carry with them in case their K9 partners were injured. Fortunately, one of the medical conditions covered in the class was heat stroke. Officer Dane’s partner, Odie, suffered a severe heat stroke during canine trials this summer. The first aid kit and training helped to save Odie’s life until he could get to a hospital for emergency care. Odie is now completely recovered and back to work.
Officer Matt Gliniany describes Odie’s heat stroke and the officers’ response:
“While at our canine trials in Baxter, MN I noticed K9 Odie go down on the field while biting a suspect. It was immediately recognized that Odie was having a medical emergency. Officer Dane brought his partner, Odie, off the field to examine him. I ran to where Odie and Dane were on the side of the field. I observed Odie panting heavily and seemed to be gasping for air. In an initial assessment Odie appeared to be suffering from a heat related emergency. Several officers were on scene to help and began getting cool water on Odie to cool him down. My first thought was to get a K9 first aid kit that was supplied by Dr. Sara from Northwest Animal Hospital. I ran to my squad to retrieve the K9 first aid kit. When I returned I gave the thermometer to another officer to get Odie’s temp. I then began to get an IV bag ready from the kit to begin giving Odie subcutaneous fluids. As I was getting the IV ready other officers were able to get Odie’s temperature. This read 108 degrees. I know from the K9 first aid training provided by Dr. Sara that 101 degrees is a normal temperature for a dog. We immediately recognized that 108 degrees was dangerously high and life threatening. We decided there was not enough time to get the IV started at this point and Odie needed to get to an animal hospital. Odie was then loaded into a squad and rushed to the nearest animal hospital. It is a miracle that Odie is alive as Dr. Sara advised us that only 5% of dogs with a temp over 105 degrees survive.”