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Objective: To compare the prevalence of types of trauma, mechanisms of injury, and outcomes among military working dogs (MWDs), operational canines (OpK9s), and civilian dogs (CDs) that sustained traumatic injury. Design: Retrospective descriptive analysis. Animals: One hundred and ninety‐three cases of MWD trauma, 26,099 cases of CD trauma, 35 cases of OpK9 trauma. Interventions: None. Measurements and main results: Medical records of MWDs that incurred trauma while deployed to the Middle East were identified, and information was extracted from these records. The resultant database was compared to CD and OpK9s in the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC) Veterinary Committee on Trauma registry. All 3 groups showed similar trends with regard to type of trauma: penetrating injuries occurred most frequently, followed by blunt injuries for CDs and OpK9s. An equal proportion of blunt and blunt and penetrating traumas were observed in MWDs. Only MWDs sustained trauma from explosions, which accounted for 22.3% of injuries in this group. Animal bite/scratch/quilling and motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) were significantly more prevalent among CDs than MWDs (P < 0.01), whereas injuries from gunshot wounds (GSW) or a knife/sharp object were more common among MWDs compared to CDs (P < 0.01). No statistical differences in survival were observed between CDs and MWDs after excluding civilian dogs euthanized due to financial limitations. Conclusions: MWDs, OpK9s, and CDs experience differences in injury type, mechanism, and outcome. Regardless, MWDs and CDs have good prognosis for survival to discharge after trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the hemostatic potential of canine chilled whole blood maintained at clinically relevant storage conditions. Design: In vitro experimental study. Setting: Government blood and coagulation research laboratory and government referral veterinary hospital. Animals: Ten healthy Department of Defense military working dogs. Interventions: One unit of fresh whole blood was collected from each of 10 military working dogs using aseptic technique. Blood was maintained in a medical‐grade refrigerator for 28 days at 4°C (39°F) and analyzed before refrigeration (day 0) and after (days 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 21, and 28). Measurements and main results: Ten units of canine blood were analyzed with whole blood platelet aggregation, thromboelastography, CBC, biochemical analysis, blood gas, and prothrombin/activated partial thromboplastin/fibrinogen assay. Clotting strength of chilled blood was maintained up to 21 days despite significant decreases in platelet aggregation to ADP, collagen, or γ‐thrombin, significant prolongation of prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times, and reduced speed of clot formation (K time, alpha angle). Fibrinogen concentration, WBC, RBC, and platelet counts did not change over time. Conclusions: Chilled canine whole blood loses a small percentage of clot strength through 21 days of refrigerated storage. Further research is needed to determine if this hemostatic potential is clinically relevant in hemorrhaging dogs who require surgical intervention or are exposed to traumatic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the need for research funding for the Military Working Dogs (MWD) who save lives on the battlefield. Topics discussed include lack of funds from the Medical Research and Materiel Command (MRMC) Combat Casualty Care Research Program (CCCRP), responsible for mitigating gunshot wounds and explosions, and need for veterinary care of the wounded military dogs.

Objective: To determine whether results of histologic examination of hepatic biopsy samples could be used as an indicator of survival time in dogs that underwent surgical correction of a congenital portosystemic shunt (PSS)., Design: Retrospective case series., Animals: 64 dogs that underwent exploratory laparotomy for an extrahepatic (n = 39) or intrahepatic (25) congenital PSS., Procedures: All H&E-stained histologic slides of hepatic biopsy samples obtained at the time of surgery were reviewed by a single individual, and severity of histologic abnormalities (ie, arteriolar hyperplasia, biliary hyperplasia, fibrosis, cell swelling, lipidosis, lymphoplasmacytic cholangiohepatitis, suppurative cholangiohepatitis, lipid granulomas, and dilated sinusoids) was graded. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine whether each histologic feature was associated with survival time., Results: Median follow-up time was 35.7 months, and median survival time was 50.6 months. Thirty-eight dogs were alive at the time of final follow-up; 15 had died of causes associated with the PSS, including 4 that died immediately after surgery; 3 had died of unrelated causes; and 8 were lost to follow-up. None of the histologic features examined were significantly associated with survival time., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Findings suggested that results of histologic examination of hepatic biopsy samples obtained at the time of surgery cannot be used to predict long-term outcome in dogs undergoing surgical correction of a PSS.