Introduction

Military Working Dogs (MWDs) are at the same risk for injury as their human counterparts and when they are severely injured, best practice for resuscitation mirrors those recommended for humans.1 A recent study of trauma in MWDs shows that explosions, gunshot wounds and lacerations account for the vast majorities of injuries sustained within the Central Command area of responsibility.2 In severe cases, these mechanisms of injuries could require resuscitation with blood products.3,4 Hemostatic resuscitation has been shown in a many species to be superior to resuscitation with crystalloids or synthetic colloids5,6 and should therefore be considered the first-choice resuscitation product in severely wounded MWDs.

Note: only canine blood products should be considered for transfusion to an MWD as transfusion of human blood products into canines carries a high likelihood of an incompatible hemolytic reaction. 7