This document is a resource for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) treating an injured law enforcement K9 (LEK9) in the field and/or during transport by ambulance to a veterinary hospital. A Joint Task Force on Working Dog Care was created, which included veterinarians, EMS directors, EMS physicians, and canine handlers, who met to develop a treatment protocol for injured LEK9s. The protocol covers many major life-threatening injuries that LEK9s may sustain in the line of duty, and also discusses personnel safety and necessary equipment. This protocol may help train EMS providers to save the life of an injured LEK9.
Keywords: EKG: electrocardiogram; EMS: Emergency Medical Services; GDV: gastric dilatation and volvulus; IM: intramuscular; IN: intranasal; IV: intravenous; LEK9: law enforcement K9; LMA: laryngeal mask airway; EMS; LEK9; ambulance; police canine; police dog; treatment; working dog.