Drug abuse is a major concern in many countries worldwide. When it impacts a large swathe of the working population, the economy takes a hit. Opioids have been among the most abused drugs since the Victorian opium wars of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Today, working sniffer dogs also suffer from K9 opioid overdose in the line of duty.
Police dogs usually go through a lot during field work. As they are naturally curious creatures, they like to sniff out drugs in all manner of places and sometimes inadvertently ingest drugs such as heroin. In such cases, emergency assistance should be given lest death sets in.
Luckily, dog handlers can get trained on how to handle such occurrences within the shortest time possible. The first bit of training involves emergency response techniques. Emergencies are usually handled using a variety of tools.
Naloxone is the primary drug that doctors administer to overdose patients. It has compounds that actively reverse the negative effects of heroin and other opioids in the blood. Administration is done by injecting it directly into the blood stream or using it as a nasal spray. The good thing is that this antidote has been proven to work on dogs too.
When a dog overdoses, the drug that will most likely kill it is Fentanyl. This is a drug that has long been abused and is 50 times more potent than heroin. When a dog inadvertently ingests it, it may collapse and die within minutes. With such a short treatment window, the most advisable thing to do for officers is to carry the antidote during field missions.
If you are in law enforcement as a handler, you should know what to do any time you are faced with a drug overdose from your canine. Staggering and general weakness are some of the symptoms you should spot immediately. Check whether the dog has difficulty staying upright or walking.
Once you spot these signs, you should check its respiratory rate immediately. Abused drugs usually slow the heart rate and can lead to respiratory failure. Your first actions should help ensure the dog does not slip into a cardiac arrest.
You should also know that most overdosed dogs react aggressively when attempts are made to treat them. As such, you should muzzle it before you administer Naloxone. The most prudent thing to do is to have someone to help you restrain the dog as you undertake the emergency procedures.
The trickiest part of treatment is respiratory failure. When this phase comes, breathing ceases. The standard response to this is CPR. However, avoid placing your mouth in the snout since you are not sure if there is any drug residue in it. You want to avoid ingesting the drug inadvertently.
There should be a CPR tube and face mask in your kit. Use the tube to apply 10 to 12 breaths every minute. When the dog recovers, spend 30 minutes monitoring it. If its condition worsens, repeat the treatment procedure.
Police dogs usually go through a lot during field work. As they are naturally curious creatures, they like to sniff out drugs in all manner of places and sometimes inadvertently ingest drugs such as heroin. In such cases, emergency assistance should be given lest death sets in.
Luckily, dog handlers can get trained on how to handle such occurrences within the shortest time possible. The first bit of training involves emergency response techniques. Emergencies are usually handled using a variety of tools.
Naloxone is the primary drug that doctors administer to overdose patients. It has compounds that actively reverse the negative effects of heroin and other opioids in the blood. Administration is done by injecting it directly into the blood stream or using it as a nasal spray. The good thing is that this antidote has been proven to work on dogs too.
When a dog overdoses, the drug that will most likely kill it is Fentanyl. This is a drug that has long been abused and is 50 times more potent than heroin. When a dog inadvertently ingests it, it may collapse and die within minutes. With such a short treatment window, the most advisable thing to do for officers is to carry the antidote during field missions.
If you are in law enforcement as a handler, you should know what to do any time you are faced with a drug overdose from your canine. Staggering and general weakness are some of the symptoms you should spot immediately. Check whether the dog has difficulty staying upright or walking.
Once you spot these signs, you should check its respiratory rate immediately. Abused drugs usually slow the heart rate and can lead to respiratory failure. Your first actions should help ensure the dog does not slip into a cardiac arrest.
You should also know that most overdosed dogs react aggressively when attempts are made to treat them. As such, you should muzzle it before you administer Naloxone. The most prudent thing to do is to have someone to help you restrain the dog as you undertake the emergency procedures.
The trickiest part of treatment is respiratory failure. When this phase comes, breathing ceases. The standard response to this is CPR. However, avoid placing your mouth in the snout since you are not sure if there is any drug residue in it. You want to avoid ingesting the drug inadvertently.
There should be a CPR tube and face mask in your kit. Use the tube to apply 10 to 12 breaths every minute. When the dog recovers, spend 30 minutes monitoring it. If its condition worsens, repeat the treatment procedure.
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