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.
Sniffer dogs often face many challenges when in the line of duty. As they are primarily trained to sniff out narcotics, they ingest the very narcotics they are tasked with sniffing out at times. To prevent death whenever such cases occur, handlers must know how to offer emergency assistance.
Fortunately, there are a plethora of training programs that handlers can take advantage of to ensure their dogs stay safe at all times in the field. Training primarily revolves around emergency response methods. There are several tools used in emergency situations.
The main antidote used to treat an opioid overdose in a human being is Naloxone. This drug works by reversing the effects of heroin in the blood. It is usually administered in the form of an injection or nasal spray. Luckily, the same antidote works on dogs too.
During an overdose incident, the most potent killer for a dog is Fentanyl. With potency that is 50 times the standard potency of heroin, many drug addicts have a liking for it. When a working sniffer dog ingests during its sniffing mission, it is likely to collapse and die in a matter of minutes. As the treatment window is relatively short, it is advisable for handlers to always have the antidote on them when on field assignments.
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.
An important thing to remember is that a typical overdosed canine is likely to react aggressively to any attempt made to treat it. Therefore, be sure to muzzle it prior to administering Naloxone. For your own safety, have a colleague help you keep the dog down while you give it the emergency treatment.
Respiratory failure is the trickiest complication to handle. This happens when breathing stops. CPR is the standard emergency procedure that one must undertake. However, handlers are cautioned against placing their mouths directly over the snout. This is because drug residue may be present in it.
Your treatment kit should have a face mask and CPR tube for this purpose. Once you put the tube in place, give the dog 10 to 12 breaths per minute. Once it gets it consciousness back, monitor it for about 30 minutes. If the condition worsens, administer Naloxone till everything normalizes.
Sniffer dogs often face many challenges when in the line of duty. As they are primarily trained to sniff out narcotics, they ingest the very narcotics they are tasked with sniffing out at times. To prevent death whenever such cases occur, handlers must know how to offer emergency assistance.
Fortunately, there are a plethora of training programs that handlers can take advantage of to ensure their dogs stay safe at all times in the field. Training primarily revolves around emergency response methods. There are several tools used in emergency situations.
The main antidote used to treat an opioid overdose in a human being is Naloxone. This drug works by reversing the effects of heroin in the blood. It is usually administered in the form of an injection or nasal spray. Luckily, the same antidote works on dogs too.
During an overdose incident, the most potent killer for a dog is Fentanyl. With potency that is 50 times the standard potency of heroin, many drug addicts have a liking for it. When a working sniffer dog ingests during its sniffing mission, it is likely to collapse and die in a matter of minutes. As the treatment window is relatively short, it is advisable for handlers to always have the antidote on them when on field assignments.
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.
An important thing to remember is that a typical overdosed canine is likely to react aggressively to any attempt made to treat it. Therefore, be sure to muzzle it prior to administering Naloxone. For your own safety, have a colleague help you keep the dog down while you give it the emergency treatment.
Respiratory failure is the trickiest complication to handle. This happens when breathing stops. CPR is the standard emergency procedure that one must undertake. However, handlers are cautioned against placing their mouths directly over the snout. This is because drug residue may be present in it.
Your treatment kit should have a face mask and CPR tube for this purpose. Once you put the tube in place, give the dog 10 to 12 breaths per minute. Once it gets it consciousness back, monitor it for about 30 minutes. If the condition worsens, administer Naloxone till everything normalizes.
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