title: Emergency canine surgery in a deployed forward surgical team: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Forward surgical teams (FSTs) perform a variety of non-doctrinal functions. During their deployment to Afghanistan, the 541st FST (Airborne) performed emergency surgery on a German shepherd military working dog (MWD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective examination of a case of veterinary surgery in a deployed FST.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 5 1/2-year-old German shepherd MWD presented with extreme lethargy, tachycardia, excessive drooling, and a firm, distended abdomen. These conditions resulted from gastric dilatation with volvulus. Since evacuation to a veterinarian was untenable, emergency laparotomy was performed in the FST. The gastric dilatation with volvulus was treated by detorsion and gastropexy, and the canine patient fully recovered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Canine surgery can be safely performed in an FST. Based on the number of MWDs deployed throughout the theater, FSTs may be called upon to care for them in the absence of available veterinary care.
authors.affiliation: 541st Forward Surgical Team (Airborne), Hungarian OMLT, Team Orthos, FOB Khilagay, APO AE 09368.
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Beitler
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jeanette
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: McGraw
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Butera
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Vanfosson
authors.forename: Jason M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Seery
mesh_terms: D000346:Afghanistan; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D013271:Gastric Dilatation / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008887:Military Medicine; D013277:Stomach Volvulus / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D014481:United States; D014857:Warfare