title: Operation Canine Lifeline: Recommendations for Enhancing Prehospital Care for Government Working Dogs.
abstract: Operation Canine Lifeline was a tabletop exercise developed by students and faculty of Boston University School of Medicine's Healthcare Emergency Management master's program. The tabletop exercise led to discussion on current protocols for canines working in the field, what occurs if a canine encounters a toxin in the field, and what to do in situations of national security that require working with civilian agencies. This discussion led to the creation of a set of recommendations around providing prehospital veterinary care to government working dogs. The recommendations include a government-run veterinary toxicology hotline for the sole use of the government, issuing handlers deployment kits and preprogrammed smartphones that contain information on the care practices for dogs, and an increased effort for civilian integration, through local emergency medical services, in the emergency care of government canines. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:15-20).
authors.affiliation: 1Healthcare Emergency Management,Boston University School of Medicine,Boston,Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Teija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Corse
authors.affiliation: 1Healthcare Emergency Management,Boston University School of Medicine,Boston,Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Chelsea
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Firth
authors.affiliation: 1Healthcare Emergency Management,Boston University School of Medicine,Boston,Massachusetts.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: 2National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health,Rockville,Maryland.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schor
authors.affiliation: 3CBRN Medical Countermeasures,Office of Health Affairs,Falls Church,Virginia.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Koterski
authors.affiliation: 4Medical Diagnostic and Chemical Branch,USAMRICD,Aberdeen Proving Ground,Maryland.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McGraw
authors.affiliation: 5Fort Belvoir Veterinary Treatment Facility,Fort Belvoir,Virginia.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vincent-Johnson
authors.affiliation: 6Urban Search and Rescue MA TF-1,Beverly,Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001900:Boston; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D004285:Dogs; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000071296:Government Employees; D012524:Sarin / Q000633:toxicity*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012524:Sarin
keywords: emergency care; government working dogs; poison control hotline; prehospital veterinary care; veterinary toxicology