Military Working Dogs Research Articles

Dogs on Duty: Soldiers' Best Friends on the Battlefield and Beyond (review)

Reviewed by: Dogs on Duty: Soldiers' Best Friends on the Battlefield and Beyond Deborah Stevenson Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw . Dogs on Duty: Soldiers' Best Friends on the Battlefield and Beyond. Walker, 2012. [48p]. illus. with photographs ISBN 978-0-8027-2845-6 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 4-6. One of our leading nonfiction chroniclers of animal life, Patent here provides a photoessay on "MWDs"—military working dogs. She starts with the history of dogs in twentieth-century American warfare, with sidebars focusing on specific "Hero Hounds," and then goes on to explore the contemporary military programs involving dogs. The book describes the puppy-raising program at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, the training the young dogs undergo, and their work in war zones; there are also brief descriptions of medical treatment for dogs who have been injured or who suffer from PTSD. Patent remains a smooth and capable writer, bringing her narrative energy by focusing on individual voices and experiences. There are some questions left unanswered (what's the casualty rate for serving dogs, for instance?), and it can be difficult to make out the spidery font against dark red and blue backgrounds, but audiences there for the doggy immersion won't mind. A plethora of photographs, some quite arresting (a dog and his parachute-wearing human partner leaping out of a plane; a Special Forces dog with bristling high-tech vest galloping through splashing water), are the real heart of the book, with most spreads displaying more image than text. A timeline of dogs in war and a glossary are included; a list of further resources and an index will appear in the bound book. Copyright © 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Robust static planning tool for military village search missions: model and heuristics

In the contemporary military environment, making decisions on how to best utilize resources to accomplish a mission with a set of specified constraints is difficult. A Cordon and Search of a village (a.k.a. village search) is an example of such a mission. Leaders must plan the mission, assigning assets (e.g. soldiers, robots, unmanned aerial vehicles, military working dogs) to accomplish the given task in accordance with orders from higher headquarters. Computer tools can assist these leaders in making decisions, and do so in a manner that will ensure the chosen solution is within mission constraints and is robust against uncertainty in environmental parameters. Currently, no such tools exist at the tactical or operational level to assist decision makers in their planning process and, as a result, individual experience and simplistic data tables are the only tools available. Using robustness concepts, this paper proposes a methodology, a mathematical model, and resource allocation heuristics for static planning of village searches that result in a decision-making tool for military leaders.

Rethinking Heat Injury in the SOF Multipurpose Canine: A Critical Review

Heat injury is a significant concern of the Special Operations Forces Multipurpose Canine (SOF MPC). The unique athletic abilities and working environment of the SOF MPC differ from that of companion dogs or even conventional military working dogs. This should be considered in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heat injury of the SOF MPC. A critical review of the literature on canine heat injury as it pertains to working dogs demonstrates limited scientific evidence on best practices for immediate clinical management of heat injury in SOF MPCs. A majority of management guidelines for heat injury in veterinary reference books and journals are based on review articles or professional opinion of the author vs. evidence from original research. In addition, guidelines are written primarily for companion animal populations vs. SOF MPCs and focus on measures to be undertaken in a clinical setting vs. point of injury. The phenomenon of ?circular referencing? is also prevalent in the heat injury literature. Current guidelines supported by review articles and textbooks often provide no citation or cite other review articles for clinical standards such as normal temperature ranges, treatment methods, and recurrence of heat injury. This ?circular referencing? phenomenon misrepresents anecdotal evidence and professional opinion as scientifically validated, reinforcing concepts and recommendations that are not truly supported by the evidence. Further study is needed to fully understand heat injury in SOF MPCs and how this applies to prevention, diagnosis and treatment guidelines. In order to provide SOF canine programs with best clinical advice and care, SOF Veterinarians must make clinical judgments based on evaluation of the most accurate and valid information possible. Clinical guidelines are fluid and should be reviewed regularly for relevance to the defined population in question. Clinical Guidelines should also be utilized as guiding principles in conjunction with clinical judgment vs. dictate a clinical protocol. SOF veterinarians as the veterinary support asset to SOF MPC programs should be clinically competent as well as versed in evidence based medicine practices to provide the cutting edge clinical support that is required to keep SOF MPCs operating in modern warfare environments.

Unforeseen Risk: Leptospirosis and the U.S. Special Operations Community

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis with worldwide distribution and is potentially lethal to those infected if left untreated. Due to the global posture of the U.S. Special Operations community, there is a seemingly perfect overlap of the regions in which they deploy and areas with concurrent endemic leptospirosis infection. Furthermore, Special Operations Forces (SOF) personel are known for working by, with, and through the host nation defense force, who tend to be commonly affected and often serve as a reservoir for this infection. Other risk factors including the usage of infected military working dogs, contaminated training sites, and certain recreational activities associated with water increase the danger of exposure for this cohort. Due to this increased risk of leptospirosis by U.S. Special Operations service members, medical providers within this community must understand and utilize proper preventive medicine, prophylaxis, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment for this potentially lethal infection.

Tick surveillance of dogs in the Republic of Korea

From April 2008 through May 2009, ticks were collected from domestic, stray, and military working dogs when they were examined at any of the four US Army veterinary treatment facilities within the Republic of Korea. Approximately 2,500 dogs were examined during this period, and a total of 411 ticks (125 larvae, 200 nymphs, 67 females, 19 males) were collected from 18 dogs. The collected species were Haemaphysalis longicornis (6F, 195N), Haemaphysalis flava (19M, 52F), Ixodes nipponensis (7F), and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (2F). Five nymphs and all larvae were identified to genus only. Military working dogs received routine veterinary care, including preventive ectoparasite treatments, and were found to be free of ticks.

A Comparison of the Serological Evidence ofCoxiella burnetiiExposure Between Military Working Dogs and Feral Canines in Iraq

Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever. Military working dogs (MWDs) are exposed to disease while deployed and are a potential source for human infection. This study assesses the exposure of MWDs via postdeployment antibody serology. In 2007 and 2008, 115 deployed MWDs and 165 feral Iraqi canines had blood samples taken and evaluated for antibodies to C. burnetii. None of the MWDs seroconverted, alleviating the need to consider predeployment titers, while 5.5% of feral canines seroconverted. This difference was significant with a p value of <0.05. MWD vector control measures and prophylactic doxycycline administration are effective in Q fever disease control and prevention. Thus, MWDs may be less effective as sentinels for human populations in regards to tickborne diseases caused by C. burnetii. Nonetheless, veterinarians presented with an MWD with a fever of unknown origin should consider C. burnetii if the dog has recently redeployed, and if diagnosed should make the kennel master and medical treatment facility aware of the zoonotic risk.

Emergency Canine Surgery in a Deployed Forward Surgical Team: A Case Report

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). Retrospective examination of a case of veterinary surgery in a deployed FST. 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. 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.

Military Working Dogs and Pets as Sentinels of Environmental Diseases

PP-29-206 Background/Aims: Because military working dogs and pets share the living environments of their handlers or owners, they offer research opportunities for epidemiologists and veterinarians. This is particularly important for predicting the needs for veterans serving in the armed forces to suggest areas of future health concern, with focus on infectious and chronic illnesses. Our aims are to examine the world's epidemiology literature to assess the strength of these relationships. Methods: We examined all the published literature on sentinels of infectious and pathology endpoints in animals and subsequent diseases in humans. We used PUBMED for our review, and supplemented this endeavor by seeking unpublished reports of relevance. Results: Dogs and humans appear to share some respiratory tract cancer risks in common, and there are some infections such as Lyme disease and leishmaniasis that military working dogs share with soldiers and veterans. Pets and their owners appear to share some cancer risks such as bladder tumors. Conclusion: This appears to be a novel area for sentinel health research, especially because military working dogs have extensive clinical exams that enable an early diagnosis of canine illnesses. More research is justified to better predict the subsequent risks for military veterans and pet owners.

Survey of CanineDirofilaria immitisInfection in New Caledonia

Canine dirofilariosis is a frequent parasitic disease in New-Caledonia. A survey of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection among dogs from the cities of Tontouta, Nandaï and Nouméa, was performed in March 2009 using two antigen test kits; the microwell ELISA test: DiroCHE (Synbiotics Europe) and the Rapid Immuno Migration (RIM) test: WITNESS DIROFILARIA (Synbiotics Europe). Blood samples were collected from 64 dogs: 49 strays and 15 military working dogs. The military dogs received a permanent chemoprophylaxis (moxidectin). In 11 stray dogs, both tests were positive (22.4%). All the military dogs were negative, showing efficiency of chemoprophaxis. Results were discrepant in 6 dogs, negative with one test and doubtful with the other. Antigen heartworm test kits are available and reliable diagnostic tools. They are useful to evaluate the efficiency of chemoprophylaxis and to detect infected animals in order to treat them and to prevent the spreading of the disease.

Personality and performance in military working dogs: Reliability and predictive validity of behavioral tests

Quantification and description of individual differences in behavior, or personality differences, is now well-established in the working dog literature. What is less well-known is the predictive relationship between particular dog behavioral traits (if any) and important working outcomes. Here we evaluate the validity of a dog behavioral test instrument given to military working dogs (MWDs) from the 341st Training Squadron, USA Department of Defense (DoD); the test instrument has been used historically to select dogs to be trained for deployment. A 15-item instrument was applied on three separate occasions prior to training in patrol and detection tasks, after which dogs were given patrol-only, detection-only, or dual-certification status. On average, inter-rater reliability for all 15 items was high (mean = 0.77), but within this overall pattern, some behavioral items showed lower inter-rater reliability at some time points (<0.40). Test–retest reliability for most (but not all) single item behaviors was strong (>0.50) across shorter test intervals, but decreased with increasing test interval (<0.40). Principal components analysis revealed four underlying dimensions that summarized test behavior, termed here ‘object focus’, ‘sharpness’, ‘human focus’, and ‘search focus’. These four aggregate behavioral traits also had the same pattern of short-, but not long-term test–retest reliability as that observed for single item behaviors. Prediction of certification outcomes using an independent test data set revealed that certification outcomes could not be predicted by breed, sex, or early test behaviors. However, prediction was improved by models that included two aggregate behavioral trait scores and three single item behaviors measured at the final test period, with 1 unit increases in these scores resulting in 1.7–2.8 increased odds of successful dual- and patrol-only certification outcomes. No improvements to odor-detection certification outcomes were made by any model. While only modest model improvements in prediction error were made by using behavioral parameters (2–7%), model predictions were based on data from dogs that had successfully completed all three test periods only, and therefore did not include data from dogs that were rejected during testing or training due to behavioral or medical reasons. Thus, future improvements to predictive models may be more substantial using independent predictors with less restrictions in range. Reports of the reliability and validity estimates of behavioral instruments currently used to select MWDs are scarce, and we discuss these results in terms of improving the efficiency by which working dog programs may select dogs for patrol and odor-detection duties using behavioral pre-screening instruments.

Suspected Needle Stick Transmission of Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii to a Veterinarian

Suspected Needle Stick Transmission of Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii to a Veterinarian

Efficiency of working dogs undergoing a new Human Familiarization and Training Program

Abstract The study of human-dog interaction has increased over the past several years. It has been demonstrated that dogs can use a number of human social cues to successfully accomplish a task, and that they do so better than apes. Many authors agree that these abilities are a result of 10,000 years of domestication by humans. Domestication may have genetically predisposed dogs to accurately recognize human communication signals. However, only a few authors have studied the performance of working dogs, implying recognition of human communication signals. Haverbeke et al. (2008) found that military working dogs do not always perform as they are expected to. To investigate this finding, we studied the performance of obedience and protection work exercises between 2 groups of dog-handler teams: a control group (CG), trained using the current training method used by the Belgian Defense, and an experimental group (EG) that underwent a new human familiarization and training program. During obedience and protection work exercises, EG teams obtained better results than CG teams and EG dogs exhibited a higher body posture than CG dogs. The results suggest that even if dogs are genetically predisposed toward the recognition of human communication signals, this aptitude alone does not explain the dogs' performance and their interactions with humans in this study. Regular training combined with positive dog-handler interaction is also required to increase the dog-handler (DH) team's performances.

Assessing efficiency of a Human Familiarisation and Training Programme on fearfulness and aggressiveness of military dogs

Abstract It has been shown that Belgian military working dogs exhibit fearful and aggressive behaviour towards human and unknown environment. This study aims to assess the effects of a Human Familiarisation and Training Programme (HFTP: based on positive and frequent dog–handler interactions and training) on fearfulness and aggressiveness of military working dogs. Authors predicted that an Experimental Group of dogs submitted to this HFTP (=EG dogs) would be less fearful and aggressive during a standardised aggression test than a Control Group of dogs (CG dogs). Higher posture, less yawning and less aggressive behaviours were observed among EG dogs. Authors interpreted those differences in fearfulness and aggressive behaviour as a positive effect of this HFTP on dog's welfare and concluded that this HFTP induced a better working dog–handler relationship.

Canine Tactical Field Care Part Three - Thoracic and Abdominal Trauma

Military and law enforcement agencies have seen a dramatic increase in the utilization of working canines both at home and in foreign deployments. Due to the fact that professional veterinary care is sometimes distant from internal disaster or foreign deployment sites, the military medic, police tactical medic, or other first-response medical care provider may be charged with providing emergency or even basic, non-emergency veterinary care to working canines. (Editor's Note: Military veterinary detachments are collocated next to the major human treatment facilities in a deployment environment. In a deployed environment veterinary care is located in areas where they are most needed or where most of the animals are located.) The medical principles involved in treating canines are essentially the same as those for treating humans, but the human healthcare provider needs basic information on canine anatomy and physiology and common emergency conditions in order to provide good basic veterinary care until a higher level of veterinary care can be obtained. This article represents the third in a series of articles designed to provide condensed, basic veterinary information on the medical care of working canines, to include military working dogs (MWDs), police canines, federal agency employed working canines, and search and rescue dogs, to those who are normally charged with tactical or first responder medical care of human patients. This article provides and overview of the diagnosis and treatment of common traumatic injuries to the thorax and abdomen.

Epidemiological study of canine Trypanosomosis in an urban area of Ivory coast

Following confirmed cases of trypanosomosis in military working dogs, a cross-sectional study was undertaken to evaluate the source of infection and determine the prevalence of canine infection with Trypanosoma congolense in the urban focus of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Blood from 123 dogs were collected and subjected to PCR using specific primers for Trypanosoma congolense "forest type". In addition, an entomological study was conducted in an urban area near the forest surronding the military camp. The observed prevalence was 30.1% and PCR positivity to Trypanosoma congolense was not significantly associated with sex or age of animals. This study demonstrates the high contamination rate of dogs in enzootic zones, the potential risk of introduction of the disease in free animal populations and the ability of Glossina palpalis to adapt to urban areas and to transmit trypanosomosis in such areas. The factors leading to a possible emergence of canine trypanosomiasis in enzootic zones need further investigations.

Personality and performance in explosive-detection military working dogs (MWDs)

Personality and performance in explosive-detection military working dogs (MWDs)

Hip dysplasia: prevention and surgical treatment for the military working dog

Hip dysplasia: prevention and surgical treatment for the military working dog

Considerations for feeding military working dogs in hot climates

s 243 attacks mature cells (digestive cells located on the apex of villosities). These complementary pathogeneses explain why the combination of these viruses often cause fatal diarrhea in puppies during weaning. Protozoa are one-cell organisms and include the gastrointestinal parasites Isospora sp. and Giardia duodenalis. These two parasites are frequently found in kennels because they are almost impossible to eradicate since they are so difficult to cure in infected dogs. Isospora sp. causes mixed (small and large) bowel diarrhea exclusively in puppies during weaning (diarrhea with mucus and blood, often associated with variation in weights within the litter). G. duodenalis is the most frequent parasite in kennels and it can induce small bowel diarrhea in puppies and in adult dogs. Diarrhea due to G. duodenalis is most often recurrent rather than chronic. The principal environmental causes of diarrhea in kennels are stress and overfeeding. Overfeeding can be managed by using a high quality food with a high caloric level to decrease the quantity given each dog per day. Some other strategies can be applied such as bowls designed to decrease the speed of ingestion. Stress is not always easy to manage, especially in working dogs kennels. Different methods of control include: kennel design, nutritional support to help to decrease effects of stress, and management of post-effort. There is no miracle solution. The first step is to diagnose the cause of the diarrhea: stool samples can be examined to check for parasites or the presence of viral DNA and ELISA can be used to detect G. duodenalis. The design of the kennel and feeding practices will need scrutiny as well. After identification of the cause, the attending veterinarian can employ sanitary and medical preventive measures to better control recidivism. Diarrhea in kennels is often due to parasites. The old proverb: ‘‘When you breed dogs, you breed parasites!’’ also applies to working dog kennels. It is very important to carry out regular fecal tests to identify the parasitism level in the kennel as these will help the veterinarian to choose the right treatment strategy. Other interventions that can be applied include supporting digestive function by manipulating nutrition with tailor-made diets and changing kennel design and genetic selection to decrease stress.

Assessing undesired aggression in military working dogs

The present study assesses the reactions of military working dogs (MWDs) to potential aggression-inducing stimuli. A standardized aggression test was conducted on the dogs ( n = 31) and their behaviour was recorded on videotape and subsequently analyzed. The results of the test were compared with those from a questionnaire filled out by the handler prior to the test. Most dogs (83.87%) showed at least one act characteristic of aggressive behaviour during the test. In 69.35% of the cases, the dog's posture was lower than neutral. The results of this study showed that the dogs reacted to this test with fear-related aggression, as dogs exhibiting aggressive biting behaviour express a lower posture than dogs exhibiting either threatening or non-aggressive biting behaviour ( F 3488 = 10.71, p < 0.001). The results of the questionnaire showed that these patrol dogs have an important impact on the social and private life of the handlers. All dogs in this sample, which live at the handler's home, come into contact with family members including children, unknown persons and other dogs. Fearfulness has been cited as the most common reason for rejecting potential working dogs [Goddard, M.E., Beilharz, R.G., 1984. A factor analysis of fearfulness in potential guide dogs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 12, 253–265]. Therefore, in light of the important inter-specific interactions exhibited by these working dogs, measures are proposed to prevent and mitigate this undesirable temperamental trait. Further studies must be conducted to identify aggression-specific stimuli.

Planning And Operational Consideration For Units Utilizing Military Working Dogs

Military working dogs are rapidly becoming integral to military operations. While they bring many valuable capabilities to the battlefield, it is important that Special Operations leaders consider canine team capabilities and requirements when planning missions. Careful logistical and operational planning can optimize the health, performance, and readiness of the working dog while protecting the safety and well-being of the team members working with them. We also offer recommendations for medical treatment of dog bites.