K9 TCCC Updates

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In May, 2023 the Canine Combat Casualty Care Committee updated the K9 TCCC guidelines for the first time since 2019. Admittedly, the changes were fairly limited, mostly applicable to IV, medications, and to put the guidelines more in line with the human guidelines. 

K9 Fluid Resuscitation

Hextend, a crystalloid / colloid IV fluid which had fallen out of the human TCCC guidelines several years ago is no longer on the TCCC guidelines for K9s, although it is still used by some Veterinarians for K9 volume replacement in the civilian community.

The Committee added a recommendation for 1 gm calcium IV / IO after the second unit of whole K9 blood / blood products, moving more in line with the human guidelines.

K9 Medications

TXA was added at a affixed dose of 0.5 gm slow IV push for K9s anticipated to need significant blood transfusions, with a significant head injury, or altered mental status from a blast or blunt injury.

They have provided a tiered approach to pain management options, breaking pain categories into mild, moderate to severe, and the need for chemical restraint / sedation with specific drug doses and combinations for each category.

They have also provided specific drug doses for parenteral antibiotics. 

K9 Eviscerations

Treatment of abdominal eviscerations is essentially duplicative of the human TCCC guidelines.

K9 Tactical Field Care

Finally, they have provided a “Basic Management Plan for Tactical Evacuation Care.” However, it largely just says see the applicable section in the K9 TCCC guidelines for Tactical Field Care with the exception of hypertonic saline dosing for impending brain herniation in severe head injury.

To review the updates yourself, they’re published at Deployed Medicine.