Page 372 - ATP-P 11th Ed

K9 Combat Casualty Care Committee
1 October 2019

Red Text indicates recommendations that are significantly different from human TCCC
Basic Management Plan for Care Under Fire

1. Return fire and take cover.
2. Apply a muzzle to protect care providers unless respiratory distress precludes its use.
NOTE: Injured MWDs can be unpredictable and harm other team members providing
assistance.
3. Recall the canine to a safe location if able and maintain positive control. Keep collars
and tactical vests on to aid restraint and movement unless causing obvious harm (i.e.,
choking).
4. Try to keep the MWD from sustaining additional wounds.
5. Injured MWDs should be extricated from burning vehicles or buildings and moved to
places of relative safety. Do what is necessary to stop the burning process. Remove all
burning or smoldering harnesses, collars, vest, booties, goggles, and other gear. Avoid
pulling away any items that are melted into the canine’s skin or hair coat; cut hair coat
to free melted object.
6. Stop life-threatening extremity hemorrhage via placement of a quick application cir-
SECTION 4 NOTE: CoTCCC recommended human-designed windlass limb tourniquets are gen-
cumferential pressure bandage with hemostatic dressings, if tactically feasible.
erally ineffective in canines due to conformational differences. Limb tourniquets are,
generally, not warranted to abate extremity hemorrhage in canines.
7. Airway management is generally best deferred until the Tactical Field Care phase.
8. Priority for casualty care is always given to human combatant casualties before canine
casualties. The handler and canine should travel together as a single unit, when appro-
priate and logistically feasible.
Basic Management Plan for Tactical Field Care

Tactical Field Care (TFC) is the care rendered by the first responder or combatant once no
longer under effective hostile fire. Tactical Field Care allows more time and a little more
safety, to provide further medical care.
1. Establish a Security Perimeter
Establish a security perimeter in accordance with unit tactical standard operating proce-
dures and/or battle drills. Maintain tactical situational awareness.

362 SECTION 4 CANINE/K9 TACTICAL COMBAT CASUALTY CARE GUIDELINES (C-TCCC)