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Emergency professionals gather in Tampa for a unique, hands-on program
Tampa, FL – “It takes a special dog to do it,” according to Michael Ghidoni. “It surprises me what they’ll do.” The City of Bradenton Fire Dept. K-9 Unit Leader is referring to the new K-9’s on his team. “They climb ladders. They walk on planks. They do anything I want them to do.” “Jaeger” and “Otto” are the first two Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) dogs in Manatee County. “We started a special operations team,” adds Ghidoni. “With the hurricanes and natural disasters in Florida, it seemed there was a need for them.” The pups came on board last year and even though they’re still in training, Ghidoni wants to be prepared when it’s time for them to go on a real assignment.
So he and members from MacDill A.F.B., Temple Terrace Police Dept., Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Alpha Response of Canada and more will take part in “K-9 Down” at Florida Veterinary Specialists (FVS) and Cancer Treatment Center, April 29th and 30,th 2006. It’s a highly specialized program designed to teach professional working dog handlers how to care for their K-9 in the event of an emergency. “Dogs get dehydrated. They step on nails, break a leg and are always getting hurt,” says Ghidoni, “and If you don’t have time to get to a vet, you’ll have to take care of business right there.” According to Dr. Rita Hanel, “K-9 Down” course organizer and Critical Care Specialist with FVS, “Often, it’s the minutes prior to veterinary intervention that can make the difference between life and death.” Dr. Hanel and the staff at Florida Veterinary Specialists have treated working dog injuries ranging from heat exhaustion to gun shot wounds.
“K-9 Down” will be taught by board certified veterinary specialists from Florida Veterinary Specialists and the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Participants will receive hands-on training on everything from determining vital signs to placement of intravenous catheters. On Sunday, April 30th between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., the media is invited to see critical care demonstrations with actual dogs, including: bandaging, oxygen administration, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, transport techniques and more.
This event has been made possible by the Florida Veterinary Specialists Charitable Foundation. It will be located at Florida Veterinary Specialists and Cancer Treatment Center, a state of the art 24-hour specialty referral and emergency practice in Tampa. The address is 3000 Busch Lake Blvd. For more information and directions, go to www.fvs.com.
Media Inquiries: Kelly Farnan, Fetching Communications: 727-709-5252
Kristen Levine, Fetching Communications: 727-480-8030
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