“Two Heroes, One Leash”
Our official slogan is more than just a phrase- it is a reminder that the bond between canine and handler is more than loyalty, familiarity or love (although it is all those things.) This bond is also physiologic, which as a veterinarian I find fascinating.
Not every dog can be a working canine, just as not every human can be an Olympic athlete- it requires a rare combination of physical ability and drive. These dogs are selected young- when a litter of pups is just beginning to crawl around and explore their world, there may be one that shows itself to be focused on the humans around it before the others. While most dogs can be described as “people pleasers,” these individuals crave that human bond more.
As they grow, training begins to screen for strength and endurance, but the equally vital elements of intelligence and communication ultimately provide the building blocks for a successful partnership. A working canine is not a robot that will perform its functions for just any human.
As a veterinarian with the privilege of caring for these dogs, you learn early not to separate them from their human handlers. That link between them runs deep, as they have come to depend on one another for success, and often for survival.
Think about the kinds of jobs we ask these teams to do- to go into battle, to patrol large crowds, to protect us from the bad guys, to find the lost in the wilderness or after a disaster. High stress situations, taxing both physically and mentally.
Cortisol is a vital hormone the adrenal glands produce during stress, and excitement. Studies have demonstrated that cortisol profiles, measured in hair samples from well-matched human and canine partners, align with each other. That’s how in synch they are!
Stress and excitement, while they appear to be opposites, are related- both raise the heart rate and the blood pressure, both take a lot of energy. This positive/negative aspect of stress/excitement is comparable to the way muscle activity can both build strength and lead to exhaustion. You need training, both physical and mental, to operate at your peak, over the long term.
Never forget that for all the challenges, these dogs love what they do. Another cortisol study showed that for a working canine, there was an anticipatory spike of adrenaline before going into the field, and another when the mission was done. These dogs are so naturally driven to do what they do that too long without work is stressful. We see this phenomenon persist in our retired dogs, who need mock work situations to satisfy that ingrained drive, something they need as much as food, and the rest they have earned.
But time and gravity come for us all. A body driven at its peak will eventually wear down. And their service is often dangerous.
So what are the most common job related health issues that these dogs encounter?
-Joint problems from high activity and hard ground, over 12-15 hour days.
-Heat stress, both from physical activity, and the environment. Heat stroke is technically defined as a core body temperature over 105.8, which can break down proteins and damage organs, turning deadly. It is now recognized that working dogs routinely exceed 105, especially in places like the deserts of our southern border and during foreign deployments.
-Gastrointestinal problems are a common consequence of heat and stress.
-Dental problems come from bite work and carrying gear.
-Injuries from vehicles, criminals, rubble heaps…
We depend on these dogs.
We owe it to them to provide the necessary care so they can carry out their duties, and when their duties are done.
-Dr Buck Drummond