Veterinarians, dogs aid in Iraq military effort

Cleveland-As the United States military pounded Iraqi resistance in Baghdad, Army veterinarians were aiding military operations just behind the frontlines.

U.S. Navy, Master at Arms 2nd Class Phillip Darity, a U.S. Navy dog handler, issues commands to his military working dog, Argo, while conducting a training drill at Camp Patriot, Kuwait. Officials estimate about 50 veterinarians are in the Middle East caring for these dogs.

According to U.S. Central Command Col. M. Scott Cornwell, DVM, the army has about 50 veterinarians operating in the military theaters in both Iraq/Kuwait and Afghanistan.

The military veterinarian's role is one of food safety/sanitation and caring for the estimated 200 military dogs working around the war zones.

At presstime, DVM Newsmagazine interviewed Major Kelley Evans, DVM, via e-mail during the operation in Iraq. Evans was stationed in Camp Doha in Kuwait when ground forces punched through Iraq and toppled Baghdad. Evans is from Oakland, Md. and a Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine graduate.

Maj. Kelley Evans, DVM, stationed in Kuwait during the Iraq war says that much of her job focused on food safety in addition to caring for military working dogs.

Evans says, "The most difficult part of being here right now is sitting in the 'rear with the gear' and not being on the front lines. Camp Doha has been the target of many missile attacks since the war began. Lucky for us, the Iraqis are bad shots, and we have highly skilled Patriot missile batteries to shoot missiles down."

Evans' very special "gear" is the 25 or so military working dogs (German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois and other breeds), trained to patrol, and sniff out mines and bombs.

Cornwell adds that the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps is the Department of Defense's executive agent for veterinary service support to all of the U.S. armed forces. In other words, they medically treat all of the military working dogs, horses and marine mammals for all the military branches.

Lt. Col. Craig Carter, DVM (left) examines one of the military working dogs trained for sniffing out explosives and sentry duty in Afghanistan. Heat stress in a 130-degree Fahrenheit environment was a top health concern for military DVMs, as it is in Iraq.

Public health role

Another extremely important contribution veterinarians make to the armed services is public health, including food safety and hygiene, Cornwell explains. Evans adds that about 98 percent of veterinarians' missions in the theater right now is focused on food inspection. She says her branch recently inspected $8.2 million worth of the humanitarian daily rations in the U.S. aid package for the Iraqi people.

Terrorist threats are very real. Explosives are a major concern, but so too is sabotage of food or water for the troops.

Evans explains that food is coming in from all over the world, and therefore a challenge to make certain it is Army-approved and not tampered with.

While the Air Force has many veterinarians, they are public health officers and do not get involved with day-to-day animal treatment.

A veterinary clinic in Afghanistan was set up to care for the military working dogs in that region.

Cornwell adds that veterinarians will be extremely important when military efforts turn to reconstruction of Iraq. Not only will more dogs be called on to sniff out land mines following the war, civil affairs veterinarians will be asked to help rebuild the agriculture infrastructure in the country.

Terrorist hunt

Lt. Col. Craig Carter, DVM, of Texas A&M University's veterinary college, completed a tour in both Afghanistan and Kuwait. He says that military working dogs play a crucial role in protecting people.

"They are everywhere you look. Where security is needed so are the dogs."

Carter explains, "In Afghanistan, there was a lot of mine detection and explosive detection work going on over there. The Russians left 10 million mines when they bailed out of Afghanistan. They are extremely dangerous around Kandahar, where we were put in with U.S. and coalition forces. Military working dogs are essential to making that happen."

The job of ferreting out explosives is dangerous, but trauma from a mine explosion is a rare event, reports Dr. Craig Carter.

Evans explains, "Military working dogs play a very critical role in force protection in this theater. All of the U.S. military working dogs are dual certified-all are patrol certified as well as certified in either explosives or narcotics detection.

Evans adds, "These dogs are one of the few items in the military force protection arsenal that increase in the amount they are worth as they age versus depreciating. Of course, you can never put a price on a life that is saved because of what these dogs do."

Taking care

Carter explains that the dogs are coming into the theater in tiptop shape. But operating in extreme conditions where it can range from 130-degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, heat stress is a big concern.

"You really had to watch the work/rest cycles for some of these animals."

In Afghanistan, mines and unexploded ordnance are far too common. The Russians reportedly left 10 million mines during their occupation of the country.

Carter also added that some upper respiratory problems were pretty common because the sand is so fine.

"It is almost like talcum powder. It gets into everything, including their respiratory tree."

Carter says that the health problems typically were not severe. Trauma is actually a rare event.

"For the most part, these dogs amazed me in the environment. I expected more heat-related problems, but the handlers followed the work/rest cycles very closely."

Evans agrees.

"If the dogs even begin to become a little lethargic or become a little warm, the handlers stop working the dog until they either cool down or get another dog to relieve that dog."

Veterinarian Capt. Garry O'Neal (right) had the opportunity to visit with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during a tour in Afghanistan.

Other than doing an occasional root canal or removing a piece of sand/glass from the eye of dog following a sandstorm, the animal care portion of her duty has been routine, Evans says.

Carter adds, "In general, you don't see much in the way of infectious disease."

He says that leishmaniasis is prevalent in people in Afghanistan, so it was a disease on his diagnostic radar for the dogs.

Carter explains that the veterinary corps operates in small teams. He says the veterinary teams are also very mobile, and are called on to serve in many different locations during a tour, which can last six months or more.

Challenges at home

Evans is proud to serve her country.

"Being in the Middle East has given me more of an appreciation of the freedoms and liberties that we Americans take so easily for granted, especially as a woman."

"The toughest part is knowing when a phone call or e-mail will turn your entire day or week upside down. I enjoy the challenge of every day being different. I have never been able to complain that I had a "groundhog day" in the military. In fact, I wouldn't know what to do if I actually were able to do everything I had planned to do in a day."

Carter explains that much of the veterinary corps is made up of reservists, who are being called on to serve their country with more frequency.

He feels that veterinarians in the armed services are making a tremendous sacrifice for their country.

"You don't really realize it until you get home how much of an effect it has had on your life. Things just go on without you. Even though your job is there when you get back, it is never going to be the same. You lose things. You lose projects, things that you may have fought for years to get and then are passed on to other people. Well, you never really get them back," he adds.

He says that many of his colleagues who have been called up work in multi-doctor practices, so it helps relieve some of the burden of packing up and heading out to serve your country in time of war. But it can be a tough situation balancing work and a military life.

"It is oftentimes a two-edged sword with work. They want you to get out there and fight for your country, but some don't want to lose anything themselves."