A Canine Casualty Care Blended Learning Solution to Support Medical Training and Readiness for all Echelons of Care

Thousands of canines are on active duty/deployed at any given time, protecting their human partners from threats and attacks. When MWDs are injured in austere/remote locations, professional veterinary care is often unavailable. Non-veterinary healthcare providers are expected to provide lifesaving care until higher-level veterinary care can be reached. A significant gap exists in canine training and simulation technologies. There are currently no canine training models to support canine care through the continuum (R1- R4) for all skill levels, in a classroom and field environment, or any blended learning solutions to support low-cost, repeatable, remote/distance learning and just-in-time (JIT) training for vet and non-veterinary medical providers. All models lack the appropriate physiology, feedback, and assessment mechanisms for full trauma training scenarios/exercises. Leveraging existing technologies, SynDaver’s Surgical Canine (SSC), a high-fidelity surgical trainer made of synthetic tissue analogs that mimic live tissue properties and Design Interactive’s AUGMEDTM TCCC software, which uses a Microsoft HoloLens to provide augmented reality (AR) visual overlays and auditory feedback to guide novice students through medical care tasks, can be integrated to create a comprehensive, best-in-class canine care training system focused on the requirements of the military end-user. The feasibility of such a solution will be investigated.