JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The U.S. Army Medical Test and Evaluation Activity conduced a test of a veterinary anesthesia apparatus for the U.S. Army Material Development Agency on April 19, 2023.
The test was conducted at the Holland Military Working Dog Hospital located at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
The 43rd Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support from Fort Cavazos, Texas participated in the test.
The purpose of the operational assessment was to assess the effectiveness and usability of the veterinary anesthesia apparatus system on military working dogs, by conducting actual events that utilize anesthesia in a training and operational environment. For the test, dogs were put under anesthesia for an exam and teeth cleaning. The team was able to treat five to six patients per day. The veterinary anesthesia apparatus can be used for any type of anesthesia procedures, including critical care canine patients.
“Our old units are life cycled out and we have trouble repairing them,” said Maj. Levi Hoffman, a clinical specialist with the 43rd Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support. “These new anesthesia apparatus systems are the replacements we are validating. These new systems, if approved, are what we would take downrange on deployments and we can also use them in garrison.”
The veterinary anesthesia apparatus can provide anesthesia for surgical purposes for the veterinary community, specifically military working dogs. It can be mounted on either a tabletop or mobile cart. It is currently fielded to veterinary roles of care 2 and 3. The specific teams to which it is fielded are the Veterinary Service Support Teams and the Veterinary Medical and Surgical Team. There are six anesthesia machines per Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support. Currently, 19 Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support possess 114 anesthesia machines.
MTEAC has provided the test results to U.S. Army Material Development Agency for final evaluation and approval prior to sending veterinary field units.
To learn more about MTEAC and its mission, visit https://medcoe.army.mil/usamteac-test-and-evaluation.