- Joined
- Dec 21, 2017
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
Hello all, this may seem a bit unorthodox,
I am not in the medical profession at all, I am actually a ships engineer but two weeks ago something happened to me which has had my mind turning.
I work on vessels which transport passengers, their cars and often pets. Actually there are a number of dogs on almost every time and almost everytime something happens such as a dog breaking out etc.
Oddly enough I asked my dispatcher that one week if I could try out a different department to see what it was about and I went out as a deckhand...dealing with the passengers and their pets quite more.
The passengers stay on the upper decks of the vessel while underway and as per coast guard regulations are not allowed on the car deck (where their pets are also required to stay) accept for in 15 minutes increments every few hours at designated times.
Two weeks ago a passenger came on with a pickup truck and three pitbulls in the cabin. He had on partitioned from the other two in the front and two in the back sea section. He attempted to set up a containment area for the 3rd one out outside of his truck on the deck but he was drunk and was unable to do it so he left it in the back seat with the other one.
At some point the two dogs got into a fight and I assume because of the closed space they just kept on fighting.
No one knew about it until the owner came down for car deck call because its a very loud space and the windows were heavily tinted.
After everything was said and done he was able to set up the other cage for one of the wounded dogs and bandage them as best as he could.
There is a hospital room and medical equipment onboard but it is for human passengers only, also a medical officer that knows some basic 1st aid and can call a doctor over the phone and ask what to do but also only for humans.
The guy who owned the dogs seemed terribly distraught and I know would have done anything to keep his dogs alive, one of them had severe blood lost and lost more blood in between car deck calls ( he was still not allowed to stay down there with them after what happened).
It was almost 48 hours until we got to a port where he would be able to take them to a vet and so one of the dogs died.
Aside from all obvious protocols I wonder if an IV bag at least would have helped keep the dog alive? I suppose it the Captain or Chief mate had approved the use of one from our medical room that was meant to be for humans?
I suppose what I am asking is, in worse case scenario if the proper medical supplies are not allowed to be used at all because they are designated for humans is there a way to make an IV bag? I am talking as a last resort and the owner approves and the dog will likely die anyway? Is there a way to do this and also is there a video or instructions somewhere on how to administer IV to a dog?
I know it is unlikely that I will come across this again in my life...but I think it is something that I would like to know.
Thank you very much ahead of time for any info and input.
Marina
I am not in the medical profession at all, I am actually a ships engineer but two weeks ago something happened to me which has had my mind turning.
I work on vessels which transport passengers, their cars and often pets. Actually there are a number of dogs on almost every time and almost everytime something happens such as a dog breaking out etc.
Oddly enough I asked my dispatcher that one week if I could try out a different department to see what it was about and I went out as a deckhand...dealing with the passengers and their pets quite more.
The passengers stay on the upper decks of the vessel while underway and as per coast guard regulations are not allowed on the car deck (where their pets are also required to stay) accept for in 15 minutes increments every few hours at designated times.
Two weeks ago a passenger came on with a pickup truck and three pitbulls in the cabin. He had on partitioned from the other two in the front and two in the back sea section. He attempted to set up a containment area for the 3rd one out outside of his truck on the deck but he was drunk and was unable to do it so he left it in the back seat with the other one.
At some point the two dogs got into a fight and I assume because of the closed space they just kept on fighting.
No one knew about it until the owner came down for car deck call because its a very loud space and the windows were heavily tinted.
After everything was said and done he was able to set up the other cage for one of the wounded dogs and bandage them as best as he could.
There is a hospital room and medical equipment onboard but it is for human passengers only, also a medical officer that knows some basic 1st aid and can call a doctor over the phone and ask what to do but also only for humans.
The guy who owned the dogs seemed terribly distraught and I know would have done anything to keep his dogs alive, one of them had severe blood lost and lost more blood in between car deck calls ( he was still not allowed to stay down there with them after what happened).
It was almost 48 hours until we got to a port where he would be able to take them to a vet and so one of the dogs died.
Aside from all obvious protocols I wonder if an IV bag at least would have helped keep the dog alive? I suppose it the Captain or Chief mate had approved the use of one from our medical room that was meant to be for humans?
I suppose what I am asking is, in worse case scenario if the proper medical supplies are not allowed to be used at all because they are designated for humans is there a way to make an IV bag? I am talking as a last resort and the owner approves and the dog will likely die anyway? Is there a way to do this and also is there a video or instructions somewhere on how to administer IV to a dog?
I know it is unlikely that I will come across this again in my life...but I think it is something that I would like to know.
Thank you very much ahead of time for any info and input.
Marina
