-GAMEDOGS.COM- At the hour mark both
Grand Champions were still setting a fast pace. Neither STP's Buck or
Rebel's Sandman could get much ahead of the other one. It was obvious
that this was going to be a long one and I had the I.V. fluids, Azium
and other equipment ready to go. At 3:17 Buck made one more running
scratch and it was over. Both corners hustled their dogs over to their
medical supplies and went to work trying to save these great bulldogs.
Sandman died and Buck lived.
What saved Buck was no magic secret drug or anything of the sort.
Buck received intravenous (I.V.) fluids and Azium-the same treatment you
can learn to perform on your dog.
Dogs die from low volume (hypovolemic) shock. Blood has pooled in the
dog's tissues and is no longer circulating around the dog's body. This
lack of volume can be restored with I.V. fluids.
I like to run Lactated Ringers solution through the cephalic vein on
the dog's front leg. You can also use the Jugular (neck vein) or the
vein over the hock in the hind leg. Place a tourniquet above the dog's
elbow which will cause the vein to increase in size and thus easier to
hit. Using an 18-gauge needle, thrust through the skin and into, but not
through the vein. The needle should be seated in the center of the vein.
If the vein is punctured, the I.V. fluids will leak out into the
surrounding tissues, causing swelling around the injection site.
The mechanics of correctly seating the needle in the vein are the
hardest part of starting an I.V. Practice starting an I.V. on your yard
dogs. You will need a friend to restrain the dog while you insert the
needle in the vein. Continue to practice until you feel comfortable
performing this procedure. You will have a tough time starting an I.V.
on a shocky dog if you have not practiced these techniques.
Once the needle is correctly seated in the vein, secure it in
position by taping it to the dog's leg. Attach the I.V. tubing or
hook-up to the needle hub after running any air out of the line. You can
now inject lOcc of Azium (Dexamethezone) into the injection port on the
I.V. line. Try to keep the dog's leg extended because the fluids will
stop running if he tucks his leg under his chest.
After the I.V. is running and you've given lOcc of Azium clean off
any wounds with Betadyne and water. Then you pay off or collect any
bets, talk dogs and have a brew.
I like to run two liters in a 40-pound dog in an hour. A larger dog
would take more fluids and a smaller dog less fluids. The most common
mistake I see is not running enough fluids or running them under the
skin. You can be very aggressive in Managing shock. The best time to
start an I.V. is right in the pit before the shock sets in and the
venous system starts to collapse. Get the I.V. started and then move the
dog to a more quiet area.
Here is a list of equipment of carry to the match: