Novel use of FaceTime video calling in a deployed setting to assist with the care of a military working dog

Abstract

In deployed settings, veterinary recourses are limited and nonveterinary medical providers frequently are required to provide medical treatment to military working dogs (MWDs) until veterinary specialty care can be provided. We present the case of a critically ill MWD who presented initially to a Canadian NATO Role II facility in Iraq that lacked immediate veterinary support. Through the use of FaceTime interactive video calling, the Role II medical providers were able to consult with the MWD unit’s veterinarian in the United States and provide effective evaluation, treatment and prioritization of medical evacuation (MEDEVAC). FaceTime video calling was extremely effective and should be considered in future situations where specialist care is not immediately available and transmission of visual information would be beneficial.