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Learn More About K9 Opioid Overdose

By Ruth Gray


Ideally, K9 unit police dogs are trained to spot potent synthetic drugs. Nonetheless, there is a growing and unanticipated threat that the dogs are exposed to. K9 opioid overdose is a serious issue which police officers attached to these units have struggled to handle. For example, fentanyl is one strong painkiller normally mixed with heroin and has caused severe effects to sniffing dogs leading to their visits to animal hospitals.

Police dogs normally spot the places where opioids are located by following scents sniffed through their nose. They are relied on to detect these scents from vehicles, houses and other places. Nevertheless, severe effect may arise if a powerful opioid is excessively inhaled. The symptoms of an overdose from such inhalations in the dogs are such as the dogs suddenly no being able to move. Other dogs may exhibit a state of sedation.

Also, other symptoms like unfocused eyes, tongues lolled from the mouth, slowed respiratory activity, vomiting among other symptoms. Vets have positively linked the symptoms to overdose of the strong drugs like fentanyl. Fentanyl actually is a potent drug which medically is used in the US. Opioids of this nature have actually caused overdoses as well as serious cases causing deaths of the dogs from the k-9 unit.

The risks could as well be experienced by attached human officers. The officers are usually discouraged from physically holding drug samples owing to the fact that little amounts can be absorbed by their skin or even be consumed and pose severe effects. As such, it is imperative that officers and their dogs to ensure safety measures are taken to avoid sever effects.

Human officers can always protect themselves by having respirators and gloves on. Dogs are, however, more vulnerable to the effects since they have a strong sense of smell and are the ones usually sent to conduct the raids. The dogs usually lack appropriate safety gears and as a result, they will usually absorb the drugs through their pads and sniffing them up their jowls.

These symptoms experienced by these dogs are normally remedied by administering naloxone doses. Naloxone is an effective opioid remedy which when used, affected sniff dogs can resume duty within a day. The naloxone acts by deterring the effects caused by the opioid and reversing the overdose caused with very minimal side effects. K-9 trainers are usually encouraged to carry with them the antidotes to remedy situations where dogs are affected and exhibit signs of overdoses.

Additionally, both the human officers and dogs can have naloxone administrations done through injections and nasal sprays. Both the injectable forms and nasal sprays can be ferried along by officers who conduct searches with the dogs during raids. In addition, human naloxone can be administrable to dogs but when prescribed by veterinary officers.

The threats involved in attempts of uncovering illegal drugs are usually largely unprecedented. Nonetheless, having various sets of precautions is essential in alleviating the likely threats. Sniff dogs are now efficiently able take part in searches without the worry of opioid overdoses.




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