
LASD SEB K9 Kjeld
In emergencies with a K9, knowing how to stop the dog’s bleeding can be the difference between life and death. Whether you’re a K9 handler, their partner, a pet owner, or you work around with dogs, understanding the basics of first aid is crucial.

Standard tourniquets designed for humans often fail to provide effective hemorrhage control on a dog’s tapered limbs, leading to inadequate compression and potential slippage.
Types of Bleeding
Before diving into techniques, here are the types of bleeding you might encounter:
- Arterial Bleeding: The most severe type, characterized by bright red blood that spurts with each heartbeat. It requires immediate attention.
- Venous Bleeding: This involves steadily flowing dark red blood. It’s serious but less urgent than arterial bleeding.
- Capillary Bleeding: Slowly oozing blood from small vessels is the least severe form of bleeding; it can be managed with basic first aid.

The TacMed™ K9 Tourniquet is specifically designed to work on the tapered anatomy of a dog’s leg. It is easy to apply.
Stopping the Bleed
- Assess the Situation: Ensure the scene is safe for both you and the K9. Approach the dog calmly to avoid causing additional stress or injury. You may need to use a muzzle to protect yourself while providing care.
- Apply Direct Pressure: Use a clean cloth, gauze, or your hand to apply firm pressure directly on the wound. This can slow or stop the bleeding. Maintain that pressure for 5-10 minutes before checking the wound.
- Wound Packing: If the bleeding is severe and direct pressure alone isn’t enough, pack the wound with hemostatic gauze or standard gauze pads. Insert the gauze into the wound cavity and apply firm pressure to ensure it fills the wound and helps control the bleeding. Wound packing is appropriate for deep wounds with significant bleeding and involving junctional areas and extremities.
- Pressure Bandage: After packing the wound, apply a pressure bandage. Wrap the bandage tightly around the wound, keeping it in place without cutting off circulation.
- Elevate the Limb: If the bleeding is from a limb, elevate it above the heart to reduce blood flow from the wound.
- Apply a Tourniquet: If you are unable to control arterial bleeding after direct pressure, wound packing, and a pressure bandage, a tourniquet may be necessary. Place the tourniquet as high on the limb (or tail) as possible, at least 2-3 inches above the wound – but not on a joint. Tighten the tourniquet until the bleeding stops. Note the time of application and seek veterinary assistance immediately.
- Monitor Vital Signs: Monitor the K9’s vital signs, such as gum color, heart rate, and capillary refill time. These indicators can help you assess the severity of blood loss and the dog’s overall condition.
- Seek Veterinary Care: Even if you manage to control the bleeding, it’s crucial to get the K9 to a veterinarian as soon as possible for further evaluation and treatment.

For bleeding that cannot be controlled by compression alone and is not suitable for tourniquet placement, a hemostatic agent should be used (with certain caveats). QuikClot® Combat Gauze® is a recommended hemostatic agent.
When Not to Pack
There are times when it would be inappropriate to pack a wound. Specifically, it should not be used for chest wounds, to avoid interfering with breathing or causing additional complications. Instead, treat these wounds with a vented chest seal. Nor is packing an abdominal wound because it can damage internal organs and lead to further complications. Additionally, out of concern for obstructing the airway, do not pack wounds of the head and neck. For minor or superficial wounds, wound packing is unnecessary and can cause more harm than good¹.

LASD SEB hero K9 Kjeld. In April 2024, K9 Kjeld was shot by the suspect during a SWAT operation for an armed assailant but was saved when his protective vest partially deflected the bullet. K-9 Kjeld received minor injuries. The suspect is in custody (PC – Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department – Special Enforcement Bureau).
Tourniquets
When severe bleeding from a limb or the tail cannot be controlled by direct pressure or other means, you must use a tourniquet. However, using them on K9s presents unique challenges. Most human tourniquets do not work effectively on K9 extremities. A dog’s limb is tapered, which can lead to the tourniquet slipping and a loss of compression. This slippage is particularly problematic when the animal is being moved, leading to a loss of effective hemorrhage control. Applying tourniquets on K9s requires careful consideration to avoid complications or further injury.

The TacMed™ K9 Tourniquet provides handlers with a critical tool to manage hemorrhage and stabilize their canine partners until they can receive further medical care.
TacMed™ K9 Tourniquet
TacMed’s ™ K9 Tourniquet is specifically designed to address the anatomical challenges of K9s. Engineered to work effectively on the tapered limbs of dogs, this tourniquet is designed to be placed high on the limb to ensure it stays in place. It features integrated traction technology that prevents slippage, even when the animal is being moved or extricated¹. This design ensures consistent compression, making it a reliable option for controlling severe bleeding in K9s. The TacMed’s minimal application time allows handlers to employ it quickly in emergency situations¹.

The TacMed™ K9 Tourniquet features a clip that securely locks the tail in place after the strap is wrapped around the limb.
SWAT-T™ Tourniquet

The SWAT-T™ Tourniquet is a medical multi-tool that may be employed as a tourniquet, pressure dressing, occlusive device, elastic bandage, sling and swathe, and more. It has been successfully used in the field to control severe bleeding in K9s.
Standing for Stretch, Wrap, and Tuck – the SWAT-T™ Tourniquet is a versatile, multipurpose tool that can be used as a tourniquet, pressure dressing, or elastic bandage. It can be effectively applied in seconds with minimal training. In addition to being lightweight, the SWAT-T™ Tourniquet is cost-effective, making it a practical addition to any dog handler’s first aid kit. In real-world events, it has successfully controlled severe bleeding in K9.
Both tourniquets – the TacMed™ K9 and SWAT-T™ – offer valuable solutions for managing severe bleeding in K9s and meet K9 Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (K9 TECC) Guidelines.
K9 Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (K9 TECC)
K9 TECC is a volunteer initiative that provides best practice recommendations for prehospital care of injured operational K9s in high-threat environments. The group, which includes veterinarians, EMS/Fire personnel, tactical medics, military members, K9 handlers, and SAR personnel, aims to eliminate preventable K9 line-of-duty deaths. They develop training programs and resources to equip handlers with skills and tools for managing critical injuries, adapting principles from Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) for civilian law enforcement and SAR operations.
Final Thoughts
Being prepared and knowledgeable about first aid for K9s can save lives. This article is not intended to provide medical or veterinary advice or replace appropriate training. Training is essential!