**JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash.** — Army veterinary personnel at Joint Base Lewis-McChord carried out a complex emergency surgery that saved a military working dog and returned it to duty, while also demonstrating advanced clinical readiness and joint coordination critical to sustaining combat power.
Veterinary Readiness Activity personnel from Fort Lewis performed the open-chest procedure at the JBLM Veterinary Center after diagnosing the dog with a rare and life-threatening right auricle herniation, a condition that had severely limited the animal’s ability to perform its mission. The operation required hours of specialized surgical care and close coordination among veterinary professionals and supporting partners.
The Oregon National Guard enabled the mission by providing airlift support to move the military working dog and veterinary care teams between Alaska and Washington, allowing the case to reach the level of treatment needed to save the animal’s life.
Officials said the surgery highlighted the Army’s ability to sustain health through highly specialized veterinary care while preserving the readiness of military working dogs, which remain essential to force protection and operational capability.
The procedure also provided a rare real-world opportunity for Veterinary Corps officers and 68T animal care specialists to execute advanced individual critical task lists under operational conditions. Those tasks included live whole blood collection, transfusion and chest tube placement, all of which required seamless teamwork and expert-level clinical skill.
Army leaders said the successful outcome validated the readiness of the veterinary team and demonstrated the unit’s ability to synchronize with joint partners in support of mission requirements. The case underscored how veterinary services contributes directly to military readiness by preserving the health and availability of working animals that support the force.
By combining advanced clinical expertise with interagency coordination, the operation showed how military veterinary teams can respond to complex medical emergencies while maintaining the capabilities needed for future missions.