Field Emergencies and First Aid for Hunting Dogs: Be Prepared!
This course is a comprehensive guide for dog owners to learn about hunting dog health and field emergencies. We created this course based on decades of first-hand experience and knowledge to help you become an educated handler, reduce vet costs and keep your dog happy, healthy and in the field.
ENROLL NOW FOR $297
A VISION YEARS IN THE MAKING
With over two decades of experience, we’ve dedicated ourselves to understanding the best ways to support and care for working dogs. Now, we’re bringing that expertise to you. Learn more about the course from Dr. Joe Spoo, DACVSMR.
COURSE OVERVIEW
AS A WORKING DOG OWNER, YOU KNOW THESE INCREDIBLE ANIMALS AREN'T SIMPLY PETS, THEY'RE OUR PARTNERS, COMPANIONS AND BEST FRIENDS.Â
We spend months, and sometimes years, training and conditioning to have them ready to perform at their best each fall. However, all the preparation in the world isn’t always enough to keep your working dog happy, healthy, and productive. As a sporting dog specialist, avid hunter, and dog owner, I have experienced first-hand the issues encountered by these amazing animals and the devastation they can cause.
I’ve created this course to help working dog owners become empowered with the knowledge to properly care for their dog should injury, illness, or disaster strike while in the field. If you want to keep your working dog safe and be the best partner to your dog you can be, this course will offer you everything you need to know.
ENROLL NOW FOR $297WHO IS THIS Course FOR?
EVERY WORKING DOG OWNER
This course will allow you to address the issues you’re bound to encounter, ranging from minor wounds like cuts and bruises to life-threatening injuries and conditions.
Recognize and Treat the Unique Injuries of Working Dogs
Learn to recognize the unique injuries that working dogs face and confidently assess their severity. We’ll guide you through field triage techniques, helping you determine when immediate care is needed and when it’s time to seek veterinary attention.
Improve the Health and Address Common Hazards of Working Dogs
Our working dogs have unique health issues and encounter hazards in the field that most dogs will never see. We will teach you to recognize these and help guide you through some of these conditions that your veterinarian may not see on a regular basis.
Equip Yourself with the Skills to Keep Your Working Dog Healthy and Thriving
The goal of this course is to empower you to be an engaged dog owner who addresses the conditions you can and should be and to advocate for your dog with the conditions that may require a trip to the vet.
OUR GOAL
To Create Empowered Dog Owners
Learn how to identify and manage the diverse situations you may face in the field with an active working dog.
INTRODUCTION
This course is designed to prepare you for the unique challenges that come with owning a working dog. Effective care often begins long before a problem arises—by recognizing early warning signs, you can address issues before they escalate into season-ending setbacks.
Ensuring you are correctly equipped
Working dog owners tend to fall into two camps—those carrying too much and those carrying nothing. Our goal is to help you strike the right balance. You’ll learn exactly what to pack in your first aid kit and why each item matters.
Become an Educated Dog Owner
It’s a cliché to say knowledge is power, but understanding is everything when it comes to your working dog’s health. The best treatment starts with knowing the condition, causes, and potential outcomes. We go beyond just showing you how to handle injuries—it equips you with the knowledge to recognize, assess, and respond.
Be able to treat your own dog
The nuts and bolts of the course teach you how to properly care for your dog when you encounter these issues in the field. This course isn’t designed to replace veterinary care but rather to supplement and enhance your dog’s care when a veterinarian isn’t available.
Prevent Injuries and Illness
The best medicine is prevention. We’ll teach you how to minimize risks and avoid common injuries and hazards whenever possible. While accidents are inevitable, we aim to help you control the controllable—keeping your working dog healthier, safer, and ready for the field.
Optimizing Your Time in the Field
The ultimate goal of this course is to keep your hunting partner happy, healthy, and ready for every adventure. By equipping you with the right knowledge and skills, we’ll help ensure your dog stays in peak condition—so you can focus on making lifelong memories together.
MEET the gundogdoc
Dr. Joe Spoo, DACVSMR
The original GunDogDoc, Dr. Joe Spoo, is a veterinarian specializing in small animal medicine with a deep passion for sporting dogs—especially gundog breeds. His approach goes beyond treating injuries; he focuses on lifelong, comprehensive care for the canine athlete.
Dr. Spoo is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation—one of few specialists in private practice worldwide and the only one dedicated solely to hunting dogs. He is also a published researcher and a sought-after speaker on canine rehabilitation and sports medicine.
For over 26 years, Dr. Spoo has helped countless hunting dogs recover from injuries and perform at their best. When not in the clinic, he’s in the field with his retrievers, setters, and spaniels, chasing birds across the Midwest—sometimes even bringing home a ribbon or two.
THE COURSEÂ curriculum
Field Emergencies, First Aid, and Unique Issues of Hunting Dogs
This course is structured for both in-depth learning and quick, practical reference. You can watch it from start to finish to expand your knowledge or access shorter, treatment-focused videos when you need guidance in the field.
CHAPTER 01:
Introduction to the Course
The core to many of the issues we encounter in the field is the tailgate exam. We dive into that as well as why what vest you choose matters and how to muzzle your dog without a muzzle.
CHAPTER 02:
Building a First Aid Kit
Learn to build a base kit for the truck as well as a kit to carry in the field.
CHAPTER 03:
Eye Care
Topics covered will include eye injuries, how to flush the eye and apply ointment.
CHAPTER 04:
Nose Care
The business end of the dog. We will discuss nasal foreign bodies and flushing the nose.
CHAPTER 05:
Foot Care
Where the rubber meets the road. Topics cover nail trims to boots and when to hunt or not.
CHAPTER 06:
Lacerations
Learn when you should and shouldn’t close a wound and how to use a skin stapler.
CHAPTER 07:
Bandaging
We will cover the principles of bandaging, applying a simple bandage and a splint.
CHAPTER 08:
Migrating Foreign Bodies
You will learn the plants that cause them, what infection can look like and how to guide treatment.
CHAPTER 09:
Temperature Extremes
From heat stroke to hypothermia, we will prepare you for both situations.
CHAPTER 10:
Lameness
We will walk you through a lameness exam and present our decision tree on whether to hunt or not.
CHAPTER 11:
Hypoglycemia
Learn to recognize the signs of low blood sugar and then how to treat and prevent it.
CHAPTER 12:
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis
Sometimes these dogs work too hard and can result in muscle breakdown. Learn to recognize and prevent this condition.
CHAPTER 13:
Toxins
Dogs like to eat things they shouldn’t. We will also discuss blue-green algae, inducing vomiting and poison control.
CHAPTER 14:
Major Trauma
It’s important to understand that sometimes the only option is to stabilize the injury and seek immediate veterinary care.
CHAPTER 15:
Animal Encounters
Porcupines, rabies, and skunks … oh my!
CHAPTER 16:
Post-Hunt Issues
Sometimes the problems start when the hunt ends. We will tackle diarrhea, anorexia, soreness, and infectious diseases.
Testimonials
Hear from our students
Â
“The course presents important information in a logical, organized manner. I feel confident that the information presented is medically sound, rather than having to search the internet for possibly really bad advice.” — Karen
“It will give you more confidence venturing out into the field where anything can and will happen.” — Alex
“Certainly recommend! If you're in a tough situation in the field, the knowledge gained by your course becomes invaluable.” — Ed
GET LIFETIME ACCESS
Field Emergencies, First Aid and Unique Issues of Hunting Dogs
$499
$297
For less than the price of an emergency visit, get access to this one-of-a-kind course. Become the dog owner your dog deserves and gain access to priceless knowledge that just might save their life.
Plus, you'll get access to any new or updated modules for life.
FAQs
