[Wristpin]

"There's also the question of support for the troops on the morale/emotional side . . . like a hot Thanksgiving dinner if at all possible . . . the folks on the sharp end are heartened by the idea that they will not be left behind and that every effort will be made to look after their welfare, especially if they get hurt."

And pulling an IED detecting dog from the combat zone accomplishes this how?

[AnAmericanMother]

False comparison. The dog is for the time being useless without HIS handler. He can't go out there detecting IEDs on his own.

So at a minimum he is pulled from the combat zone for a period of weeks or months for retraining. Or, possibly (due to his personality or due to his handler's MOS as noted up thread) he's pulled permanently.

Weigh that, plus the positive story of supporting a wounded troop, against the bad publicity and the history of euthanizing military dogs much to the displeasure of their former handlers . . .

Seems like a sound judgment call to me.