More than a thousand dogs stand in harness in front of their mushers' sleds in Anchorage, Alaska on the first Saturday of March and begin a thousand mile journey to Nome across the vast state’s frozen wilderness. These are the huskies, the athletes of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race who are bred to run. Their excited yelps drift on the wind as they lean into their harnesses and lope down a snowy trail.
Many of the same mushers return year after year, apparently addicted to the thrill of survival in the brutal paradise of desolate mountains, frozen rivers, windswept tundra, and dense forests. Others are rookies, enamored of the dogs and wilderness and eager to prove themselves and the teams they’ve trained.
How the Huskies are Prepared for the Iditarod
The International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association Board of Directors has adopted a definition of sled dog which includes that it must demonstrate a willingness to be harnessed and a desire to participate in the activity for which it is harnessed, be adequately trained and conditioned for the activity, and be capable of withstanding environmental extremes.
Additionally, all Iditarod dogs must be microchipped, current on vaccinations, and receive deworming medication within ten days of the race. Shortly before the race, each dog must undergo comprehensive blood work, an ECG, and a physical exam by a veterinarian.
Care of Dogs During the Race
Mushers must keep a written diary of each dog during the race which serves as its medical records. These diaries are presented to the veterinarians at each checkpoint. Dogs that the veterinarian deems unable to go on with the race are left at the checkpoint to receive appropriate care and be flown home. Some of the reasons for these dropped dogs include injury, illness, or fatigue. If a dog becomes unable to pull between checkpoints, it is unharnessed and allowed to ride on the sled to the next checkpoint.
How the Mushers Prepare for the Race
Iditarod mushers must understand rules and policies concerning dog care and management. They review letters from the Chief Veterinarian about topics of concern and dog care issues. They learn about kennel management and dog care guidelines through the Mush with PRIDE organization and attend a general musher meeting prior to the race. Rookies attend a two day orientation in December.
In advance of the race, mushers prepare and distribute tons of supplies at checkpoints along the Iditarod route. These include extra sled parts, clothing, specially formulated dog food, and dog booties among other things.
Iditarod Dog Deaths
The occurrence of sudden dog death during the race has been compared by Peter D. Constable BVSc, MS, PhD, DipACVIM Assistant Professor, University of Illinois, to the sudden death rate in human athletes during cross county skiing which, at the time was 1 in 13,000 man hours.
He calculated that an average team of 11 dogs during the race, running an estimated 10 hours a day for 11 days, has 1210 hours of dog exercise. If 60 teams are competing, that equals 72,000 dog hours. Using the sudden death rate estimate from humans during cross country skiing, he estimated that would be 5.6 deaths per race. The Iditarod death rate is much lower than that. Some say that it is also lower than in a random group of the same number of dogs in the same length of time.
Still, the death of even one of these noble huskies is tragic and sad.
Source:
The Official Site of the Iditarod
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