Veterinary Center

Interested in volunteering with the Vet Center?

The Iditarod veterinary staff is comprised of volunteer veterinarians from around the world. Requirements for participation include a minimum of five years of practice experience in small animal medicine and surgery, fluency in English and sufficient health to withstand working in arctic conditions. Previous experience with the sled dog athlete is highly desirable. If you would like to apply for a position on our staff, please contact Joanne Potts (jpotts@iditarod.com) for more information. Happy trails!

An Important Part of the Iditarod

The veterinary program plays a very important role in the Iditarod. Elaborate pre-race health screening protocols, systematic evaluations of dogs during the race (over 10,000 routine examinations!) and information gained through clinical research, have combined to set the standards of care for these canine athletes.

Sled Dog Health & Wellness Resources

• ACL Injuries, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• Laryngeal Hemiplegia, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• Pannus or Uberreiter’s Disease, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• Gastric Dilatation-Volvulu (GDV), by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• Rabies, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• Joint Health, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• The Athlete’s Heart in Sled Dogs, by Peter D. Constable BVSc, MS, PhD, DipACVIM Assistant Professor, University of Illinois
• Blood Profiles for Iditarod Dogs, by Angie Hamill, Health Event Coordinator, Providence Laboratory Services, and Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM, Chief Veterinarian
• Dropped Dog Care, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• Iditarod Dog Care Measures, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• Supplementing Vitamin E to Alaskan Sled Dogs, by Greg Reinhart, PhD (Research & Development, The Iams Company), Ken Hinchcliff BVSc, MS, PhD (Veterinary Clinical Services, Ohio State University), Arleigh Reynolds, DVM, PhD (Cornell University Research & Development, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine), Mike Hayek, PhD (Research & Development, The Iams Company)
• Thermal Concerns for Racing Sled Dogs, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• Volunteerism, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
• What is a Sled Dog?, by Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM

Iditarod dogs have some of the most intensive health checkups in the animal athletic world. Mandatory pre-race evaluations commence in the early part of February, which include blood testing and ECG recordings. All dogs are permanently identified with a microchip implant as part of the screening process. (Testing and microchip implants are provided for the mushers at no charge to them). Each dog’s microchip number is scanned before starting the race, to verify their eligibility.

In addition to the extensive pre-race testing, every dog is required to have veterinary physical exam within fourteen days of the race start, and all vaccinations must be current. Last but not least, each must be dewormed (medications provided through the ITC) within ten days of beginning their trip to Nome.

The dogs are usually very calm for these tests. They are used to being handled a lot and typically lie quietly while the procedures are completed.