DAWSON CITY, Yukon –Yukon Quest head veterinarian Vern Starks and his staff examined every dog still in the 1,000-mile race at the halfway point, and they’re impressed.
“I think the years that I’ve worked with the different races, on the average these teams are the best I’ve seen,” said Starks, a veteran of about 20 Yukon Quests and Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Races plus other shorter events.
“They don’t look as dehydrated. They’re holding their weights better,” Starks said. “I don’t know what to attribute that to, maybe better nutrition. They started the race better than a lot of the teams in the past.”
Eighty-eight dogs have been dropped from the race thus far, an average of 3.1 for the 28 mushers that started, 24 of whom remain in the race.
Most of the injuries have been short-term wrist and shoulder problems related to the hard-packed trail.
“Because it’s been a fast trail, there’s probably been more sore joints and stuff,” said Starks, who retired from his veterinary practice in Ketchikan after 32 years and now lives in Washington state. “You?re as fast as your slowest dog, so they drop them. I mean, the dogs are fine.”
An expected decrease in temperature on the Alaska side may create additional challenges for mushers keeping their dogs in good shape, Starks said.
“This colder weather may make a difference,” Starks said. “They have to eat a lot to keep their thermostat running.”
Starks is pleased with his 14-member team, which will shrink in Alaska due to other commitments.
“They’re all veterans. They’ve done lots of races,” Starks said. “We’ve had compliments from the mushers about our vet team and the vet care this year.”
He said veterinarians can experience fatigue just like mushers and sled dogs. Starks sent one groggy vet to bed for some needed shut-eye.
“Now that vet’s bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to go after we shut her down,” said Starks. “It’s just like dropping a dog except we can put her back in the team.”
Contact staff writer Matias Saari at msaari@newsminer.com.
Leave a Reply