Vet Check

Dog health and safety is the Number 1 priority to mushers and the Iditarod Trail Committee. Before the race the musher has to have all of their dogs get EKG's, blood work, and a physical.  A special group of veterinarians come to Alaska from all over the world to help Stu Nelson, DVM, the Iditarod Head Veterinarian, take care of all these dogs. There are 69 teams this year and teach vet usually vet checks 20 dogs. You do the math that is a lot of dogs. The mushers that live up here is Alaska can go to their own vet to get all their physicals and then turn in the paper work but the other mushers have to do it when they get here. On Wednesday before the race, the vets set up mobile clinic at HQ (Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla).

Mrs. B year new friend, Mark,  and a vet's daughter who was
playing hooky from school in West Virginia.

The teachers and other race fans head over there to meet the dogs and the mushers. We had a great day. Check it out.

As you can tell, Mrs. B and I focused on meeting the dogs more than the mushers. The mushers are all busy but the dogs are happy to visit. We also saw one of Mrs. B favorite mushers, Matt Failor. She thinks he is cute.