Informasjon fra løpsveterinæren - femundløpet 2012

Information from the Race Veterinarian –
The 2012 Femund Rae
Contents
1.
The Vet Team
Free vet examination and documentation of worm treatment prior to race start
Medicines that should be available with handlers or on the sled
Mark the collar or harness with the dog's name
Micro chip
Relevant regulations
a) Instructions for the race veterinarians
b) Important information for those who bring dogs from other countries
c) Dog food, straw and meat brought from abroad or in transit
d) Vaccination
e) Age of starting dogs on the team
f) Pregnant bitches shall not participate in races
g) Doping
The Femund Race Vet Team
The participants of the race demanding psychical and physical chal enges. Knowledge and experience
from all kinds of weather conditons are basic criteria for a successful particpation in the race. The most
defining criterion, however, is the ability to look well after the dogs. Only the participants who have
thorough knowledge about and experience from care, feeding and trainig sleddogs, and who are able to
use this knowledge to make wise decisions for their team during the entire race, will be successful. The
dogs are the true athletes in sleddog racing.
The vet team possesses particular competences in medical knowledge concerning sledd dogs. We have
accumulated this knowledge through years and years of experience from several national and
international races, such as e.g. the Femund Race, the Finnmark Race, the European Championship and
National Championship in sprint and mid-distance races, as well as international races such as the
Iditarod and the Yukon Quest. In addition to entering races, many of the veterinarians are active
members of the International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association (ISDVMA), an organisation
founded in the USA that meets every other year and is continual y updated on scientific progress in this
area. (See www.isdvma.org.)
There shal be a vet team present during the whole as long as something is going on along the trail and
by the start and finish line.
The vet team wil seek excel ent cooperation with the participants of the race, and we hope the
racers/mushers will use us as councel on what will be the best for the dogs at any given time. Should we
discover disease or injuries we wil work in cooperation with the racer to ensure the best treatment and
follow-up possible for the dog in question.


Veterinarians at the Femund Race 2012
Veterinarians who wish to participate as volunteers are kindly requested to send an application no later
than 15 August 2011 to Chief Veterinarian Ingrid Wiik Haugbjørg, email:or via
regular post: 2485 Rendalen. I will answer questions over mobile phone (+47) 951 44 300 weekdays
between 08:00 and 10:00 (8 and 10 a.m.).
We are looking for veterinarians with an interest in sports medicine and who are able to work outdoors
in all kinds of weather, day and night, and maintain their good spirits. Local veterinarians are also
encouraged to apply. The team wil be selected on 1 September 2011.
2.
Free vet examination and documentation of worm treatment prior to race start
There will be an organised, voluntary and free control of dogs prior to start. This will provide an
opportunity for foreign mushers to give the dogs a worm cure (mushers must bring required cure with
them) and have it verified by the vet in the dog's passport or on its medical certificate. We will ONLY
provide documentation for the dogs we give worm cure to or observe such cure being given to. It is
voluntary for mushers to attend, and we hope many mushers wil take advantage of this opportunity to
be advised about their dogs from an experienced race vet. The vets have initiated this examination
because we wish to get to know and establish a good working relationship with the mushers even prior
to race start. Welcome! Visiting hours will be announced in the Race Programme.
3.
Medicaments you should have in the sled or in the handlers' car
We recommend that you bring the following:
Diahorrea remedies:
We recommend that all mushers bring one or more of the following non-prescription remedies against
diahorrea: Canikur, Diarsanyl, Zoolac, (coal tablets). Diahorrea frequently occurs among dogs during
races and with these non-prescription drugs you can counter the symptoms. The remedies mentioned
can be used legal y according to the doping regulations.
Cuts and wound treatment
Bring remedies to cleanse and treat cuts and wounds. We recommend using a disinfectant such as
Pyrisept or Klorhexiding, as well as a salve without antibiotics or kortison for use on cuts, such as e.g.
zink salve. With these remedies you can prevent infection in little cuts and wounds that might arise e.g.
between the dog's digital pads. All this can be bought at a pharmacy and these remedies are not in
conflict with the doping regulations.
Should you be in doubt about whether any of the remedies you wish to use are in conflict with the
doping regulations, don't use them. The doping regulations prohibit use of most medicaments, salves
and creams on dogs during races. Please note that many of the salves and creams that are marketed as
products to be used when massaging sore limbs and muscles contain active ingredients that are
prohibited according to the doping rules and regulations.
4.
Mark the dog's name on its collar or harness
All dogs shall have a mark with the dog's name on its harness or collar. This will ease the veterinarians' work considerably, and the musher will get better information from the veterinarian. This will also prevent misunderstandings from arising regarding which dog(s) that has potential injuiries. Separate dog marking from the race organisers may be required. Please stay updated through the race's internet
home page.

5.
Micro chip ID
It is mandatory for all dogs starting the race to be marked with a micro chip ID. If you have a dog where
the micro chip can not be identified prior to the race, the vets can insert a micro chip during the pre-
race examination. Please note that the mushers must bring the required micro chip with them.

6.
Relevant rules and regulations
Instructions for the race veterinarians
The race veterinarians shall as far as possible: examine dogs at the check points and based on this guide the mushers and contribute to the best possibe provision of dog welfare during the entire race initate treatment of injuries and disease that arise on dogs during the race and that can not wait until the dog gets back home assist the sending on of dogs which need treatment at a clinic keep a journal over all dogs that are treated during the race keep a journal over all medicines that are handed out All items mentioned in this paragraph will depend on practical conditions and capacity for execution. It is at all times the musher's responsibility to consider his/her own dog team and to care for their welfare through the entire race. The vet team's responsibility during the race is limited to advising and counsel ing, both on their own initative and on request. 1) Only the musher can approve a dog for continued participation in the race. The veterinarian
does not conduct a full clinical examination and may therefore overlook several things. The
musher is responsible for dogs he/she bring with them on the team. Even if the veterinarian
did not find anything during a 30 second examination, the dog may stil be il .
2) The veterinarians have the authority to take dogs out of the race when they are not fit to
continue should the musher fail to see this him/herself. 3) Reasons why a dog may not continue the race:
4) Clear limping that does not heal with warming up.
The dog may be warmed up on the check point and must be free of limping before starting the race again.
5) Temperatures above 39.4 or below 37.2

A temperature that does not go down within 60 minutes of the dog arriving at the check point. The dogs always have a little high temperature immediately after running. The veterinarian must carefully consider whether treatment with antibiotics is necessary. Several sleddogs have died from pneumonia. Too low temperature (< 37.2) will also lead to the dog's being excempted from the race. 6) Red or brown urine

Sign of myologlobinuri. May cause death and the dog may not under any circumstances continue the race. Always contact the veterinarian if the dog does not drink. If it drinks, keep giving it drinking water every 2nd hour until the urine is blank. 7) Suspicion of contagious disease.
The whole dog team must be expelled from the race if it is fairly obvious that they suffer from a contagious disease, for instance if more than two dogs on the team have a temperature or cough. 8) Bloody vomit.
Bloody vomit should always be taken seriously. The dog should be exempted from the race. Give 20 miligram of Pepcid daily straight away and ask the handler to observe careful y. Non-bloody vomit must always be considered in relation to food/drinking appetite and the dog's general condition. If the dog is in poor general condition it should be taken out of the race and veterinarian contacted. Give Pepcid, Pepcidin or other medicament that contains famotidin. 20mg/day. 9) High pulse / more than 120 beats per minute
A dog with a pulse rate of more than 120 bpm more than 60 minutes after arriving at the check point must be withdrawn from the race. Often the pulse will be below 90 bpm after five minutes. If the dog has more than 120 bpm during rest it is a clear indication that something is wrong. Pain, infection, circulation problems, colic, low Hgb, bleeding ulcus pepticum, myoglobinuri etc. 10) Abnormal heart or lung sounds indicating liquids or slime in the lungs
11) Diahorrea with blood in it and general distress that does not respond to treatment (with
legal remedies like e.g. Zoolac and Canicur) 12) Frost injuries that can not be protected from freezing again. Open wounds that can not be
protected, e.g. after harness rubbing. Wounds in the paw pads can be protected with booties. 13) All diseases that require medical treatment prior to the end of the race with remedies that
are considered prohibited according to the doping rules and regulations 14) Emaciation: To such an extent that the back muscle (longissimus dorsi) shows a bow down
next to the spine knuckles (shal be bow up) and you can feel the the transverse processes in the lumbar region of the spine. 15) Dehydrated 8% or more. Indicated by limited skin elasticity, resilient mucosa. Blood vessel
filling time of more than 3 seconds taken in the mouth's mucosa. Hollow eyes. Important informations for those who bring dogs from other countries
Everyone who is to participate in the Femund Race and/or import dogs to Norway from other countries are themselves responsible for knowing and abiding by the rules and regulations that are valid at any time. The following links may be helpful: Please contact a local veterinarian to get assistance in making your dogs ready for departure. Depending on what country you bring the dogs from you must go through various procedures according to rabies vaccination and flatworm treatment. It may take up to 6 months before your dogs are ready to travel across the border to Norway. The vet team can be contacted during the pre-race examinations in order to receive help in administering and verifying worm treatment of the dogs upon entering the country. We will only verify worm treatment we have given ourselves. The mushers must bring the required worm cures with them as we will not have this available prior to or during the race. Dog food, hay and meat brought from abroad or in transit
Everyone who is participating in the Femund Race and/ore are bringing meat, straw or similar to Norway
from other countries are themselves responsible for knowing the relevant rules and regulations at all
times. The following links may be helpful:

It may prove easier to buy hay in Norway and to cross the border without hay in the dog boxes.
One can also call the Norwegian Food Safety Authority:
Telephone: +47 23216800
d)
Vaccination
The Femund Race follows the vaccination rules and regulations of the Norwegian Sleddog Association.
All dogs shall have approved vaccinations against canine distemper, contagious liver inflammation
(hepatitis) and parvo virus. All approved vaccinations in Norway for these diseases are valid for three
– 3 – years after the date of vaccination. No dogs shall be vaccinated later than 14 days prior to race
start. Please note: There are vaccinations in Norway that are not against any of the mentioned diseases.
Kindly check with your veterinarian that you have the correct vaccination.
Dogs without approved vaccination will be asked to leave the start area.
Foreign dogs must also have valid import documents in order to be allowed to start the race.
e)
Age of starting dogs on the team
The race regulations prohibit the use of dogs younger than 18 months in long distance sleddog races,
however, the veterinarians strongly advice not using dogs younger than 2 years of age at the Femund
Race. Our experience is that young dogs that start in long and demanding races are more exposed for
injuries as they do not have the muscle mass and training amounts that the older dogs have. Dogs that
start races as early as at the age fo 18 months will most likely get a shorter span as race dogs than if they
do not start races or receive the equivalent amount of training before they are 2 years of age.

f)
Pregnant bitches
The race veterinarians will not permit pregnant bitches to start. Should we discover during a race that a
bitch is pregnant she will be taken out of the race.

g)
As a rule it is not permitted to use any medicaments during races. In addition there are quite a few
medicaments that one has to stop using well ahead of a race as they remain in the dog's body for a long
period of time and wil therefore constitute doping of the dog. It is not only medicines available on
prescription from a vet that are prohibited during races, there are also a number of other non-
prescription drugs that are characterised as doping.

Be aware that many of the balms and creams that are marketed for use on sore joints and muscles
contain working materials that are prohibited according to the doping regulations. As far as we know
Algyval has not given indications on any doping tests yet and in Norway we consider this a legal remedy.
However, any use of the product takes place on your own risk as the product is not subject to any kind
of content control by the authorities, so if there are materials in it that do not appear on the declaration
of contents, it may be a source of doping and thus punishable. But as stated earlier, Algyval has not
given any positive doping indications as of yet and we will permit racers to use it during races at their
own risk. (Be aware that this is not a legal remedy in Sweden!)
Below you will find links to the doping rules and regulations as well as a quarantine time guide approved by the Norwegian Sleddog Association and valid for the Femund Race 2012. http://www.sleddog.no/files/%7BD5F8953E-2C12-4E1C-875D-F87410C9F417%7D.pdf Kind regards, Chief Veterinarian Ingrid Wiik Haugbjørg Tel: (+47) 62 46 92 97 or (+47) 951 44 300 between 8:00 and 10:00/8 and 10 a.m. al weekdays. (18 May 2011)

Source: http://femundlopet.no/media/dokument/2012%20Vet%20info%20Femund%20-%20English.pdf