Photo provided by Jean Wilcox Veterinarians are important part of the CopperDog 150 dog sled race. They will do a pre-race check up, and be available along the rotes of the 150 and 80 race.

CALUMET — Since the CopperDog 150 and 80 dog sled races wouldn’t happen without dogs, their care during the races is important, and that is the responsibility of Jean Wilcox and others who work with here.

Wilcox, who is the chief veterinarian for the CD 150 event, said there will be four veterinarians, three licensed technicians, and three vet school students from the University of Minnesota watching out for the dogs.

There is a pre-race check the morning of the start of the race, which this year is about 6:30 p.m. March 3, Wilcox said, the purpose of which is to make certain the dogs are healthy enough to race. However, most mushers aren’t knowingly going to race with an unhealthy dog.

“It’s not to the musher’s advantage to bring a sick dog,” she said.

It’s possible a dog may not give an indication to the musher there is a problem, Wilcox said.

“Huskies tend to be very stoic,” she said.

At the pre-race check up, Wilcox said the vets will listen to the dogs’ heart and lungs, check for hydration, and check the dogs’ joints.

Wilcox said there are vets or technicians stationed at the various check points on the race course, and they can take a look at a dog if the musher thinks there may be a problem.

If there is an emergency with a dog on the trail, Wilcox said a vet can be taken to the site on a snowmobile towing a sled, which can be used if a dog is so injured it has to be taken in for treatment.

For mushers and dogs doing the 80 mile race, Wilcox said vets will be available if needed in Eagle River, which is the northern destination for that race. There is a mandatory check in Copper Harbor, which is the northern destination for the 150 race.

There’s no way to know how many or even if there will be injuries to dogs during a race, Wilcox said.

“It depends a lot on how the trail is groomed,” she said.

The trails for CopperDog races are usually well groomed, Wilcox said.

Wilcox said she’s worked seven of the eight previous CopperDog races, having missed the first one, and in that time there has never been a serious injury to a dog.

The mushers do know how to watch out for the well-being of their dogs, Wilcox said, but the vets are available to assist when needed.

“The mushers have come a long way in knowing how to care for these dogs,” she said. “We’re just here to help.”