The main values of Pirena, and especially those of the vet team, mean to set and to keep a high standard in wellbeing as a priority and to promote and compensate the excellent care for the dogs. That is why the vet team works together with the race judges and mushers to ensure that those standards in health and wellbeing are maintained the entire race long. Besides, at the end of the crossing the vet team awards the musher who would have treated his/her dogs best with the award Affinity – Pirena. This award is regarded as prestigious as those of the champions.

However, it is important to state that those animals require a special care and that the medical challenges that veterinarians face in their daily routine are very different from those occurring in the race regarding diagnosis as well as treatment. The reason why is that the dogs concerned are elite sporty dogs which are in the best physical condition.

Therefore it is necessary to care all the daily life aspects so that they can offer their top performance in the highest security. Thus, one of the most critical points is feeding, which has to be perfectly balanced. In that sense Affinity makes available its special high energy pet food to all participants, which is very suitable to dogs with a high physical strain, a well as its vet diets range to any specific need. Likewise, dogs often run wearing socks (small cloth bags protecting paws) in order to prevent inflammations and injuries due to certain kinds of snow, which are very common damages in sleddogs.

However, the key to prevent the appearance of pathologies or to achieve the success in the treatment applied is the cooperation and mutual respect between the vet team and mushers. Veterinaries are in the competition in order to help mushers to obtain the goal of finishing the race with happy and healthy dogs, as much as possible, and to help the whole team to obtain the maximal potential.

This way, before the race start, every dog is exhaustively checked by Pirena vet team. The vaccination cards are checked, the microchips are controlled and the physical condition of dogs is examined to ensure their aptitude to race. Afterwards, while the race days, every dog is examined several times a week by a veterinary, which represents a contrast with pet dogs, which are examined once or twice a year.

Besides, it is important to mention that the work conditions in Pirena, as well as in any other sleddog race, are completely different from the usual ones. Many times there is not enough light neither enough technology to work which must be carried out on a rough terrain.
In the middle of mountains and on the snow veterinarians only have got their stethoscope, their thermometer, their hands, their eyes and their wit. Still, despite those differences, the knowledge acquired along the time this sport exists brings about the development of studies, methods and working processes which let emerge innovation at the beginning thought for sleddogs, but which has been applied to every day medicine letting increase the quality of medical attention.

On the other hand, the decision power by the vet team about dogs following the competition or not and retiring or letting rest those which are not fit enough to continue running must be highlighted. In order not to make mistakes, the medical information about the diagnosis is carefully noted and filed to make it available to all the vet team members when necessary.

Besides, the vet team members are always in contact to share all their daily experience and to let mutual learning among the different veterinarians and a constant professional growing, which is significantly high in the students doing their practicum.
Students, who represent an important part of the team, have the chance of learning on site different aspects of sports medicine from great professionals in this field.

In conclusion, it can be stated that dogs competing in Pirena get the best treatment to ensure that they finish the race happy and healthy, to some extent thanks to our Vet Team. These veterinarians who offer their time and experience to entrants come from different areas on the planet and have different ways of working. However, they make up a very coordinated and cohesive group as they have got much in common: devotion to sleddogs and their wellbeing, they are fond of the indomitable spirit that mushers and their teams represent and they share real passion for nature, adventure and sport show which every winter travels The Pyrenees.