Iditarod dogs test positive for prohibited opioids, race officials say

[Judi Lynn]

Source: CBS News

AP October 18, 2017, 10:07 PM

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- For the first time in the history of the world's most famous sled dog race, several of the high-performance animals have tested positive for a prohibited drug. But race officials have refused to name the musher involved.

Several dogs tested positive for the opioid pain reliever Tramadol, the governing board of the nearly 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race said in a statement. The team was tested six hours after finishing the nearly 1,000-mile race in Nome in March, officials said. They estimate the drug could have been administered between 15 hours before the test and right before it.

Iditarod spokesman Chas St. George said in an email that the musher's name is not being released based on an attorney's advice. He said the musher also has not been named because of the unlikelihood that race organizers could prove the musher intentionally administered the drug.

. . .

Iditarod board member and musher Aaron Burmeister said Wednesday he doesn't know the musher's identity. However, only the first 20 teams to reach Nome are tested, he noted.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iditarod-dogs-test-positive-prohibited-opioids/

[bagelsforbreakfast]

1. Oh boy, that race has really gone to the dogs! n/m

[Sunlei]

2. Tramadols a real common med for joint pain in dogs. even dogs that show in dog sports are on it.

a daily med once or twice a day.

They should drug test all the dogs, because its not fair to a team with sound not-doped dogs who loses to a cheater.

[Corgigal]

4. Exactly

It's some type of synthetic pain relief. I give a half a tablet to my chihuahua and she doesn't appear to run faster.

Ha..

[Mosby]

5. They are probably using to cover up injuries.

There are non opiates for dogs like metacam that help alleviate pain and act as an anti-inflammatory, tramadol is strictly for pain, especially post operation pain.

I have never heard of it being prescribed for daily use, except with dogs that have a terminal illness.

[torius]

6. It is if you have chronic pain

Though docs have cracked down on it it's not uncommon.

[Dave Starsky]

7. That sucks.

Those dogs live to run and will literally run themselves to death if left to their own devices. Their only limiting factor, maybe, is pain. Take that away from them, and they can get themselves permanently injured at best or killed at worst.

Fuck the assholes who do this.

[shenmue]

3. Woof