how many sled dogs die a year
The 2010 and 2011 Iditarods were notable because no dogs died during these races. The Sled Dog Action Coalition reports that at least 142 dogs have died in the Iditarod in recent years. Deaths are the norm, and not just in the Iditarod. In just one week this year, four dogs died in three races, the Anchorage Daily news reported. Two of them died of pulmonary edema. Running a marathon can cause the same condition in people, suggesting that it may well have been the race that killed the dogs.