by Mushkraut » Sat Mar 16, 2019 10:26 pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2019
Iditarod XLVII Media Advisory
Anchorage, Alaska – At 6:37 p.m. today, Oshi, a five-year-old female from the race team of Richie Beattie (bib #50), died at a local animal hospital in Anchorage from the preliminary diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia.
On Thursday, March 14, at 10:01 p.m., Beattie and his team finished the race. While performing post-race checkups, Iditarod Trail Committee veterinarians examining Oshi noticed signs of pneumonia. Oshi was stabilized and flown by emergency charter flight, operated by Bering Air, to Anchorage on Friday, March 15, at 4:13 p.m., for further evaluation and care. Sadly, Oshi passed away the following day.
Per rule 42 of the Iditarod official race rules, Beattie has been withdrawn from the race and is fully cooperating with Iditarod officials. Per rule 41, all canine athletes are “under the jurisdiction of the Race Marshal from the time they enter the staging area at the start until 72 hours after they have been released by ITC veterinarians or 48 hours after the final musher finishes.”
A gross necropsy will be conducted by a board-certified veterinary pathologist to make every effort to determine the official cause of death.