Ice road vets: Perspectives on the role of veterinarians in northern community health.

We reflect on our experiences providing veterinary services in 5 remote communities of the Sahtu Settlement Area in the Northwest Territories in February 2017. The evolving role of dogs and the social determinants of health that influence dog health in the communities are explored, including biology, physical environment, behavior, dog and human social factors, and access to veterinary care. The importance of continued exposure of veterinary professionals to different cultural perspectives in order to provide services that are culturally appropriate and effective is highlighted.