Serum chemistry alterations in Alaskan sled dogs during five successive days of prolonged endurance exercise

Abstract

Results suggested that multiple successive days of endurance exercise resulted in mild aberrations in serum chemistry variables in conditioned sled dogs. Changes likely reflected the metabolic stresses of prolonged endurance exercise as well as dietary composition. Hypoglobulinemia in resting, conditioned sled dogs may reflect the immunosuppressive or catabolic effects of intense endurance training.

Effect of exercise on physiological, blood and endocrine parameters in search and rescue-trained dogs

“…In this way, an increase in RBC, PCV, HB and TPP is a normal response to speed racing (Lassen et al, 1986;Snow et al, 1988;Ilkiw et al, 1989) and agility exercises (Rovira et al, 2007a,b). By contrast, these parameters did not change or even decreased during prolonged submaximal exercise (Hinchcliff et al, 1993;Burr et al, 1997;McKenzie et al, 2007). The modifications in these parameters during exercise are influenced by splenic contraction and secondary hemoconcentration to dehydration.…”

“…It has been established that both short maximal and submaximal exercises cause significant increases in TPP because a shift of fluids from the vascular compartment to the extracellular fluid spaces (Ilkiw et al, 1989;Rovira et al, 2007a). On the contrary, TPP decreased during prolonged exercise in dogs because of increased plasma volume, exercise-induced immunosuppression, catabolism of plasma proteins for energy and protein loss via renal and gastrointestinal tracts (Hinchcliff et al, 1998;Gary et al, 2004;McKenzie et al, 2007). On the other hand, plasma CREAT concentrations increased significantly with E and remained elevated throughout the recovery period.…”

“…In Alaskan sled dogs, exercise-associated hyponatremia has been attributed to insufficient dietary intake and increased renal Na loss, although prolonged exercise increases plasma aldosterone concentrations and therefore, a reduction in urinary Na excretion should appear (Hinchcliff et al, 1997;McKenzie et al, 2007). No significant changes were found in plasma K concentrations, despite that a rise was expected due to the efflux of K ions from the myoplasma into the extracellular fluid from muscle contraction and to the metabolic acidosis secondary to hyperlactacidemia (Munoz et al, 2003).…”

“…The knowledge of these changes is essential in order to design specific and individual training protocols, for an early diagnosis of lack of performance, to assess the impact of different feeding or supplementation strategies and to minimize the risk of exerciselinked diseases, such as exertional rhabdomyolysis, exhaustion, dehydration, heat stroke and electrolyte imbalances within others. In this way, several researchers have been conducted in order to assess the modifications associated with exercise in racing Greyhounds (Lassen et al, 1986;Snow et al, 1988;Ilkiw et al, 1989;Rose and Bloomberg, 1989;Nold et al, 1991), sled dogs (Querengaesser et al, 1994;Hinchcliff et al, 1993Hinchcliff et al, , 1998Burr et al, 1997;McKenzie et al, 2007), Labrador dogs during retrieving exercises (Matwichuk et al, 1999;Steiss et al, 2004) and in dogs of different breeds during Agility competitions (Rovira et al, 2007a,b).…”

“…Recently, there is a concern about the development of electrolytic imbalances in exercising dogs. Hyponatremia has been described in dogs competing both in prolonged and short races (Hinchcliff et al, 1997;McKenzie et al, 2007). Symptomatic hyponatremia in human athletes leads to several complications, ranging from mild symptoms, such as nausea, fatigue and confusion to more severe symptoms, including seizures, respiratory arrest, increased intracranial pressure, coma and death (Warburton et al, 2002).…”