Objective: To examine the effect of participation in a long-distance race on serum electrolyte concentrations, estimated exchangeable cation content, and acid-base status of Alaskan sled dogs.
Design: Prospective study.
Animals: 9 male and 5 female, sexually intact, physically fit Alaska sled dogs between 18 and 48 months old.
Procedure: Body weight was recorded, and blood samples were collected from dogs before, during, and after a 300-mile race.
Results: Serum sodium and potassium concentrations decreased during the race, as did serum total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations and PCV. Effects on acid-base status were minimal. Body weight and estimated total exchangeable cation content in dogs also decreased significantly during the race.
Clinical implications: Prolonged running is associated with decreases in serum cation concentration and estimated total exchangeable cation content in dogs, as in human beings and horses. However, the mechanism of the decrease in serum cation concentration likely differs among species. Clinical abnormalities associated with cation depletion were not observed in the dogs in this study.