Prevalence of gastric lesions in racing Alaskan sled dogs.
Human and equine athletes are reported to have a high prevalence of gastric disease, and anecdotal evidence suggests a similar phenomenon applies to racing sled dogs. To investigate the prevalence of gastric disease in racing sled dogs, we conducted 2 gastroscopy studies on dogs competing in the annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race. A pilot study of dogs that were either dropped from the 2000 Iditarod Sled Dog Race because of illness or that finished the race indicated that, approximately 5 days after competing, 10 of 28 dogs (35%) had endoscopic evidence of gastric ulceration, erosion, or hemorrhage. The next year, an endoscopic study of 73 dogs participating in the 2001 Iditarod race was performed in order to evaluate a larger population of dogs. Data from 70 of these dogs could be used; 34 (48.5%) had ulceration, erosion, gastric hemorrhage, or some combination of these findings. When this group of 70 dogs was compared retrospectively to a control group of 87 dogs presented to the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, the Iditarod sled dogs had a significantly higher prevalence (P = .049) of gastric lesions. These findings suggest that, similar to athletes of other species, elite canine athletes have an increased prevalence of gastric disease compared to the canine population at large.
Davis
M S
MS
Department of Physiological Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. msdavis@okstate.edu
Willard
M D
MD
Nelson
S L
SL
Mandsager
R E
RE
McKiernan
B S
BS
Mansell
J K
JK
Lehenbauer
T W
TW
D000413:Alaska; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary