Assessment of serum antibody titers against canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus type II, and canine parvovirus in Alaskan sled dogs before and after a long-distance race.
OBJECTIVE
To determine serum antibody titers against canine distemper virus (CDV), canine adenovirus type II (CAV-2), and canine parvovirus (CPV) in trained sled dogs prior to and after completion of a long-distance race.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
195 Alaskan sled dogs (from 18 kennels) that participated in the 2006 Iditarod Trail Race.


METHODS
All 1,323 dogs participating in the race had been vaccinated against the 3 viruses at 19 to 286 days prior to initial blood sample collection (obtained within the month preceding the race). Within 12 hours of race completion, blood samples were collected from 195 dogs (convenience sample) and matched with each dog's prerace sample. Serum antibody titers (90% confidence intervals [CIs]) were determined via serum neutralization assays.


RESULTS
After racing, geometric mean titers against CDV and CPV were significantly higher (2,495 [90% CI, 321 to 16,384] and 6,323 [90% CI, 512 to 32,768], respectively) than prerace values (82 [90% CI, 11 to 362] and 166 [90% CI, 32 to 1,024], respectively). Sixty-one of 194 (31.4%) dogs had > or = 4-fold increases in anti-CPV antibody titers after racing. Prerace serum antibody titers against CDV, CPV, and CAV-2 varied significantly by sled team but were not associated with time since vaccination.


CONCLUSIONS
Postrace increases in serum anti-CDV and anti-CPV antibody titer might reflect exposure of dogs to these agents immediately before or during racing. Dogs had no clinical signs of CDV-, CAV-2-, or CPV-associated disease; therefore, the clinical importance of these titer changes is uncertain.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
Heidi E
HE
Banse
Erica C
EC
McKenzie
Stuart
S
Nelson
Kenneth W
KW
Hinchcliff
D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D006516:Adenoviruses, Canine / Q000276:immunology*; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004216:Distemper / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D017993:Parvovirus, Canine / Q000276:immunology*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral