Reuters: 81% of dogs finishing Iditarod have lung damage

October 18, 2002

hl_nm/skidogs_asthma_dc

Sled Dogs May Shed Clues on 'Ski Asthma'

Tue Oct 8, 2:17 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Sled dogs that run Alaska's famous Iditarod--the

1,100 mile race from Anchorage to Nome--may help scientists to better

understand a lung condition called ski asthma, new study findings suggest.

Human cold-weather athletes, especially skaters and cross-country skiers, are

more likely than those who don't work out intensely in chilly conditions to

have inflammation in the peripheral parts of their lungs, as well as

increased sensitivity of these airway regions. Some investigators suggest

that this inflammation, which is similar to asthma, may be due to repeated

penetration of insufficiently warmed and moistened air deep into the lungs.

" Because of the similarities between the activities of human cold-weather

athletes and racing sled dogs, we hypothesized that racing sled dogs might

also suffer from increased prevalence of airway disease, " write lead author

Dr. Michael S. Davis of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and

colleagues.

To investigate, the team of researchers examined the airways of 59 sled dogs

24 to 48 hours after they completed the long and arduous race. Their findings

are published in the September issue of the American Journal of Respiratory

and Critical Care Medicine.

The researchers found that 81% of the canines had " abnormal accumulations " of

mucus or cellular debris in their lower airways. This accumulation was

classified as moderate to severe in nearly half of the animals, according to

the report. There was no evidence that the lung damage could be due to

bacterial infection, the authors note. Instead, they say, it was likely

caused by cooling and drying out of peripheral airway passages, resulting in

injury and inflammation.

" Our findings support the hypothesis that strenuous exercise in cold

environments can lead to lower airway disease and suggest that racing sled

dogs may be a useful naturally occurring animal model of the analogous human

disease, " the authors conclude.

SOURCE: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

2002:166:878-882.

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