Plasma Thyroid Hormone Concentrations in Dogs Competing in a Long-Distance Sled Dog Race

Abstract

Plasma thyroxine (T4), 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3), total protein, and albumin concentrations were measured in 15 dogs both before and after completion, and in an additional 16 dogs before and 24 dogs after completion, of a long-distance sled dog race. The plasma T4 concentration (mean ± SD) decreased significantly from 18.2 ± 5.4 nmol/L before to 14.3 ± 3.5 nmol/L after the race in dogs evaluated at both times and decreased significantly from 21.8 ± 10.5 nmol/L before to 15.8 ± 4.9 nmol/L after the race in dogs sampled only before or only after the race. The mean plasma T3 concentrations in dogs measured twice decreased significantly from 1.20 ± 0.48 nmol/L before to 0.74 ± 0.42 nmol/L aft..