Nose work with military working dogs (MWDs) in warmer-than-usual areas has led us to look for new tools to reduce both heat stress and the risk of heat stroke. One of the different strategies to manage heat stress is the use of cooling vests, such as those used in humans. The aim was to assess three cooling conditions (using two different cooling vests during exercise and the non-use of such garments) by measuring core body temperature, systemic blood pressure and pulse rate before and after the exercise (moment: four measurement times) in military dogs of the I Military Police Battalion (in Valencia, Spain). All dogs were evaluated under all three conditions during the three days of the study. Significant differences were observed between condition, moment, and the interaction of these two factors, in relation to core body temperature and pulse rate. Therefore, the use of an evaporative cooling vest may further be useful as a routine thermal control and conditioning measure in MWDs.

Bikejöring is a type of dryland mushing requiring high-intensity aerobic effort, with speed peaks close to 42 km/h. Greysters (crosses between the German Shorthaired Pointer and the Greyhound) often participate in such events and perform well. The objective of this comparative study was to evaluate the clinical use of non-invasive methods in assessing the cardiovascular health of 22 Greyster dogs in physical training, by determining the differences between different cardiovascular parameters before and after physical training. Blood pressure, heart rate and echocardiographic results were compared. The mean age of the dogs was 4.4 years ± 1.8% and 54.5% were female. All participating dogs regularly participated in bikejöring. Post-exercise increases were observed in systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MBP) and pulse pressure (SBPD), with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) remaining stable. Changes of clinical interest were observed in numerous echocardiographic variables such as left ventricle fractional shortening (LVFS), left ventricule ejection fraction (LVEF), E-point to septal separation (EPSS), cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI), posterior wall thickness at end-diastole (PWd) and major/minor axis ratio (MA/ma), including a decrease in the shortening fraction and an increase in EPSS after exercise. These clinical findings were observed in both males and females; they do not appear to be associated with dilated cardiomyopathy, but rather with a cardiovascular response to physical training. This study derives from the real interest of clinical veterinarians who care for highly trained canine athletes. It contributes to an increase in knowledge of the different cardiac adaptations of such dogs after intense exercise and serves to differentiate these from pathologic conditions.

Achieving the successful recovery of sled dogs is one of the key tasks for veterinary teams involved in clinical care for middle-distance sled dog competitions. This study compares the efficacy of capacitive-resistive electrical transfer (CRet) with that of massage in the treatment of lower back pain in 40 short-haired sled dogs during a medium-distance snow sled race (Lekkarod^TM-2021). The dogs were divided into two groups: a CRet group (20 dogs) and a massage group (20 dogs). All subjects received a single 18 min treatment session and were evaluated one hour after the end of the treatment. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed in which pre- and post-treatment pain measures were evaluated in relation to age and type of treatment. Older dogs were found to have higher significant pain scores before starting treatment. Both treatments reduce pain short-term in all cases. However, post-treatment pain values were significantly lower in dogs treated with CRet when compared to dogs treated with massage. The results show that capacitive-resistive electrical transfer has better short-term results and is beneficial in both younger and older dogs, making this technique attractive to veterinary teams working in canine sporting competitions.

Decisions regarding neutering in athletic sled dogs involve a complex balance between health, behaviour, performance, breeding objectives, and management considerations. However, evidence regarding neutering practices and their relationship with health outcomes in actively competing sled dogs remains limited. To identify factors associated with neutering status and musher-reported motivations for neutering or maintaining dogs intact, and to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of clinical findings according to reproductive status in sled dogs participating in the 2023 Lekkarod^® event. A total of 599 sled dogs registered for the 2023 Lekkarod^® event, including participants in the main endurance race and the associated Kraft tournament, were included. Information regarding age, sex, breed, neutering status, and owner-reported motivations was collected using a structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with neutering status. Clinical findings recorded during veterinary examinations conducted throughout the main Lekkarod race were classified and analysed according to reproductive status. Overall, 28.0% (168/599) of dogs were neutered. Neutering was significantly associated with female sex, older age, and breed category, whereas team position was not associated with reproductive status. The most frequently reported reasons for neutering were reproductive management, behavioural management, and disease prevention, whereas breeding purposes, preservation of genetic lines, performance-related considerations, and ethical concerns were the principal motivations for maintaining dogs intact. A total of 82 clinical findings were recorded, corresponding to 13.7% of the study population. Reproductive status was not associated with the overall occurrence of clinical abnormalities. However, the distribution of clinical finding categories differed significantly according to reproductive status (χ² = 7.564, p = 0.023). Intact dogs presented proportionally more metabolic/systemic abnormalities, whereas neutered dogs presented proportionally more musculoskeletal findings. The observed distribution of musculoskeletal findings was not explained by age alone. In this population of actively competing European sled dogs, neutering was relatively uncommon and reflected a combination of reproductive management, health, breeding, and performance-related considerations. Although reproductive status was not associated with the overall occurrence of clinical abnormalities during competition, it was associated with differing patterns of clinical findings. Intact dogs presented proportionally more metabolic abnormalities, whereas neutered dogs presented proportionally more musculoskeletal findings. These findings support an individualised approach to reproductive management in canine athletes and warrant further prospective investigation of the relationships among reproductive status, metabolic adaptation, musculoskeletal health, and athletic performance.