Vitamin E and exertional rhabdomyolysis during endurance sled dog racing

Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) is common in sled dogs. animals with high en ergy expenditures that consume high fat (60% of ingested calories) diets. A ssociations between pre-race plasma [vitamin E] and total antioxidant statu s (TAS) and risk of developing ER were examined in dogs competing In the 19 98 Iditarod race. Pre-race blood samples were collected from 750 dogs and a second sample was collected from 158 dogs withdrawn from the race at vario us times. Plasma creatine kinase activity was used to identify withdrawn do gs with ER. There was no association between pre-race plasma [vitamin E] an d risk of development of ER. Dogs that developed ER started the race with h igher TAS, but when withdrawn, had lower TAS than unaffected dogs and had s imilar pre-race [vitamin E] but higher [vitamin E] at time of withdrawal. H ence. the risk of ER in sled dogs is not affected by plasma [vitamin E] bef ore the race. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.