(2014-04-04) Posada Arias, Silvia; García Naranjo, Ricardo; Saldarriaga Restrepo, Alejandro
The purpose of the study is to describe hematological variables before and after exercise in
dogs that do agility, and the effect of factors such as gender and age on these parameters.
Forty dogs were sampled during 2012, regardless of gender and age, with at least six months
of practice in Antioquia. Samples of venous blood were taken at three points: at rest, immediately
after exercising and 30 minutes after exercising. In Statgraphics version 15.0, analysis
of variance was used with three factors (sex, age, and time of sampling) to evaluate its effect on red and white blood cells and platelets. The confidence level was 95 %, and the multiple
comparisons procedure (least significant difference) was used. Erythrocytes and the mean corpuscular
volume show significant differences (p <0.05) for each of the interactions (sex and
age in each of the three times). Hemoglobin did not show significant differences in any of
the factors and interactions evaluated. The leukocyte count showed significant differences at
different ages (p <0.05). Neutrophils and lymphocytes showed significant differences between
the different age groups (p <0.05) and eosinophils showed no significant differences
for the variables of the study. Post-exercise hematologic variations are due to sympathetic
predominance and release of catecholamines, which stimulate splenocontraction and release
of erythrocytes from the spleen. In white blood cells, epinephrine release in response to fear,
excitement or sudden exercise is responsible for physiological leukocytosis and neutrophilia.
