Canine Performance Testing
The Auburn University Veterinary Sports Medicine Program has explored new technologies to test performance in athletic and working dogs. These technologies enable us to monitor dogs while they are working in their environment, and with all the stimulus’s of that environment. This allows us to evaluate dogs in a natural non-laboratory setting. During a performance evaluation we are able to sample EKG measurements, blood samples, speed of the body, distance covered by the dog, and high speed motion analysis of the dog. Therefore, we can conduct a more accurate performance evaluation of the dog.
Heart Rate, GPS, and Body Temperature
Using the above mentioned technology, we have developed a way to sample heart rates and core temperature every 2 seconds while the dog is resting, anticipating work, working, and recovering from work. We can also track the dogs speed and distance covered every 3.5 seconds using global positioning satellite technology. This allows us to gauge what type of physical work the dog is doing. We can then download that data to a lap top in the field and analyze it. This gives us a more in depth understanding of the metabolic status of the dog.
Blood Analysis
The staff at AUVSMP developed a unique technique in collecting blood samples. Blood is taken 24 hours prior to an athletic event in an area that the dog perceives as a non-athletic environment (e.g. the kennel). This provides a true resting sample. Then blood is drawn 24 hours after the resting sample just prior to exercise. This provides a blood sample when the dog is “psyched up” and driven to perform. When these two samples are compared to each other, it reveals the affects of the dog anticipating the performance. A third sample is taken immediately after exercise. The three samples allow a comparison of resting values, pre-exercise anticipation, and post-exercise values. For example, in a study of 20 foxhounds, the resting and pre-exercise samples revealed significant changes in various blood parameters. This indicated that there was a metabolic response to anticipation among the dogs. The dogs were excited and driven to hunt, and this created a stimulus that produced various physiological changes. The physiological changes were revealed in the comparison of blood parameters between the resting and pre-exercise samples. In addition, the post exercise samples produced results that could be compared to both the resting and pre-exercise values. 1 This methodology of blood sampling gives us a better representation of metabolic status.
Motion Analysis
The AUVSMP has the ability to use high speed video cameras to analyze almost any movement or component of movement that a dog executes during a sports skill. Movements can either be analyzed via slow motion analysis or movements can be analyzed by quantification of kinematic measurements. By using our Peak Motus 8.1 Software package we can quantify movement by calculating ranges of motion, limb and joint velocities and accelerations, and many other quantified measurements of motion. This allows us to assess body movement to help diagnose an injury, reveal a possible risk of injury, or help refine the movement of a sports skill.
References
1. Gillette, R. L., Johnston, S., & Angle, T. C. Comparison of resting, pre-exercise, and post exercise blood parameters in foxhounds. Unpublished Data: 2002
