Click Here to Return to Iditarod Race Updates Menu

March 15, 2002
Nome, Alaska

RESEARCH VOLUNTEERS
This morning six of Jim's twelve finishers volunteered to be part of a sports medicine research project associated with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.  This project is also a follow-up to work that was begun last year, but Dr. Nelson didn't mention it to me when I interviewed him in Galena (see Update 18).  I found out about this project after we arrived in Nome, and then I learned that Jim had agreed that his team could participate.  

Dr. Davis is navigating the bronchoscope through Duchess' airways.  He is watching what is happening on the video screen to his left.  The anesthesiologist in front of him monitors the breathing and oxygen levels. Dr. Mac, behind Mike, records the observations.   Lynette supervises the whole scene!!

After the 2001 Iditarod, in addition to the endoscopic study of dog's stomachs, lung specialists also studied the bronchial tubes in the same dogs.  Cindy's dogs took part in that study, and I was allowed to observe the procedure.  After the dogs were anesthetized, one specialist looked into the airways with an instrument called a bronchoscope.  This is a long, flexible instrument which contains fiberoptic strands.  It is about the thickness of a phone cord.   Immediately after that inspection was completed, a different specialist looked into the stomachs.  This year, in addition to the study that Dr. Nelson described regarding stomach ulcers,  Mike Davis, DVM, the pulmonary specialist, is back and looking into the bronchial tree of some of the sled dogs.  He is studying the effects of marathon athletic endeavors on canine athletes.  Dr. Davis believes that it is likely that the same thing happens in sled dogs that occurs in human athletes who exercise for long times in cold, dry air. This is called "exercise induced asthma". If it is true that sled dogs, like people, are prone to this condition, it will potentially be of great benefit to humans, as well as canines, to do this kind of research.  

Here Duchess is having the 'bronchial washing' procedure.  Note the syringe and small clear plastic tube which is running down the inside of the slightly larger black bronchoscope.

In 2002, Dr. Davis is studying a "control group" of dogs who have not participated in the Iditarod.  These are sled dogs from the Nome area, who have been training, but not racing.  He is then comparing his findings in this group with the findings of his examination of the Iditarod dogs...the "study group".  A new procedure has been added to the protocol called "bronchial washings".  Once the bronchoscope has been placed down into the small airways in the periphery of the lung, sterile saline is gently squirted into the bronchial tubes, and then sucked out again.  Then this fluid is concentrated and examined under the microscope to determine what kind of cells are present. Furthermore it is possible to do chemical tests on the fluid if that is desired.  In this way, scientists get clues as to what is going on within the lungs, and also what is the cause, for example, infection versus allergy versus simple irritation.  All video observations are recorded permanently.

The results of  this study won't be known for some time, but Ultimate Iditarod will try to keep you informed of anything that is learned.  It strikes me that this is a really striking example of the "complete inside look"!!

Reporting from the Port Authority Headquarters, serving as temporary research lab...for Ultimate Iditarod.....Bill Gallea

© 2002 Ultimate Iditarod, Snowcrest Racing Sled Dogs, Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team
Reproduction or distribution in any way or by any means prohibited without permission.
Ultimate Iditarod http://www.ultimateiditarod.com  email: dogboy@ultimateiditarod.com