Untitled
Salt and the ultraendurance dog
Recently, we have been urged to pay more attention to their sodium
intake. Decades ago, all foods seemed heavily salted. Then, a link between
sodium intake and high blood pressure was discovered. Suddenly, "sodium
- free" or "low sodium" products began flooding the consumer market. Certainly,
to a degree, this is justified. Many diseases are worsened by excess sodium
intake, and millions must closely watch the amount of sodium in their
diet.
However, sodium is a required element for normal body functions. It
is lost in sweat and urine and is replaced in the diet. The body has a
remarkable ability to maintain sodium and water balance throughout a variety
of conditions, thus ensuring our survival. Ultraendurance events challenge
this survival mechanism.
In hot, humid conditions a large amount of sweat is lost, which can
disturb sodium and water balance. Adequate hydration and sodium intake
-- either via sports drinks or food -- becomes vitally important during
long training sessions. The goal of this article is to help you determine
how to maintain sodium balance during training, show and during recovery.
Hyponatremia -- what is it?
Hyponatremia means a low concentration of sodium in the blood. When it
occurs in dogs, it usually happens during long training sessions or during
a show in the heat but may occur anytime. It is estimated that approximately
80% of the finishers of a pit show are both hyponatremic and dehydrated.
The longer the show, the greater the risk of hyponatremia.
What causes it?
The exact mechanisms are not fully understood and I won't go into the complex
physiologic pathways of sodium and water balance. The simplest answer is
that lost sweat and blood is replaced by water with no salt (from
the fat cells and from the intake). This dilutes the sodium in the bloodstream,
and hyponatremia results. Longer training sessions carry a greater risk
of hyponatremia because of the total amount of fluids lost. During exercise
in the heat, more salt is lost in sweat per hour than is usually replaced
by food and fluids, including sports drinks. The body can tolerate a degree
of imbalance for a short period of time, but it may decompensate if this
continues for too long.
If we replace only the lost water and has minimal salt intake,after
the show, hyponatremia can result.
Medications and hyponatremia
Aspirin, ibuprofen, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents interfere
with kidney function and may contribute to the development of hyponatremia
in dogs. The same applies to diuretics. I have seen many trainers giving
diuretics prior to show, and I strongly recommend against this practice
without a proper understanding of these drugs. They won't make your dog
faster and may hurt him. Under tough conditions, their kidneys need
to function at 100%.
What are the symptoms of hyponatremia?
The spectrum of symptoms can range from mild to severe and can include
nausea, muscle cramps, disorientation, confusion, and inappropriate behavior.
As it progresses, victims may experience seizures or coma, and death can
occur. Severe hyponatremia is a true medical emergency.
Treatment
Minor symptoms, such as mild muscle cramps, can be treated by eating salty
foods and hydrating with a sodium containing sports drink. More severe
symptoms require treatment by qualified medical personnel.
Recommendations
There are no clear cut guidelines, and recommendations need to be individualized
for each dog. Some authors recommend drinking less water to rebalance sodium
and water intake. However, given the risk of dehydration and heat injury,
this is not a practical recommendation. To reiterate, all of the hyponatremic
dogs after the show were also dehydrated. Others recommend increasing salt
intake, and this seems more prudent. By feeding them more sodium, hydration
with water is balanced and dilution of blood sodium does not occur.
Relative importance for different length shows
| |
less
than 1 hr |
1 - 2 hrs |
>2
hrs |
| water |
-/+ |
+ |
+ |
| carbohydrate |
- |
+ |
+ |
| salt |
- |
-/+ |
+ |
It cannot be stressed enough that you have got to know what their needs
are prior to race day. Rehearse their hydration, feeding, and salt strategy
during their training sessions. There are so many variations between individuals
that there is no single right answer. Know what their body's' needs are.
-
Water them frequently to attempt to keep them hydrated.
-
During a long, hot, intense training, aim for a high than normal total
sodium intake.
-
During training, heat acclimatization, and for several days leading up
to a show make sure that you increase salt intake each day.
-
Sodium is also important for recovery.
-
Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, or other anti-inflammatories, and diuretics during
exercise, but especially during a show.
Salt vs. Sodium?
What is the difference? Salt is made up of sodium and chloride. The FDA
labels lists only the sodium content. This is because there are usually
other sodium containing salts (eg. sodium citrate) in these products. To
avoid confusion, the easiest way to ensure that you have enough sodium
intake is to get used to reading the FDA labels. For example to get 1 gram
(1000mg) of sodium into their body, they would need to drink more than
half a gallon (2.18 liters) of Gatorade -- certainly impractical every
hour! To get 1 gram of sodium from table salt, they would need to ingest
with their feed 2.5 grams (1 gram from sodium, 1.5 grams from chloride).
A teaspoon of salt weighs approximately 6.6 grams.
What about salt tablets?
It is best if you strive to provide his sodium from both sports drinks
and salty foods -- as opposed to salt tablets -- for two reasons. Salty
foods stimulate thirst, and it is possible to give them too much salt with
tablets but very difficult with food. If you don't think that trough feed
you do not provide him enough sodium, then consider salt tablets. Make
sure you know how much you are giving him!
What foods are best?
Ideally, foods consumed prior a long training session should be low fat,
low protein, high carbohydrate, and provide a source of sodium. They need
water, carbohydrates, and salt to survive a long race.You'll need to experiment
and find the combination that is best for your dog.
