Respiration in Conscious Dogs at Rest and during Exercise

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Abstract
Mongrel dogs (25) (average b.w. [body weight] 24.6 kg) were studied on several occasions at rest and during treadmill exercise of up to 10 mph (15% incline). Minute ventilation (.ovrhdot.VE), O2 consumption (.ovrhdot.VO2), CO2 production (.ovrhdot.VCO2), tidal volume (VT) and respiratory frequency (f) were determined at rest and at each level of exercise. Individual variability in resting .ovrhdot.VO2 was considerable (71-695 ml/min). Most often the dogs panted, with .ovrhdot.VE above 25 l/min and f above 100 min-1. The average .ovrhdot.VE/.ovrhdot.VO2 was 109 at rest. .ovrhdot.VO2 was linearly related to .ovrhdot.VE (.ovrhdot.VO2 = 9.17 .ovrhdot.VE + 66.9; r = 0.80). Differences in resting .ovrhdot.VE were largely due to differences in f (f = 3.57 .ovrhdot.VE + 21.2; r = 0.82). Considerable individual variability in .ovrhdot.VO2 for a given work load was also observed during exercise. Some dogs showed significant differences in .ovrhdot.VO2 from experiment to experiment while running at a given treadmill speed. These differences were largely related to the levels of .ovrhdot.VE. .ovrhdot.VE/.ovrhdot.VO2 decreased to 50. A leveling off of .ovrhdot.VO2 (at about 60 ml/min per kg) at treadmill speeds of 5 mph was found, suggesting that the maximal .ovrhdot.VO2 in dogs is less than previously reported.