Blood serum enzyme activity of dogs exposed to heat stress and muscular exercise

Abstract

The activity of several clinically important enzymes was determined in 11 Alsatian dogs exercised in a temperate environment, exposed to heat stress alone, and exercised in a hot environment before and after heat acclimatization. Enhanced activities of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) (P < 0.01), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) (P < 0.05), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), phosphohexose isomerase (PHI) (P< 0.05), acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aldolase (ALD), and lipase (LIP) were observed in all dogs exposed to the various physiological stresses. The alteration in enzyme activities of acclimatized dogs was generally smaller than in non-acclimatized animals. Comparison between the 2 control groups (heat acclimatized versus nonacclimatized) indicates a significant increase in LDH activity (P < 0.01) and lower activities of PHI (P < 0.05), ACP (P < 0.05), and ALP (P < 0.01) in heat-acclimatized dogs.