Sled Dogs Research Articles

Policing the Arctic: Relations Between the Mounted Police and Inuit in the Eastern Canadian Arctic during Sled Dog Patrols, 1903 – 45

This paper examines relations between the Mounted Police and Inuit of the Eastern Canadian Arctic from 1903 to 1945. It recognizes that although the Mounted Police, as an organization, acted coercively to impose Canadian laws and push Canada’s colonial agenda in the Arctic, police officers needed to maintain good relationships with Inuit to do their job and survive Arctic conditions. The paper’s overarching objective is to highlight the contribution of Inuit special constables to Canadian Arctic history. We present a careful study of routine and special patrols, as these provide a unique opportunity to gain a better understanding of the role of Inuit special constables and their relationships with Mounted Police officers. The paper presents a series of interactions between these two groups that illustrate the complexity and nuances of their relationship. Drawing on archival work, we also highlight the names of previously unacknowledged Inuit special constables.

Serum Biochemistry and Haematology Alterations in Sled Dogs Before and After a Race

Abstract Long-distance sled dogs are known for their great endurance and ability to run several hundred kilometres over the course of a few days. There are several factors to consider when selecting a team of high-performing sled dogs, including their physique, body score condition, appetite, paws, and ability to adapt to unknown environments and situations. The most common breed used in sled dog racing, Alaska Huskies, are known for their great work diligence, and determined mindset. It has previously been researched how well these dogs endure such intense physical activity using observation of behavioural patterns, physical examinations, and the analysis of alterations in blood parameters. This study aimed to evaluate serum chemistry and haematology alterations in dogs before and after completing a 300 km race in Norway. Changes were observed in haematology and serum chemistry between pre- and post-race blood sampling. Significant increases were observed in the white blood cell count, haemoglobin in blood and creatine phosphokine activity in serum (CK), and significant decreases were seen in the electrolytes (e.g., chlorides, potassium), cholesterol levels, liver (e.g., alkaline phosphatase) and pancreatic enzymes (α-amylase, lipase), and total red blood cell count. Several other parameters were measured, and resulted in insignificant changes. Our results indicated that long-distance racing, in fact, has an impact on the physiology of the dog, influencing muscular system, the gastrointestinal tract, electrolyte balance and haematopoiesis among others.

Comparative Population Genomics of Arctic Sled Dogs Reveals a Deep and Complex History.

Recent evidence demonstrates genomic and morphological continuity in the Arctic ancestral lineage of dogs. Here, we use the Siberian Husky to investigate the genomic legacy of the northeast Eurasian Arctic lineage and model the deep population history using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms. Utilizing ancient dog-calibrated molecular clocks, we found that at least two distinct lineages of Arctic dogs existed in ancient Eurasia at the end of the Pleistocene. This pushes back the origin of sled dogs in the northeast Siberian Arctic with humans likely intentionally selecting dogs to perform different functions and keeping breeding populations that overlap in time and space relatively reproductively isolated. In modern Siberian Huskies, we found significant population structure based on how they are used by humans, recent European breed introgression in about half of the dogs that participate in races, moderate levels of inbreeding, and fewer potentially harmful variants in populations under strong selection for form and function (show, sled show, and racing populations of Siberian Huskies). As the struggle to preserve unique evolutionary lineages while maintaining genetic health intensifies across pedigreed dogs, understanding the genomic history to guide policies and best practices for breed management is crucial to sustain these ancient lineages and their unique evolutionary identity.

SDO: A novel sled dog-inspired optimizer for solving engineering problems

A new bio-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm, named Sled Dog Optimizer (SDO), is proposed in this paper. The inspiration for SDO is primarily drawn from the various behavioral patterns of sled dogs. It focuses on constructing mathematical models by simulating the process of dog sledding, training and retiring behaviors. The mutual constraints of multiple steps and the variation of several parameters make the exploitation and exploration capabilities of SDO well balanced. To test the ability of SDO, this paper sets up several different sets of experiments to be analyzed from a number of different aspects. First, SDO is qualitatively analyzed through several performance metrics, which include search history, search trajectory and population diversity. Second, SDO is compared with several novel and excellent metaheuristics at CEC 2017 as well as CEC 2020. The results show that SDO has extremely good performance in solving unconstrained optimization problems. SDO is then further applied to the CEC 2020 real-world problem test set to test its ability to solve real-world optimization problems with constraints. Finally, this paper extends and proposes a new path planning model to which SDO is applied. In these problems with constraints, SDO performs well and has a promising application. SDO demonstrates outstanding control of exploration and exploitation capabilities in all experiments. It can be said that SDO promotes the progress of meta-heuristic algorithms and provides another new powerful technology for complex optimization problems in the real world.

Umwelt and Melody: The Inter-Species Dynamics of Search and Rescue Dog Teams

This text explores Search and Rescue (SAR) dog work, examining the interplay of Umwelt, semiosis, and behavior in both dogs and humans. Drawing on Uexküll’s notion of Umwelt, the discussion unfolds across two semiotic levels: endosemiosis, involving the constitution of species-specific Umwelten through non-mimetic processes, and exosemiosis, reflecting semiotic interactions within the established Umwelt. Emphasizing the Kantian influence on Uexküll, the text parallels the concept of transcendental schematism with monogram drafting, illustrating how organisms constitute their Umwelten. The exploration extends to Merleau-Ponty’s interpretation of the monogram in Kant and the Umwelt in Uexküll, framing behavior as melodic and underscoring the reciprocal influence between an organism and its Umwelt. Shifting focus to SAR dog teams, the essay elucidates the melodic teamwork between human handlers and dogs. It discerns the convergence of distinct search tones—human-driven rescue tones and dog-driven reward tones—harmonizing in a dynamic inter-species melody. The melodic metaphor, inspired by Merleau-Ponty, illuminates the shared behavioral space where humans and dogs contribute tonalities to the melody of SAR searches. The exploration underscores the handler’s role in facilitating this melodic collaboration, requiring interpretation deeply immersed in the movements of the dog, and a balance between guidance and trust in the dog’s autonomy during the search.

Effects of a Nutraceutical Treatment on the Intestinal Microbiota of Sled Dogs.

Dog sledding is the main discipline of working dogs on snow, consisting of a team of dogs pulling a sled under the guidance of the owner. To carry out this sport, dogs must have adequate nutrition and vitamin and antioxidant supplementation to ensure that the physical effort is optimal. The present study evaluated the effect that sporting activity and stress have on the canine intestinal microbiota by dividing the dogs into two groups: a control group that did not take any nutraceutical products and the treated group to which a nutraceutical product was administered. The nutraceutical administered in this study is used in all cases of canine intestinal dysbiosis in which it is essential to quickly restore a balanced intestinal microbiota. The results obtained show that in dogs not taking the nutraceutical, there is an increase in bacteria, such as Streptococcus spp. and E. coli, considered enteropathogenic to the detriment of beneficial bacterial species such as Faecalibacterium spp., Turicibacter spp., Blautia spp., Fusobacterium spp., and Clostridium hiranonis. Instead, the group of dogs treated with nutraceutical displays a lower amount of enteropathogenic bacteria and a great increase in the other bacterial species considered beneficial for the animal's health. The results obtained in the present study show that Microbiotal cane® can be used in dogs subject to intense sporting activity by preventing severe alterations at intestinal ecosystem levels by maintaining intestinal bacterial composition as balanced as possible.

Use of acoustic myography in evaluation of biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscle function in nine skijoring dogs

Abstract Studies have found pain and inflammation in the shoulder region of working sled dogs. As skijoring is a comparable, competitive winter sport, this act may result in injuries similar to those seen in sled dogs. The purpose of this study was to assess the duration of muscle contraction, temporal, and spatial summation (E-, S-, and T-scores) of the biceps and triceps brachii muscles and compare between skijoring and free-running. Nine skijoring dogs completed a free-run and skijoring trial on the same trail in random order. Acoustic myography (AMG), measuring on:off ratio (E-score), spatial summation (S-score), and temporal summation (T-score) of the biceps and triceps brachii was performed comparing the muscle work during skijoring and free-running tasks ensuring minimal acceleration during each recording period. Statistical analyses included Shapiro-Wilk tests, paired Student’s t-tests, two-way ANOVAs, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Significance was set at . When comparing the E-, S- and T-scores of the experienced dogs, the E-score of the triceps brachii was significantly lower during skijoring compared to free-running. When comparing the biceps versus the triceps in all dogs, T-score for the biceps was significantly lower than that of the triceps during skijoring. Males were significantly faster than the females during both the free-running and skijoring tasks. Males all fell in the experienced dog group. In experienced dogs, the increase in triceps workload during the task of skijoring with no apparent change in its antagonist, the biceps, could result in excess tension on the musculotendinous unit of the biceps. The relative workload of the biceps versus the triceps appears higher regarding temporal summation during skijoring.

Detection dogs can help researchers with elusive forest owl conservation

AbstractElusive fauna are often studied indirectly, via traces they leave behind, or via other non‐invasive survey methods. Critically endangered Tasmanian masked owls are both rare and elusive, which hampers conservation efforts. Spotlighting and call playback often have low success rates in accurately determining the presence/absence of Tasmanian masked owls. Using indirect survey techniques for traces such as owl pellets can be more efficient and provide a more reliable source of detailed data regarding presence/absence, diet, health, population structure and environmental contaminants. However, pellets can be difficult for researchers to find in the field. We evaluate whether detection dogs are effective in finding owl pellets in two steps: an experimental trial comparing the performance of a dog team to that of an ecologist with significant field experience with masked owls; and in a pilot field study where the dog team searched potential owl habitat in Tasmanian forests. During the experimental trials, the dog team significantly outperformed the ecologist. The dog team was more sensitive, finding 89% versus 40% of pellets present for the ecologist, and took half as long to search an equivalent‐sized search area. The combined efficiency of the dog team was 4.5 times greater than that of an ecologist working alone. During the pilot study, in searching areas of potential masked owl habitat, no pellets were found. However, when sites were visited where owls were known to have been recently sighted, the dog team were able to find large numbers of owl pellets suitable for collection and potential data extraction. Our trials suggest that dogs can find owl pellets with considerably greater sensitivity and efficiency than ecologists working alone and that they would be best used in combination with targeted surveys, especially when the detection and subsequent collection of as many pellets as possible is desirable for DNA extraction or other analysis.

Thermal relations in sled dogs before and after exercise.

Regulation of internal body temperature (Tb), or thermoregulation, is an evolutionarily conserved trait that places demand on basal metabolic rate of endothermic animals. Across species, athletes generate increased quantities of heat in comparison to their nonathletic counterparts and, therefore, must mediate physiological unbalance by upregulating the effectiveness of their heat dissipation abilities. Canine athletes are no exception to this phenomenon, however, with literature denoting body temperatures lower than nonathletic canines, it is clear they must possess adaptations to mitigate this demand. With VO2 max measurements of more than 200 mL/kg/min in sled dogs with mild training to 300 mL/kg/min in highly trained animals, sled dogs are a prime example of athleticism in canines. Seeking to determine correlations between Tear and body mass, morphology, and age of canine athletes, core body temperature (Tb) was measured with an instant ear thermometer, using Tear as a correlate before and after a 2-mile run. In addition, we employed thermal imaging analysis to capture body-wide heat dissipation patterns in sled dogs, and focused on thermal variation of mouth (Tmouth), nose (Tnose), and eyes (Teye). Furthermore, we looked at correlations between thermal variability across these four tissues and head morphology of each dog. Tear was consistently the highest temperature across all tissues measured, with a 1.5°C increase between pre- to postexercise (p < 0.001). Thermal imaging revealed significant positive correlations between Tmouth and body mass 15 min postexercise (p = 0.0023) as well as significantly negative correlations between Tnose and body mass at before exercise (p = 0.0468), Teye and nose length after run (p = 0.0076), and Tmouth and nose length after run (p = 0.0110). As body temperature rises during exercise, it becomes increasingly important to regulate blood flow throughout the body to supply working tissues with oxygen. This demand is offset by the role of the snout in evaporative cooling through panting, functioning as a prime location for heat dissipation and therefore maintaining significant relationships with many other vascularized tissues.

Balto and Togo during the cold winter of Alaska (1925): the two canine heroes in the fight against diphtheria.

In recent years, diphtheria has re-emerged in areas with inadequate vaccination coverage, and Europe has not been spared with several cases among migrants. Diphtheria is a potentially fatal infection caused mainly by toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Due to the high mortality rate, especially among young children, the fight against diphtheria is considered one of the first conquests of immunization. In the history of medicine, there is a unique case of an unconventional response to a diphtheria outbreak in which sled dogs were used to overcome the supply difficulties of diphtheria antitoxin. The mass media followed the medical response to the outbreak and raised audience awareness of public health issues. The facts of Nome, Alaska, in 1925 can serve as a catalyst to rethink conventional responses to diphtheria outbreaks in low-income countries today and promote mass media awareness of public health importance.

Hopping from one species to another – Training requirements of frog generalist detection dogs

Wildlife detection dog teams have been widely demonstrated to be a highly sensitive and effective monitoring method. Sourcing suitable samples of target species with which to train detection dogs can be challenging. An alternative is training on similar species (or multiple species), with the aim of the dog generalising to the desired target species or category of species (e.g. ‘frog’). If successful, this approach could allow for the detection of species not available for training or not previously discovered, and permit data to be collected on multiple species, if desirable. Our study aims were to determine if dogs could be trained to generalise across novel frog species after training on five species and to record how many individuals within a species would be required for training. Using a scent wheel, we trained six dogs to detect five frog species, sequentially. After reaching training criteria, dogs were assessed during double-blind trials on five novel frog species. ‘Training species’ belonged to two genera (Litoria sp. and Limnodynastes sp.) and ‘novel species’ belonged to four genera (Philoria sp., Litoria sp., Mixophyes sp. and Pseudophryne sp.). The number of training sessions required on each frog species before reaching criteria decreased from Species A to Species E. During trained species assessments, the dogs consistently generalised to novel individuals after being trained on 10 individual frogs from each species. When the dogs were assessed on five novel frog species they spontaneously generalised to each novel species on 17/20 instances. The dogs’ sensitivity and precision scores across assessments were very high for both the trained species (sensitivity = 91.4 %; precision = 80.8 %) and novel species (sensitivity = 90.0 %; precision = 84.8 %). Our results demonstrate dogs’ abilities to spontaneously generalise across multiple frog species, whilst maintaining high target sensitivity and precision. This suggests that the dogs’ learned to detect the category of ‘frogs’ in a controlled setting. This training approach may therefore be highly valuable for training detection dogs on endangered species when animals or samples are challenging, or impossible, to source, or training time is limited. Further research is required to determine whether generalisation across frog species can be demonstrated in live frog detection in field settings.

Wild Alaskan salmon supplementation increases 25-OHD levels in sled dogs

Vitamin D deficiency affects canines and humans alike. Athletes are a particularly high-risk group. Further research regarding optimal intake and supplementation is needed to establish the parameters of vitamin D status in both humans and canines and to create a physiologically-relevant definition for vitamin D sufficiency. The objectives of this study were to (1) compare 25-OHD (25-hydroxy vitamin D) levels in sled dogs before and after receiving a diet supplemented with wild Alaskan salmon and (2) correlate biomarkers associated with vitamin D metabolism to 25-OHD levels in sled dogs. Plasma samples from 14 working sled dogs between 10 months and 7 years of age were collected before and after a 4-week supplementation with »0.45 kg of salmon/day. Samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for parathyroid hormone and vitamin D binding protein (DBP); 25-OHD levels were measured via radioimmunoassay. 25-OHD and DBP in sled dogs significantly increased after a 4-week supplementation with salmon (P=0.0011 and 0.0367, respectively). Additional variations in 25-OHD were observed when separated by sex (P=0.0404) and age (P&lt;0.0001). 57% of the dogs were deficient prior to the salmon supplementation and 14% at the completion of the study. Wild Alaskan salmon is one of the few food sources that provide appreciable amounts of vitamin D. A 4-week salmon supplementation in sled dogs was sufficient to improve 25-OHD concentrations in most sled dogs in this study. Confounding factors such as age and sex affect circulating 25-OHD levels.

Evaluating injuries and illnesses that occurred during the Yukon Quest International sled dog race, 2018-2020.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate medical record data from the 2018-2020 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog race to examine injury patterns and risk factors for dogs competing in multi-day ultra-endurance events. Specifically, we summarized injuries and illnesses that resulted in canine athletes being removed ("dropped") from competition, and in orthopedic injuries diagnosed in both dropped and finished dogs. The records of 989 dogs that started the race were examined, but only records from dogs in teams that went on to finish the race were included, for a total of 711 records. Three hundred and sixty five dogs (51.3%) were noted to have at least one abnormal finding in their veterinary medical record during the race. Orthopedic injuries were most common, and 291 injuries were ultimately diagnosed in 234 dogs (32.9%). Ultimately, 206 dogs (29%) were dropped from competition, for any reason. The most common reasons for dropping dogs were orthopedic injuries (156 dogs; 188 injuries), gastrointestinal illness (22 dogs), and cardiorespiratory disease (7 dogs). Most orthopedic injuries in dropped dogs occurred in the thoracic limb (n = 121 dogs; 151 injuries). Of those, injuries to the shoulder were most common (n = 77), followed by injuries to the carpus (n = 59), and injury to the pelvic limb (n = 32). Carpal injuries were the most prevalent injury diagnosed in dogs that went on to finish the race (71 of 85 injuries). Carpal injuries were the most prevalent injuries overall in 2018 (51%) and 2019 (52%). In 2020, shoulder injuries were most prevalent (27%), suggesting that trail conditions may have differed between years. The majority of dogs with an orthopedic injury ultimately were removed from competition (156 of 234, or 66.6%), but the likelihood of finishing the race with an injury depended on the type of injury sustained; 71 of 130 dogs (54.6%) with a carpal injury went on to finish the race, whereas only 9 of 86 dogs with a shoulder injury (10.5%) went on to finish. The results of this study can assist mushers and veterinarians in preparing for races, and in decision making during endurance sled dog races.

Facility dog roles, responsibilities, and experiences in pediatric healthcare

ABSTRACT Current research indicates therapeutic benefits associated with facility dog interventions for hospitalized pediatric patients; however, considerably less is known about understanding, structuring, and optimizing these specialized services. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the roles, responsibilities, and experiences of pediatric hospital-based facility dog teams and programs. Participants included 43 facility dog handlers employed in US pediatric healthcare settings. A survey collected information about handler and program characteristics, perceptions of the facility dog role, and intervention provision experiences. Most programs were found in freestanding children’s hospitals, serving inpatient units, ambulatory surgery, the emergency department, and radiology. They described facility dogs as highly trained, facility-specific animals that work in tandem with trained psychosocial support professionals to identify and meet patient- and family-focused goals. Participants reported a spectrum of psychosocial interventions, describing their work as primarily animal-assisted therapy, with some animal-assisted intervention and animal-assisted activities as well. Facility dogs, alongside their handlers, offer an array of interventions grounded in their assessment of a child and family’s psychosocial and developmental needs and goals. Though programs may differ in some ways, they are united in their aims to provide intentional, playful, and healing interventions for hospitalized children and families.

Analysis of the gut microbiome in sled dogs reveals glucosamine- and activity-related effects on gut microbial composition.

The composition of the microbiome influences many aspects of physiology and health, and can be altered by environmental factors, including diet and activity. Glucosamine is a dietary supplement often administered to address arthritic symptoms in humans, dogs, and other mammals. To investigate how gut microbial composition varies with glucosamine supplementation, we performed 16S rRNA sequence analysis of fecal samples from 24 Alaskan and Inuit huskies and used mixed effects models to investigate associations with activity, age, and additional factors. Glucosamine ingestion, age, activity, sex, and diet were correlated with differences in alpha-diversity, with diversity decreasing in dogs consuming glucosamine. Beta-diversity analysis revealed clustering of dogs based on glucosamine supplementation status. Glucosamine supplementation and exercise-related activity were associated with greater inter-individual pairwise distances. At the family level, Lactobacillaceae and Anaerovoracaceae relative abundances were lower in supplemented dogs when activity was accounted for. At the genus level, Eubacterium [brachy], Sellimonus, Parvibacter, and an unclassified genus belonging to the same family as Parvibacter (Eggerthellaceae) all were lower in supplemented dogs, but only significantly so post-activity. Our findings suggest that glucosamine supplementation alters microbiome composition in sled dogs, particularly in the context of exercise-related activity.

What does my healthcare provider know about caring for me with my service dog?

Background Caring for individuals teamed with service dogs requires complex practice knowledge intertwined with knowledge of legal protections and institutional policy. While healthcare professionals report not feeling fully prepared to care for this population, little is known about the care experiences from individuals teamed with a service dog. Purpose This study examined characteristics of individuals teamed with service dogs and their perspectives of what their healthcare providers know about caring for them. Method Cross-sectional analysis of survey data representing N = 204 individuals teamed with service dogs in the United States. Survey questions included demographic characteristics and measures of healthcare provider knowledge in the care of service dog teams. Discussion Less than 50% of respondents strongly agreed that their healthcare providers saw them as an expert in being supported by a service dog and communicated with them on meeting their needs. Between 56% to 65% strongly agreed to healthcare providers having knowledge of additional aspects of communication and interaction, awareness of legal rights for service dogs, organizational policies on service dogs, and acting as their advocate.

Learning from the Cultural Community of Service Dog Teams: Culturally Congruent Healthcare for Individuals Teamed with Service Dogs

Background: Individuals with disabilities have the right to be teamed with service dogs for support. Healthcare professionals must be prepared to provide culturally congruent care to service dog teams. To provide culturally congruent care attributes that describe a culture must be known. Little to date is known about the perspectives of individuals teamed with service dogs. Purpose: This study examined characteristics of individuals teamed with service dogs, their perspectives on service dogs, benefits of their service dog, and experiences of receiving healthcare. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with individuals teamed with service dogs in the United States (N =270). Discussion: While there is great diversity among individuals with disabilities within this culture is a community of individuals teamed with service dogs. Individuals teamed with service dogs, including those for vision and hearing, share attributes that describe them as a cultural community. This understanding is fundamental to culturally congruent care for service dog teams.

Pilot Study of Animal Assisted Therapy Provided in a Student Run Pro Bono Clinic

Background: Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is therapeutic intervention designed to help patients engage in meaningful life activities.1 Therapy dogs are used in healthcare settings to engage patients in motion, self-care, mental health, motivation, social responses, pain management, and fine motor skills.2 While there is research on the benefits of AAT with children and adults in inpatient settings, there is a lack of information on the benefits and satisfaction of AAT in student-run free clinics (SRFC).&#x0D; Methods: Occupational therapy (OT) students, volunteer clinicians, trained therapy dog teams, and patients receiving OT services at the Community Aid, Relief, Education &amp; Support (CARES) SRFC participated in a pilot AAT program. All participants completed a specially designed survey via REDcap immediately following AAT sessions. Surveys focused on the patient’s pain and stress levels, benefits of AAT, and patient satisfaction.&#x0D; Results: Ten patients participated in the AAT pilot program alongside thirty-seven students and 4 therapy dog teams. 100% of patients responded therapy dogs helped them reach their goals, 93.8% of handlers and clinicians agreed the dog was a valuable addition to therapy sessions, and 100% of OT students agreed AAT is an important tool for therapists to use in clinical settings. 67.6% of patients reported a decrease in stress and 41.2% of patients who were experiencing pain reported a decrease in symptoms. Students, handlers, and clinicians reported benefits with AAT including range of motion (79.7%), fine motor skills (68.1%), and motivation (68.1%).&#x0D; Conclusion: AAT was successfully integrated into CARES SRFC based on feedback and data collected from participants. AAT had a visible impact on patients, students, handlers, and clinicians. Future research on the use of AAT in a SRFC should include a larger sample size and consider how to better define the specific impact of AAT on populations and conditions commonly seen in a SRFC.

Animal-Assisted Interventions on a College Campus to Improve Wellness: Adventures With the Northern Michigan University Wildpups.

The prevalence of anxiety and stress among university students has been well established. However, limited studies document the effects of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) on college campuses. An AAI program was created and implemented during the 2021-2022 academic year to study the effects on students' stress and anxiety. Five faculty dog and handler teams, called the "Wildpups," participated in events that allowed individuals to interact with registered therapy dogs. Nursing students assessed vital signs including heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure before and after events. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory survey was used to assess pre- and postperceived anxiety, and a visual analog scale was used to assess pre- and postperceived stress. Participants' blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates, and perceived stress and anxiety decreased significantly after events. Embedded AAI programs on college campuses positively affect the life and mental well-being of individuals. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(11):631-637.].

Consequences of the Human Animal Relationship: Pathologies of Sled Dogs in the Circumpolar North

Pathologies are rarely studied in sled dogs of the circumpolar North, even though lesions on their remains can give many insights to the relationship between Indigenous peoples and domestic dogs such as subsistence and mobility patterns. Some of the more commonly discussed conditions include spondylosis deformans, fractures, and dental trauma. However, it should be noted that these conditions are still fairly uncommon in the general literature. In sled dogs, spondylosis deformans stems from osteophyte formation on the vertebrae due to the degradation of the annulus fibrosus in the intervertebral disk. Fractures develop from human disciplinary action, bite wounds, or kicks from draught animals. Finally, dental trauma typically presents as intentional tooth removal or enamel hypoplasia. Pathology studies in dogs are uncommon due to a lack of comparative modern pathological collections, and due to a lack of recording in assemblages. Future research could develop the literature by examining collections from Yamal, Siberia.