This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different loads of exercises on the heart rate behavior and rhythm in healthy dogs, over the 24-hour Holter recording. Twenty-three dogs were used without gender, age or breed restriction, and 15 animals were submitted to physical activities and 8 were used as control group. The results showed changes in heart rate during the proposed activities, with 174±27 bpm while walking, 148±30 during ball activity and 165±26 during Cooper. Moreover, arrhythmias were observed, including atrioventricular blocks and premature complexes and a larger number and duration of pauses (up to 5 sec) at rest, and provided a smaller variation in the HR during the sleep period of animals from the experimental group. These events were not observed in the control group, suggesting that strenuous physical exercise affects the autonomic modulation of the heart, and may lead to important arrhythmias.
dog; exercise; Holter
