All racing
regulatory commissions have been put on notice that the banning of voluntary
race day furosemide administrations by some US racetracks or lawmakers is
expected to encourage a return to practices deemed cruel, inhumane, or
potentially dangerous to the health and welfare of a horse.
Regulatory
policy permitting race day furosemide was developed decades ago to end such
practices and permit a treatment deemed helpful to the health of the
horse. The Association of Racing Commissioners International
(ARCI) has long maintained their international standard permitting such use is
more considerate of the health or the horse than the standards of other
organizations that disallow it.
Last Friday, the
RCI advised Regulatory Commissions to be on the lookout for horses being given
intravenous formaldehyde to combat potential incidents of
bleeding. The advisory noted that Formaldehyde use is already
being investigated in at least one US jurisdiction, and the RCI investigatory
intelligence network is reporting that if furosemide is banned in the US,
illegal formaldehyde use as an alternative may become common.
“This poses an
inherent danger to the horse and can be potentially fatal.” the advisory read,
noting that Racing Victoria, which does not permit race day furosemide, has been dealing with the
formaldehyde alternative for several years.
The ARCI also
advised commissions that it is anticipated that some horsemen will return to a
practice known as “Drawing and Muzzling”. This practice, common in Europe
where race day furosemide treatments are also not permitted, denies a horse
food and water for twenty-four to thirty six hours prior to a race.
“The denial of
water or food to a horse for an extended period of time should be regarded as
cruel and inhumane by regulatory authorities,” the advisory read.
The advisory
suggested that any commissions considering requests to suspend current
regulatory policy permitting race day furosemide treatments at racetracks or
during select races are being advised to consider a corresponding prohibition
on “Drawing and Muzzling”.
This is the
second Equine Welfare advisory circulated to commissions in recent
days. On April 30th the ARCI warned commissions to be on the
lookout for an herbal drug called Kratom that has been linked to almost 100 overdose
deaths in humans.
Kratom is
marketed as a health supplement and treatment for common maladies, but the FDA
and DEA have warned against its use. Kratom has been found in racehorses
in New York.
Commissions were
also reminded to alert investigators that some racehorses may be given
treatments of nickel to boost performance in much the same way cobalt has been
used.
