Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a) The
Commission recognizes that the diuretic Furosemide (Lasix) is helpful in the
management of Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH). In regulating the
race-day use of Furosemide (Lasix), the Commission has placed strict controls
on the dose, route and time the medication is administered. All of these
measures are designed to provide a thorough regulation of Furosemide (Lasix)
and prevent the misuse of the drug.
(b) A horse is eligible to race with
Furosemide (Lasix) if at least one of the following occurs:
(1) The horse is on the Commission's
Furosemide (Lasix) list and has complied with the provisions of subsection
(c);
(2) The horse is on the
Commission's Bleeder List and has complied with the provisions of subsection
(d);
(3) The trainer provides the
Commission Veterinarian or the designee with evidence that the horse in on the
Furosemide (Lasix) list or the Bleeder List in another jurisdiction. Acceptable
evidence shall be a Furosemide or bleeder certificate approved by that
jurisdiction's official veterinarian.
(4) The trainer provides the Commission
Veterinarian or the designee with evidence that the horse has been running
consistently, up to the last start, with Furosemide (Lasix) in other racing
jurisdictions as shown on official past performance records from Equibase or
Racing Form.
(c)
Furosemide (Lasix) list-Furosemide (Lasix) shall be
administered to a horse that is entered to race only after the Commission
Veterinarian has placed the horse on the Furosemide (Lasix) list. To be placed
on the Furosemide (Lasix) list the following process shall be followed:
(1) After the horse's licensed trainer and
licensed veterinarian determine that it would be in the horse's best interests
to race with Furosemide, the trainer or licensed veterinarian shall notify the
Commission Veterinarian or designee using the prescribed form, requesting that
the horse be placed on the Furosemide (Lasix) list.
(2) The form must be received by the official
veterinarian or his/her designee by the proper time deadlines to ensure public
notification.
(3) A horse placed on
the official Furosemide (Lasix) list must remain on that list unless the
licensed trainer and licensed veterinarian submit a written request to remove
the horse from the list. The request must be made to the Commission
Veterinarian or designee, on the proper form, no later than the time of
entry.
(4) After a horse has been
removed from the Furosemide (Lasix) list, the horse may not be placed back on
the list for a period of 60 calendar days unless it is determined to be
detrimental to the welfare of the horse, in consultation with the official
veterinarian. If a horse is removed from the official Furosemide (Lasix) list a
second time in a 365-day period, the horse may not be placed back on the list
for a period of 90 calendar days.
(d)
Bleeder List-To obtain
approval for the administration of Furosemide (Lasix), the horse shall be
placed on a bleeder list which shall be maintained by the Commission
Veterinarian. An up-to-date Bleeder List shall be maintained and posted in the
racing secretary's office by the Commission. Only the following horses shall be
placed on the Bleeder List:
(1) External
evidence of exercised induced pulmonary hemorrhage from one or both nostrils
during or after a race or workout, as observed by a Commission's
Veterinarian;
(2) Internal evidence
of exercised induced pulmonary hemorrhage by means of endoscopy reported by a
licensed practicing veterinarian on a Commission approved form.
(3) A confirmed bleeder, regardless of age,
shall be placed on the Bleeder List and be ineligible to race for the following
time periods:
(i) First incident-14
days;
(ii) Second incident within
365-day period-30 days;
(iii) Third
incident within 365-day period-180 days;
(iv) Fourth incident within 365-day
period-barred for racing lifetime.
(4) Once a horse is place on the bleeder
list, it must continue to race with Furosemide (Lasix) unless the removal from
the list is approved by the Commission Veterinarian. The horse may be removed
from the bleeder list upon written request of the trainer, if the horse's
performance is negatively affected by the use of Furosemide (Lasix) or if the
horse has an adverse physiological reaction to Furosemide (Lasix).
(i) Prior to removal, the horse must perform
a workout, without bleeding, to the satisfaction of the Commission
Veterinarian. The Commission Veterinarian may witness an endoscopic examination
of the horse to confirm that the horse has not bled.
(ii) Once removed from the bleeder list, a
Thoroughbred horse shall be ineligible to participate in a race for a minimum
of 30 days. Prior to starting in a race, a horse must participate without
Furosemide (Lasix) in official workout without bleeding, to the satisfaction of
the Commission Veterinarian.
(e) Furosemide (Lasix) shall be the only
authorized bleeder medication and shall only be administered on the licensed
racetrack grounds.
(1) The use of Furosemide
(Lasix) shall be permitted under the following circumstances on association
grounds where a detention barn is utilized:
(i) Furosemide (Lasix) shall be administered
by the official veterinarian, the racing veterinarian or a properly appointed
designee no less than 4 hours prior to post time for the race for which the
horse is entered;
(ii) Any
veterinarian participating in the administration process must be prohibited
from working as private veterinarians on the race track or with participating
licensees;
(iii) A horse qualified
for Furosemide (Lasix) administration must be brought to the detention barn
within time to comply with the 4-hour administration requirement.
(iv) The dose administered shall not exceed
500 mg. nor be less than 150 mg.
(v) Furosemide (Lasix) shall be administered
by a single, intravenous injection.
(2) After treatment, the horse shall be
required by the Commission to remain in the detention barn in the care, custody
and control of its trainer or the trainer's designated representative under
association or Commission security supervision, or both, until called to the
saddling paddock.
(3) The use of
Furosemide (Lasix) shall be permitted under the following circumstances on
association grounds where a detention barn is not utilized:
(i) Furosemide (Lasix) shall be administered
by the official veterinarian, the racing veterinarian or his/her designee no
less than 4 hours prior to post time for the race for which the horse is
entered.
(ii) Any veterinarian
participating in the administration process must be prohibited from working as
private veterinarians or technicians on the race track on or with participating
licensees;
(iii) The Furosemide
(Lasix) dosage administered shall not exceed 500 mg., nor be less than 150
mg.
(iv) Furosemide (Lasix) shall
be administered by a single, intravenous injection.
(v) After treatment, the horse shall be
required by the Commission to remain in the proximity of its stall in the care,
custody and control of its trainer or the trainer's designated representative
under general association and/or Commission security surveillance until called
to the saddling paddock.
(f) In the event a horse listed on the
Furosemide (Lasix) list races without Furosemide (Lasix), the horse shall be
disqualified and any purse money earned by the horse redistributed. The
Stewards may impose a fine, suspension, or both, upon the trainer or
veterinarian.
(g) Test results must
show a detectable concentration of the drug in the post-race serum, plasma or
urine sample.
(1) The specific gravity of
post-race urine samples may be measured to ensure that samples are sufficiently
concentrated for proper chemical analysis. The specific gravity shall not be
below 1.010. If the specific gravity of the urine is found to be below 1.010 or
if a urine sample is unavailable for testing, quantitation of Furosemide in
serum or plasma shall be performed;
(2) Quantitation of Furosemide (Lasix) in
serum or plasma shall be performed when the specific gravity of the
corresponding urine sample is not measured or if measured below 1.010.
Concentrations may not exceed 100 nanograms of Furosemide (Lasix) per
milliliter of serum or plasma.
(h) The practicing veterinarian shall be
responsible for administering the proper Furosemide (Lasix) medication and dose
at the proper time to the proper horse and providing the Commission or its
staff, upon request, with any necessary documentation related to the horses
under the veterinarian's care relating to Furosemide (Lasix).
This section cited in 7 Pa. Code §
401.4 (relating to substances of
therapeutic value); and 7 Pa. Code §
403.3 (relating to treatment
restrictions).
