Letter to Cuomo

[magicnight]

Pretty smart article about Lasix by Steve Zorn of Castle Village Farm here.

http://therail.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/the-case-for-using-lasix/?ref=sports

[kencbs]

My problem with lasix, as well as bute, is that when they were first proposed for legalization, the argument for them was that they would enable horses to run more often.  Before any drugs were legalized, horses ran on average about 10 times a year.  Now it\'s down to about 6.  And I have yet to hear a single person in the industry argue that horses today are healthier, stronger, and more durable than they were before legalization.  I realize there\'s other issues involved like bad breeding, but it just doesn\'t seem like the original argument for legalizing drugs is holding up.

Ken

[TGJB]

I never ever heard anyone make that argument, but one thing\'s for sure, Lasix lets bleeders run more often. It used to be something like 60 days vets list for a first time bleeder, 6 months second time. No matter whose stats you use, a bunch of horses will be bleeding if you stop Lasix use-- except if they start using something else. Which as stated creates other problems.

I\'m trying to figure out, what\'s the good thing that happens because we ban Lasix? We get to be like other countries, and that\'s automatically good? All drug use is automatically bad? Anyone out there want to swear off all prescription drugs for the rest of their life?

By the way, an awful lot of the Euros that come here mid-career do so because they\'re bleeding over there.

[Footlick]

That was also part of my thought process.

[Footlick]

It is interesting to me, and has cleared many things up for me, to hear from the people in the industry.  Since I am an outsider, hearing the pros and cons of people in the industry has softened my stance on Lasix.  I have another question.  If horses train on it, and then are not allowed to run on it, does Lasix xtill have a beneficial effect on the horse during the race or does it need to be in the system during raceday to have the beneficial effect?

[Wild Again]

From all of the very informed posts the problem is evident.

Not enough money.

Not enough money to enforce the rules.

Not enough money returned to the owners.  Purse money doesn\'t cover expenses.

Not enough money returned to the bettors.  Take out is too high.

Not enough money returned to the owners of the racetracks.  If I\'m not mistaken Gareden State Park was demolished and sold for the value of the land.

Maybe racing needs to fail.  And only through this failure can it be rejiggered into a succesful format.

Thanks

Wild Again

[kencbs]

Jerry - I\'ve sworn off prescription drugs.  Haven\'t had one since 1983.  I\'ve gotten into the natural health movement.  But that\'s a whole other story.

I go back and forth on the lasix issue.  There\'s pros and cons for me.  And that\'s partly why I started this thread in the 1st place - to have us talking about this stuff.  I\'d rather solutions come from us than the NY Times and PETA.

Ken

[sighthound]

Yes.  

Lasix is given via intravenous injection four hours before a race. It starts working in about 5 minutes to make a horse urinate. It\'s peak effect is in about 30 minutes to an hour.  Then it\'s half-life is 2 hours or so.  

That means that, four hours after the shot, when the horse runs, there isn\'t even a therapeutic dose left in the horses system.  

Lasix is only used during a race, or during a hard work - not for regular training.  That\'s because EIPH is a recognized problem of all horse breeds that work at speed and great intensity:  race horses, barrel racers, weight-pulling horses, cross-country horses.

Why would you allow a horses lungs to be damaged by EIPH if you can help prevent it?

Lasix is a good theraputic drug for Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage.  There is zero reason to ban it.  Steve Zorn wrote a 100% accurate article.  Very nice.  

It \"enhances performance\", the same way an athlete who has asthma \"enhances performance\" by taking his asthma inhaler before he runs.  The same way your grandma \"enhances her performance\" by taking her lasix pill (her \"water pill\") so she can breath due to her congestive heart failure and her lungs don\'t feel wet.

[sighthound]

The problem with \"using lasix on actual bleeders\" is that our ability to diagnose has gotten so much better.

To diagnose \"bleeding\" (EIPH):

5% bleed visibly out their nose - the way we diagnosed it 120 years ago

70-75% bleed with blood visible in their trachea via endoscopy after race (if you time it correctly when you look) - the way we\'v diagnosed since the 1970\'s

85-93% bleed with blood found in lungs if you do a transtracheal wash (endoscopy cannot get back into tiny airways of lungs where EIPH actually occurs) - the way we\'ve been able to do it since the 1980\'s

The incidence of EIPH in race horses has not changed in over 100 years - only the diagnostic methods have gotten better.

Lasix isn\'t a problem - it\'s a solution to a problem.

[sighthound]

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners

Position on Therapeutic Medications in Racehorses (2009)

The AAEP policy on medication in pari-mutuel racing is driven by our mission to improve the health and welfare of the horse.

The AAEP policy is aimed at providing the best health care possible for the racehorses competing while ensuring the integrity of the sport.

The AAEP expects its members to abide by the rules of all jurisdictions where they practice.

The AAEP condemns the administration of non-therapeutic or unprescribed medications to racehorses by anyone.

The AAEP believes that all therapeutic medication should be administered to racehorses by or under the direction of a licensed veterinarian.

Health care decisions on individual horses should involve the veterinarian, the trainer and owner with the best interests of the horse as the primary objective.

The AAEP strongly encourages continued research in determining the therapeutic levels and appropriate withdrawal times that represent responsible use of medication in the racehorse.

The AAEP is aware of the dynamics of the development of new products, as well as the continuing evaluation of current medications, and will continue to evaluate its policy based upon available scientific research and the best interests of the horse.

In order to provide the best health care possible for the racehorse, veterinarians should utilize the most modern diagnostic and therapeutic modalities available in accordance with medication guidelines designed to ensure the integrity of the sport.

To this end, the following are the essential elements of AAEP policy concerning veterinary care of the racehorse:

   - All racing jurisdictions should adopt the uniform medication guidelines set forth by the Racing and Medication Testing Consortium Inc. (RMTC). Including the RMTC testing procedures with strict quality controls and penalty schedules, these guidelines and procedures strive to protect the integrity of racing as well as the health and well-being of the horse.

    - Race day medication must be in accordance with current RMTC guidelines. In the absence of a more effective treatment/preventative for exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), the AAEP supports the use of furosemide as a day-of-the-race medication to control EIPH. The AAEP advocates the research and development of new treatments to help prevent and/or control EIPH.

    - The AAEP encourages proactive and constructive communication between regulatory bodies and practicing veterinarians and other industry stakeholders.
 
    - The AAEP believes that all veterinarians should use judicious, prudent and ethical decisions in all treatments to ensure the health and welfare of the horse.

    - The AAEP strongly endorses increased surveillance and enforcement of the above-mentioned regulations.

[Footlick]

Thanks. I am assuming that there is no difference between bleeding with Lasix and without it as far as the damage the bleeding causes.  Lasix lessens the frequency of the incidents.

[Beau]

Finally someone putting it down in writing; FACTS.

I am totally AGAINST the ban of lasix for a couple of reasons.

1. Lasix helps horses.

2. Handicapping is hard enough now, how in the world are we gonna know if a horse is gonna react negatively because it is not running on lasix. The horse can bleed and stop, fall, or not run a lick. It can be much more dangerous to horses and jockeys.

There are many astute people on this board, for those of you who are FOR the ban of lasix answer this question: How are you going to be confident in placing a sizable bet? Or any bet?... for that matter!

[miff]

\"There are many astute people on this board, for those of you who are FOR the ban of lasix answer this question: How are you going to be confident in placing a sizable bet? Or any bet?... for that matter\"


Beau,

Rest assured in all of these circle jerks by the Clueless Clowns, the player is irrelevant!

Mike