Research Results: Furosemide and Bleeding in Racehorses Studied in South Africa

by Fran Jurga | 29 June 2009 | The Jurga Report

This press release from Colorado State University summarizes an important international research study conducted on South African racehorses. I am posting it as received today so you will be able to read the official version. I am sure much commentary will be available but this document describes the study and its results.

Furosemide, used in the United States and Canada to treat bleeding into the airways in thoroughbred racehorses, decreases the incidence of hemorrhage according to results of a recent study. The study, conducted by Colorado State University, the University of Melbourne and the University of Pretoria in the Republic of South Africa, provides a foundation for racing authorities to make decisions regarding use of this medication, which is the subject of heated debate and controversy around the world.

The study involved 167 horses randomly allocated to race fields of nine to 16 horses each. Each horse raced in two races, one week apart, in the same field and in races of the same distance. In the blinded study, each horse received furosemide before one race and saline solution before the other race. Horses raced under typical racing conditions. Endoscopy was performed within 30-90 minutes after racing to identify the presence of blood in airways. The study will be released in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medicine Association on July 1.

The research showed that giving furosemide before a race dramatically decreased the incidence and severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, or EIPH. Horses were three to four times more likely to have any evidence of bleeding without furosemide, and were seven to 11 times more likely to have severe bleeding without it.

EIPH is the medical term for spontaneous bleeding that occurs within a horse's airways and lungs during exercise. Although furosemide has been used in the racing industry for several decades, no scientifically sound studies have been conducted to prove or disprove an effect on EIPH.

"The results of this study do not eliminate debate about the use of this medication in racehorses, but it does provide evidence needed to aid making sound policy decisions. Decisions are always easier when you have data," said Dr. Paul Morley, one of the principal investigators of the study and a veterinarian at Colorado State University.

Dr. Kenneth W. Hinchcliff of the University of Melbourne and Dr. Alan J. Guthrie of the University of Pretoria, also veterinarians, were the other principle investigators in the study.

"We designed this study to provide the highest quality evidence to address the use of furosemide in Thoroughbred racehorses," Hinchcliff said. "This study design was similar to those used to test the efficacy of treatments in human medicine, which, to date, have been uncommon in evaluating treatments for horses."

Furosemide is widely used in the horse racing industry in North America but is banned on race days in all other countries. More than 90 percent of racing Thoroughbreds and 50 percent of racing Standardbreds in the United States and Canada are given furosemide a few hours before racing to treat bleeding. However, despite this common practice, before this study there was no conclusive evidence that furosemide was effective in preventing or limiting lung bleeding in racehorses.

Use of furosemide, which is sold as Lasix and Salix, to treat pulmonary hemorrhaging in racehorses began in the 1970s. Today it is estimated that the racing industry spends about $30 million annually to treat Thoroughbred horses with furosemide on race days in the United States and Canada.

Use of the medication is controversial because work previously conducted by these scientists found that it enhanced the performance of Throughbred and Standardbred horses. Treatment is also controversial because some critics say that its use confirms animal welfare problems associated with horse racing.

Because of their unique physiology, all horses running at racing speeds experience varying degrees of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, or bleeding into their airways. Because of blood pressure changes in the lung that are unique to horses during exercise, more than half of Thoroughbred racehorses have small amounts of blood in their trachea after a single race.

While severe EIPH is uncommon, this same research group confirmed the widely held belief that bleeding into the airways impairs athletic performance of horses.

Other than the use of furosemide, which was administered strictly adhering to research project guidelines, all races were under South Africa's standard rules and regulations for the industry. The horses and jockeys raced for purses to ensure competitive racing efforts. The five to eight furlong races were on a one-mile straightaway on the turf at the Vaal Racecourse in South Africa.

Furosemide is a diuretic; it reduces body fluids by increasing urination. It is used in many species, including humans, to control blood pressure and fluid balance.

"Support for this study from the racing industry in South Africa and the U.S. was tremendous," Guthrie said. "The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, both from the United States, and Racing South Africa and the Thoroughbred Racing Trust from South Africa provided grant support for this research, and numerous private donors included high profile private sponsors, such as golfing legend and horseracing enthusiast Gary Player provided monetary support, Phumelela Gaming and Leisure donated the use of The Vaal racetrack with all of its personnel and facilities, The National Horse Racing Authority of Southern Africa provided its staff to officiate at the races and the local trainers and owners enthusiastically allowed use of their valuable horses in this unique study."

Thanks to Colorado State University for providing this document; photo courtesy of Stock Exchange.

Aachen Prepares for Drug-Free Competition, Dressage Without Isabell Werth

The largest competition in showjumping and dressage in Germany, the World Equestrian Festival, begins in a few days in Aachen, Germany. The show has already geared up with perhaps the most tight anti-drug security of any show in the world. News of dressage star Isabell Werth's charges for violation of FEI rules has shocked the competition scene, but Aachen's latest news release says it is time for a new beginning. And their show will be the first step.

Here are some excerpts from their news release, which was provided in English:

CHIO organisers: "No alternative to our stance"
The Isabell Werth case underlines the need for a new beginning

The organisers of the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen, see the positive doping result of Isabell Werth's horse Whisper, announced today, as confirmation for their stance in their rigorous anti-doping battle.

"The Isabell Werth case proves that there is no alternative to our viewpoint. The equestrian sport needs a new beginning," commented Michael Mronz, General Manager of the Aachener Reitturnier GmbH.

This new beginning is to be guaranteed by an independent Commission implemented by the German Olympic Sports Association, under the Chair of the former Constitutional Court Judge, Udo Steiner. "We supported the German Equestrian Federation from the very beginning in their decision to disband the German team and install this independent Commission. The current development shows that this is the right approach," said CHIO Show Director, Frank Kemperman.

"We welcome Isabell Werth's preliminary suspension by the FEI," continued Kemperman. Subject to the decision of the FEI tribunal, Isabell Werth will thus not be competing at the CHIO Aachen (June 26th - July 5th, 2009).

Independent of the Commission, the CHIO organisers already decided several weeks ago to intensively expand its anti-doping battle during the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen 2009. 42 stewards will be in action, statistically speaking, that is one steward for every eleventh horse. The staff members of the "Horse Watch Service" will be on duty at night to guarantee the round-the-clock monitoring of the horses.

The number of doping tests has been considerably increased, in this way every eighth horse in Aachen will be tested. All testing will be carried out by the independent doping inspectors of the MCP (Medication Control Programme). This guarantees the maximum quality and indefeasibility of the testing.

In addition, a thermographic camera will be put to use in Aachen, which can detect irregularities on the legs of the horses. "Should any suspicion arise that substances have been applied to the skin of a horse, the veterinarians can immediately carry out further on-site inspections," explained Frank Kemperman.

Five-Time German Dressage Olympian's Horse Tests Positive for Banned Medication

Just a few weeks ago, Germany's equestrian federation sent seismic shock waves through the horse showing world by disbanding its national teams after show-jumping riders began to tell shocking tales of medication and manipulation of their horses to bring home gold medals. Germany promised heads would roll.

So this morning's news was more shocking than ever, read through that lens.

According to the Associated Press and confirmed by Horse and Hound and English-language newspapers in Germany, double Olympic gold medalist Isabel Werth has been suspended from competition and will attend a hearing later this week to answer charges that her horse Whisper tested positive for an anti-psychotic medication at the competition at Wiesbaden on May 30, 2009.

“This is a catastrophy for equestrian sports," said Breido Graf zu Rantzau, president of the equestrian federation, in the Associated Press report.

All sources confirm that Isabel has been suspended; however the system includes a backup: the "B" sample may still be tested and prove her innocent of illegal doping. While the investigation continues, she will not be able to compete at Aachen, the biggest competition for German riders in the run-up to this summer's European Dressage Championships.

Should the "B" sample test positive, Werth would face punishment by both the FEI and German authorities.

Up to this time, most emphasis on doping has centered on show jumping.

Mechanical Horse Built to Bring Therapeutic Benefits of Riding to More People, in a Controlled Environment

by Fran Jurga | 22 June 2009 | The Jurga Report

Engineering students at Baylor University in Texas are designing a mechanical horse system for hippotherapy in a clinical setting. (Baylor photo)

I know, I know, it's just now the same without the real live horse but don't tune out this story yet. There are some wonderful benefits to a new mechanical horse being engineered at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

While hippotherapy works to improve the quality of life for children and adults with physical and mental impairments through riding a horse, just getting some patients onto the horse can be a major obstacle. But now, Baylor researchers have built a custom mechanical horse to help those with physical and mental impairments get the same benefit from hippotherapy without having to actually get on a living, moving horse. They can "ride" in a clinical setting.

But moreover, researchers can more accurately test the effects and dare we say benefits of riding on the human body in a controlled environment, and they can control the motion, rhythm, and speed of the horse.

"Our vision is that the mechanical horse can provide better access and can act as a complementary tool to actual therapeutic horse riding," said Dr. Brian Garner, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Baylor and a biomechanics expert. "If the patient is afraid of horses or it may not be safe for the patient to ride a horse, the mechanical horse can act as stepping stone to build the patient up to a level of stability so they can get onto a live horse."

Garner said hippotherapy is unique and valuable as a therapeutic tool because it produces three-dimensional rhythmic, repetitive movements, which preliminary research has shown simulates the movements of the human pelvis while walking. The movements promote many physical benefits like increased circulation, development of balance and improved coordination among many others. Therapeutic riding can help children and adults with various impairments or delays in development, including those with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome and autism.

Baylor's prototype mechanical horse mimics a real horse by using a three-dimensional system. The stationary device with a moving saddle surface can move in virtually all directions in a cycling pattern, putting the body through a complex of movements just like real hippotherapy.

To make sure the mechanical horse replicates as precisely as possible the movements of an actual horse, Baylor engineering students took video-motion photography of several real horses walking and used that data to create the mechanical horses' movement patterns.

Garner said the mechanical horse also can differ in speed - from a slow walking pace to a fast walking pace - and is the width of a normal horse. It can be used with or without a saddle and can simulate bare-back riding. The saddle also simulates real therapeutic-riding saddles that have adjustable handle bars.

Garner and his research team will now conduct additional research using the horse, studying the biomechanics of hippotherapy.

Anything that gets more people closer to the experience of riding, or serves as a stepping stone to the real-life riding experience, is an advancement for the horse world.

FBI and State Officials Seek Horses Removed from Quarantine After Testing Positive for Disease in Missouri

The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced on Friday that two quarantined horses that tested positive for equine piroplasmosis are missing from a Raytown, Missouri equine center, located in Jackson County. Equine piroplasmosis is a bloodborne disease only transmitted to horses by ticks and mechanically from animal to animal by contaminated needles. Humans are at no risk of being affected by this disease.

On June 4, the Department of Agriculture was notified of a piroplasmosis-positive horse and immediately took action by placing a quarantine on the Raytown Equine Center; all of the horses at the facility were put on 24-hour surveillance. The quarantine, enacted by the Missouri State Veterinarian, was put in place to prevent movement of any horses from the equine center. Two horses were illegally removed from the premises Wednesday night, when locks were cut from building doors and stalls. These horses are micro-chipped.

The Department is working with local, county and state officials as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation to locate the horses.

Seven horses tested positive for equine piroplasmosis on June 9. Thursday, with consent of the horse's owners, five piroplasmosis-positive horses were euthanized. An equine piroplasmosis-infected horse will show symptoms in mild forms such as weakness and lack of appetite. More acute cases include fever, anemia, jaundice, a swollen abdomen and labored breathing. Horses that survive the acute phase of infection may continue to carry the parasites for long periods of time. There is no cure for equine piroplasmosis.

For more information, please contact the Missouri Department of Agriculture at (573) 751-3377, which supplied the information for this blog post through its Missouri Ag Connection network.

Horse Snit! Boston Herald's Headline Summarizes Police Horse Welfare Rumors

For the past few months, this blog and most everyone at Equisearch.com has turned a sympathetic ear to our four-legged friends at a beautiful old stable in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. Tucked behind a hospital on the grounds of an old estate, a group of hard-working half-draft horses load up each day to patrol the city streets. Some days they catch a Red Sox game or a Boston Pops concert on the Charles River, and in the old days, they risked life and hoof at student protests and anti-busing riots. They always stood their ground.

The city of Boston has a heck of a way of thanking them for their 140 years of service.

This year's city budget drew a thick red line through the horses' hay and grain and other expenses, not to mention the officers' and barn staff's salaries. The oldest mounted police unit in the country will be shut down unless something is done in the next few days.

The city has been stunned by this news. The horses are icons that we are all used to seeing at events. The happiest and most solemn public moments in Boston history, we have shared with these horses. Patriot and Rex Sox and Celtic and Bruin games, playoffs and championship celebrations require horse patrols. So do state funerals, the Boston Marathon, the Pope's Mass on the Common, and the Fourth of July fireworks.

So great efforts have been made to hold hearings, start a non-profit support group, raise some money, and petition the police commissioner and mayor to re-consider. Find the money somewhere else.

But in the meantime, the horses have been officially or unofficially been for sale everywhere but on eBay, and I shouldn't say that because I haven't checked and they may well be there.

These fine, highly trained horses would be an asset to any city. So today, there I was in the long Saturday morning line in the grocery store and my eye fell on the front page of the newspaper.

Click here to read about the latest spat between Boston and New York. NYPD would like to buy some of the horses, though it appears some New Yawker made a comment that some of the Boston horses were undernourished. (If you could see these horses, you'd know that's a joke.)

The comment did not sit well and it made Front Page News here in Boston.

How dare they insult our horses at a time like this?

Boston is still not sure it wants to sell the horses or end the tradition. A last ditch City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at 2pm at City Hall City Council Chambers on the 5th floor.

And do you want to know the very worst part of this whole story? If those horses go to New York, they'll be working the Yankees games. Will Red Sox Nation let its horses go the way of Johnny Damon and Roger Clemens and (I dare not say his name) The Bambino Who Cursed Us (for 86 years, anyway)?

Stay tuned...and let's hope not. If you can help, email me and I will forward your email or go to the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54704243322, which now has over 3000 members!

Read more from The Jurga Report's coverage on the Boston Police Horse crisis:

March 19 report

March 20 report

April 9 report

Florida Imposes Transport Inspection, Restrictions on Texas Livestock

Anyone planning to transport horses out of the state of Texas should be prepared for health inspections and possible delays. Florida has imposed an official restriction on all hooved livestock from Texas. Here's the official announcement:

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced restrictions on the importation of animals from states affected with vesicular stomatitis following a confirmed case in Texas, the first such case reported in the United States since 2006.

Vesicular Stomatitis is a highly contagious, viral disease that affects horses, cattle, swine and occasionally sheep, goats and deer. The virus can also cause flu-like symptoms in people working with infected animals. Signs of vesicular stomatitis include blister-like lesions in the mouth, on the tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves and teats. While the virus is rarely fatal, it does result in significant weight loss and milk production loss. It is also difficult to distinguish between this virus and foot-and-mouth disease, a devastating livestock disease found outside the United States. States and other countries often impose movement restrictions on animals from vesicular stomatitis-affected areas.

The United States Department of Agriculture, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, have confirmed the finding of a positive horse, with clinical signs on a ranch in Starr County, Texas. (Scroll down the blog to read the official news from earlier this week.)

Florida requires veterinary inspection of susceptible animals coming from states affected with vesicular stomatitis.

Hoofed animals entering Florida from Texas will require prior permission for entry and must be accompanied by an official certificate of veterinary inspection. The certificate of veterinary inspection must state that the animals are free of clinical signs of vesicular stomatitis and have not been exposed nor located within 10 miles of a positive premises, within the previous 30 days. In addition, any hoofed livestock from states that are affected with vesicular stomatitis are required to have documentation to show they have been tested and found negative within 10 days of movement to Florida.

Headshaker Horses, Head Here for Resources and Research

by Fran Jurga | 19 June 2009 | The Jurga Report at Equisearch.com

Sometimes I finish writing an article for a magazine or a post for this blog and I look at my desk in amazement: piles of books, files strewn everywhere, journals falling on the floor, three monitor screens flashing information. Is it information overload or is it...information nirvana?

If you're like me, you haven't given up on books and files and journals and notes from conferences to do your research on your horse's health problems. But you love the ease of surfing the net to make sure that there's nothing new that you've missed, providing you can trust the source.

But in my library I can go back and research horsecare as it was practiced 100 years ago or 50 years ago or 25 years ago, with the same ease that the internet carries me deeper and deeper into the Right Now.

One condition in horses that brings many people to The Jurga Report and lots of other sites is the problem called headshaking. It's usually getting worse in horses this time of year, which is why I've put this post together now. The bright sunlight seems to irritate headshaker horses, and they're going to it now. When I go to shows and events now, I see more and more horses with those discreet little nets over their noses, and I'm so glad if they are working.

Headshaking is a subject that fascinates all of us, perhaps because it still eludes explanation. We really don't understand it, but so many of us have been around a horse that has this problem, that we've spent a lot of time pondering it. How many truly great horses have had performance careers curtailed because of headshaking? And how many horses in general just could live a happier, less stressful life without the annoyance of headshaking?

A question that really bothers me is why I don't read more about headshaking in the old books. Did they have a secret remedy that didn't survive into the modern times? Or was headshaking simply not as common then as it is now? And why does it seem to be more common each year?

The University of Lincoln in England has created the most comprehensive resource that I've seen on the problem, and they include both their own research and others. Click here to go there and have a look, but be prepared to spend some time.

This group of researchers has surveyed owners of headshaker horses through a project called the National Equine Headshaking Survey and created a site that is absolutely overflowing with literature citations, links, video, illustrations, and advice for owners. It's very inspiring and would make a great model for anyone considering an information-based site on a horse health problem. They've done a great job.

Headshaking is a seasonal problem for many horses, and the new lightweight nosenets are giving some relief, so I hope you will check those out if you haven't already. The University of Liverpool vet hospital has a page about their program of surgery for treatment of headshaking as a form of neuropathy.

Medication, nasal sprays, homeopathic Capstar...all are options that work for some horses, but there still doesn't seem to be one solution that works for all horses and fits the budgets of all owners.

I'm looking forward to that Eureka! day when we can post the news that a definitive answer to the headshaking mystery has been found. In the meantime, the University of Lincoln's web site comes very close and they are so sympathetic to horses suffering from headshaking that you feel that you truly do have a friend out there on the web. And your headshaking horse does, too.

Photo credit: Stock Exchange

Horse Health Video Landmarks: Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky

by Fran Jurga | 16 June 2009 | The Jurga Report

I had this great idea to hit the road this summer and tour the USA. I can see it now: The Jurga Report: Road Trip Edition. I'd upgrade my video equipment and I'd visit the landmarks of the horse health world (and maybe a few horse farms, training centers, farrier shops and racetracks) and post the videos here to share with you. A blue highway tour of the places and faces who help me do this blog.

What fun that would be! Maybe I could rent an RV...

Then I remembered that someone beat me to at least one of them; Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital made this great introductory video about their campus-like clinic outside Lexington, Kentucky a little over a year ago and I've finally been able to make it work in YouTube so it also works on the blog.

Maybe there's still hope for the road trip idea for some of the other landmarks, though.

Vet schools and equine clinics might not be at the top of your list when you're on a vacation but I always seem to find my way to them and I've had some amazing experiences. I was at Rood and Riddle right after a tornado had taken some of the roofs off one year.

If you are ever at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the clinic offers tours, and since Rood and Riddle is a sponsor of the World Equestrian Games next year, their doors may be open to the public more than ever.

Still, this video is a close-up look behind the scenes and right into the eyes of some of the world-famous experts on the staff there.

Please take a few moments to watch this video. The next time you hear about a racehorse being scheduled for a surgery at Rood and Riddle, it might mean a little more to you. I've heard it called the Mayo Clinic of the horse world, and I suppose that is an apt analogy. To me, it is a wonderful place, but I know to others, it is the last place they ever want to see, because it means that a horse has a very serious problem that a local veterinarian prefers to refer to a specialist.

I hope that your horses will never need to be referred to Rood and Riddle, but know that the expertise of these veterinarians and staff professionals is shared generously with others all over the country, and your horses are likely to benefit in some way.

Be glad that the horse world in the USA has a Rood and Riddle, and many other excellent treatment and referral centers scattered around the country. The rise of the private super-clinic is a relatively recent development in veterinary medicine; until recently, high-end medicine, surgery and diagnostics were the province of the vet schools, but now the top surgeons move in and out of academia and private practice, so that both worlds--and all horses--benefit.

With the addition of very expensive diagnostic equipment, such as MRI or nuclear scintigraphy, private clinics are actually competing with vet schools for referral dollars, which is a concern on one hand, but a plus when one considers the geographic isolation of many regions that are far from vet school hospitals but can benefit from private clinics.

Now, tell me: what are your favorite horse health landmarks? What should be on my list when I hit the road? Where should I put the next pin on the map? Just hit the "Comment" button and leave your ideas.

Equine Disease Alert: First Case of Vesicular Stomatitis for 2009 in Texas

Because of the serious nature of this disease and its implications, we are publishing this health alert in its entirety, as provided by the Texas Animal Health Commission. While you may be nowhere near this horse or its premises, this case may have an effect on horse transport regulations in and out of Texas and other states, or into Canada. This is important information.

The nation’s first case of vesicular stomatitis (VS) for 2009 has been detected in a horse in Starr County, in far south Texas. VS is a sporadically occurring virus that is endemic to the U.S. Signs of the disease include blisters, lesions and sloughing of the skin on the muzzles, tongue, teats and above the hooves of susceptible livestock, which include horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, deer and some other species of animals.

“The most recent outbreak was in 2006 limited to Wyoming only, where 17 horses and a dozen cattle on 13 premises were confirmed to have the virus,” said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas’ state veterinarian and head of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state’s livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. “To prevent the spread or introduction of infection, many states and countries will place additional entry requirements or restrictions on the movement of animals from affected states, or portions of the state. Call the state or country of destination before moving livestock, to ensure that all entry requirements can be met. Do not risk shipments being turned away, or worse, spreading disease and facing legal action by animal health authorities.”

“Often horses are the signal, or first, animals to be confirmed with vesicular stomatitis when the virus is active. If the blisters and lesions are seen in cattle, sheep, pigs or other cloven-hooved animals, our first concern is a possible introduction of foot-and-mouth disease, the most costly and destructive foreign animal disease. Horses are not susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, but anytime blisters or unusual sores are seen, animals should be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.”

“Move sick animals away from the remainder of the herd to protect against disease spread,” urged Dr. Hillman. “Do not move sick animals from the premises, and call your veterinarian or the nearest Texas Animal Health Commission area office, or the Austin headquarters at 800-550-8242. Laboratory testing to confirm infection can be run at no charge to the livestock owner.

“Vesicular stomatitis is painful for affected animals, but usually, the lesions will heal within two weeks to a month. For some severe cases, owners may elect to have an infected animal euthanized, to put an end to the suffering. In dairies, VS infection can lead to a substantial loss of production,” said Dr. Hillman. Treatment of VS-infected animals consists of supportive care, and antibiotics may be needed to prevent secondary infections in the open sores. Animal health officials in nearly all states, including Texas, require VS-infected animals and their herd mates to be quarantined until at least 21 days after all lesions have healed. A follow-up examination of the animals by the state veterinarian’s office is required prior to quarantine release.

VS outbreaks are extremely sporadic, and years may lapse between cases. Sand flies and black flies are thought to play a role in the virus transmission, so controlling insects is important. In 2005, the VS outbreak involved livestock on at least 445 premises in nine states, including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. In 2004, affected animals were detected in eight counties each in Texas and New Mexico and in 22 Colorado counties. Before the 2004 outbreak, VS had been “silent” since 1998, when Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas had cases.

More information about VS is available on the TAHC web site at: http://www.tahc.state.tx.us.