MYTHS – MEDICATION IN RACEHORSES

 

Myth #1          Any drug administered to a racing animal can and will be detected by the testing laboratory.

 

                Fact #1            Factors affecting drug detection:

·       Amount

·       When taken

·       Other drugs

·       Body weight

·       Metabolism

·       Test threshold

·       Type (fat/water soluble)

·     Route of administration

·     Drug formulation

·     Age/sex

·     Diet

·     State of health

·     Chemical transformation

·     Is this drug being tested for?

 

Myth #2          If you know how much drug is in a sample, you can determine the time of administration.

 

Fact #2            It is not possible to determine the time of administration of a drug by the amount of drug in the animal’s urine.

 

Myth #3          A chemist can determine whether a drug has an effect on an animal’s performance.

 

Fact #3            A positive drug test indicates recent drug use or exposure, it is not an indicator of impairment.

 

Myth #4          There is rampant, uncontrolled drug use in the racing industry.

 

                Fact #4            Incidence of medication violations in 1 in 1,000 (1/10th of a percent)

 

                                        Most frequent drug violations:           Phenylbutazone

                                                                                                        Procaine

                                                                                                        Polyethlyene Glycol (PEG)