MEDICATIONS AT THE RACETRACK

VET BILLS FROM A LEADING TRAINER (cont'd)

Month Three

3/01 - Wormed
3/01 - Flu rhino vaccine
3/08 - Bronchial Injection
3/09 - Bronchial Injection
3/10 - Bronchial Injection
3/12 - Electrolyte Vitamin Jug
3/12 - Banamine Injection
3/13 - Adequan Injection
3/14 - Pre-Race Injection
3/14 - Pre-Race Treatment

HORSE RACED 3/14

3/14 - Another scoping... perhaps bleeding after this race?
3/22 - Bronchial Injection
3/22 - Equipoise Injection
3/22 - Injection of Right and Left Stifles... again
3/24 - Electrolyte Vitamin Jug
3/24 - Banamine Injection
3/26 - Pre-Race Injection
3/26 - Pre-Race Treatment

HORSE RACED 3/26

3/29 - Bronchial Injection
3/30 - Bronchial Injection

The new injection this month is Equipoise, an anabolic steroid, which increases muscle mass. This is the same (banned) medication that caused such problems when used by the Olympic Athletes. Generally anabolic steroids are those that enhance muscle mass. You'll hear of weight lifters and runners using them. Corticosteroids are injected intra-articularly to alleviate symptoms of damaged joints. They are used systemically (injected intramuscularly) to alleviate swelling and pain. They are a short-term fix for sore horses.

Note that the horse has had her stifles injected again. They are bothering her, but she may not know it in a race, as all the medication she is given masks the problem. She¹ll be sore when the medications wear off!

She was scoped again. They must be expecting her to bleed. It is just a matter of time with all of these drugs.

TOTAL VET BILLS $400

4/01 - Electrolyte Vitamin Jug
4/01 - Banamine Injection
4/02 - Adequan Injection
4/02 - Injection-Right and Left Ankles
4/03 - Pre-Race Injection
4/03 - Pre-Race Treatment

HORSE RACED 4/03

4/08 - Electrolyte Vitamin Jug
4/08 - Banamine Injection
4/10 - Pre-Race Injection
4/10 - Pre-Race Treatment

HORSE RACED AND WON 4/10

4/21 - Bronchial Injection
4/22 - Bronchial Injection
4/24 - Electrolyte Vitamin Jug
4/24 - Banamine Injection
4/29 - Bronchial Injection
4/30 - Bronchial Injection
4/31 - Electrolyte Vitamin Jug
4/31 - Banamine Injection

The worst thing we see this month is the injection for the ankles. The price, $50, tells us it may have been cortisone, the first step toward the destruction of the ankles. Remember, cortisone is used for pain. When given to a human, they are instructed not use or stress the injury. Horses are injected and asked to run hard, starting the cycle of destruction described in Dr. Krook and Dr. Maylin's book, RACE HORSES AT RISK.

(The exception seems to be using hyaluronic acid, a substance that is similar to joint fluid. It seems to cushion rough joints and enhance healing. Horses should always rest after these injections!)

The rest of the medications are as previously explained. In spite of all the chemicals, the horse does win! Many of these medications are not necessary. However, some definitely "help" the horse run. Others, of course, are destroying the horse because she is able to run when she should really be resting and healing. Continuing with the animal in this manner is counterproductive long term. As an owner, it is up to you to decide how you want your horse to be handled. Look for a trainer who has time to work more closely with you and time to get to know your horse rather than load him with medication. Trainers who have small stables might have that kind of time. (This is not to condemn leading trainers. Trainers with large stables simply have less time to work with interested, involved owners.)

THE VET BILL FOR THE FOURTH MONTH IS $377

Month Five

5/2 Pre-Race Injection
5/2 Pre-Race Treatment

HORSE RACED 5/2

5/6 Encephalitis Vaccine
5/19 Bronchial Injection
5/20 Bronchial Injection
5/21 Banamine Injection
5/22 Adequan Injection
5/23 Lasix Injection
5/23 Pre-Race Injection
5/23 Pre-Race Treatment

HORSE RACED 5/23

5/25 Bronchial Injection
5/26 Bronchial Injection
5/27 Electrolyte Vitamin Jug
5/27 Banamine Injection
5/28 Adequan Injection
5/29 Lasix
5/29 Pre-Race Injection
5/29 Pre-Race Treatment

HORSE RACED 5/29

This month the filly is put on Lasix. One more stress to an already stressed system. She did win another race this month. With all of the medications and then Lasix, it is admirable that the filly manages to finish races... let alone win one. This filly has been put in claiming races since her first start with this trainer. She has been progressively dropped in class with each subsequent race.

The vet bills were $435 this month.

Month six

6/02 Bronchial injection
6/03 Bronchial injection
6/03 Inject right and left hocks
6/04 Bronchial injection
6/09 Electrolyte vitamin Jug
6/09 Banamine injection
6/10 Adequan injection
6/11 Lasix
6/11 Pre-race injection
6/11 Pre-race treatment

HORSE RACED 6/11

6/15 Bronchial injection
6/16 Bronchial injection
6/19 Electrolyte vitamin Jug
6/19 Banamine injection
6/20 Adequan injection
6/21 Pre-race injection
6/21 Pre-race treatment
6/21 Lasix

HORSE RACED 6/21

6/28 Bronchial treatment
6/29 Bronchial treatment
6/30 Bronchial treatment

In one of the races, the filly ran second. We see that this month the hocks have been injected, probably with cortisone or maybe an internal blister. Now she has been treated for sore stifles, sore ankles, and sore hocks. She still runs because she has "heart" and is not aware of her deterioration.

THE VET BILL FOR THIS MONTH IS $342.