The Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission has approved rules for an Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) program, which would allow horses to race on Furosemide (Lasix).
All forms necessary to enroll in the EIPH Program at any track(s) that intend to, and are approved for the program, are available at Race Offices and/or the APHRC website.
Links to those forms are available here:
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Certification/Decertification Form for Horses Regularly Competing in the Maritimes (Form 1)
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Certification Form for Horses Shipping Into the Maritimes (Form 2)
STANDARDBRED EXERCISE INDUCED PULMONARY HEMOR-RHAGE (EIPH) PROGRAM RULES
Rule 439. (1) All licensees owning or training a horse or horses participating in the EIPH Program shall complete, in full, the EIPH Certification Forms 1 or 2 as applicable. Form 1 is that form to be used for horses ordinarily competing in the Atlantic Provinces and Form 2 is that form for horses shipping in to compete in the Atlantic Provinces. Each form shall contain certification by way of an endoscopy performed by a veterinarian licensed by the Commission and eligible to practice in the Atlantic Provinces, or as provided in Form 2, from any other jurisdiction recognized by the Commission to the effect that the subject Standardbred horse has displayed symptoms of EIPH and is qualified for the EIPH Program in their opinion to justify the use of Furosemide in parimutuel racing in accordance with the program accepted by the Commission. In instances where Form 2 is applicable, the Judges must also be provided with a signed statement from a veterinarian licensed in another jurisdiction who fulfills the duties ordinarily performed by a Commission veterinarian or official veterinarian in the Atlantic Provinces certifying the horse has qualified for the EIPH Program in the jurisdiction in which it is enrolled. The certification form and any other applicable form(s) must be filed with and accepted by the Judges prior to the time of entry (subject to any time extension permitted by Rule 439(8).
(2) Any person providing false or misleading information on Form 1 or Form 2 may be subject to a suspension and/or monetary penalty being levied by the Judges or by the Commission.
(3) A veterinarian who is duly licensed by the College of Veterinarians in any of the Atlantic Provinces and the Commission who certifies by way of endoscopy that a horse displays symptoms of Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) shall, upon request, issue Form 1 to the trainer of the horse.
(4) Any owner or trainer who intends to race a horse within the EIPH Program that is properly certified as per Rule 439 (3) is required to submit the Form 1 certificate to a Standardbred Canada representative. The Standardbred Canada representative shall cause the Form 1 to be entered into the Standardbred Canada computer data indicating that the subject horse has been certified to receive Furosemide. Such information shall be entered into the computer by the Standardbred Canada representative at or before the time of the entry of the horse into the race following the date upon which it was certified.
(5) The Form 1 certificate shall, in no case, be valid for any period which is the earlier of 30 days from the date upon which the veterinarian licensed by the Commission certified that the horse was qualified to perform on Furosemide or until the first time the horse races in a pari-mutuel race following the issuance of said certificate by the veterinarian. In any case, the certificate must properly identify the horse entitled to receive Furosemide.
(6) Where a horse has bled in another jurisdiction the Commission veterinarian shall certify that horse as being eligible to contest races when using Furosemide upon presentation by the owner or trainer of the subject horse of a duly completed Form 2 containing certification from a veterinarian licensed in another jurisdiction recognized by the Commission that the horse displays symptoms of EIPH.
(7) After a horse is certified as a bleeder, the said horse may not race for 15 clear days from the date it was certified.
(8) If a horse to which Form 2 applies and with respect to which enrolment is sought in the EIPH Program has not been enrolled prior to the time of entry of the subject race, such enrolment may be extended to immediately prior to the time it is required to receive Furosemide on the date of the first occasion in which it races in the Atlantic Provinces and seeks certification. Such extension of time is solely within the discretion of the Judges and may be granted by them if evidence is presented to the Commission veterinarian or official veterinarian by the owner or trainer or the authorized representative of the owner or trainer of the subject horse that the horse has raced on Furosemide in such other jurisdictions where the use of Furosemide is authorized.
(9) The status of all horses enrolled in the EIPH Program must be declared on the entry form at the time of entry.
(10) If a horse has been enrolled in the EIPH Program, it shall remain on the Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) List for 100 days from the date of its first or most recent certification and be administered Furosemide prior to any of its races regardless of any change of owner or trainer. After being on the program for at least 100 days, if upon certification by way of an endoscopy by a duly qualified veterinarian licensed by the Commission, (provided that the horse has not been treated with Furosemide prior to certification, shows no evidence of Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage) and the results of that examination are endorsed by the Commission veterinarian or official veterinarian, such horse may be removed from the EIPH Program and after this examination date shall be eligible to be entered to race without being treated with Furosemide prior to racing. At a later date, if such horse bleeds it may be readmitted to the EIPH Program upon certification by way of endoscopy the Commission veterinarian or official veterinarian in accordance with Rule 439(7)
(11) Any horse that is declared eligible (referred to in these Rules as a “certified horse”) to receive Furosemide must have, in fact, been accepted to the EIPH Program at the time of such declaration. Any licensee who falsely declares that the horse has been enrolled in the EIPH Program when such horse is not a certified horse shall be deemed to have violated these rules by such false declaration and shall be subject to discipline by the Judges in accordance with the provisions of Rule 352.
(12) Any certified horse must be presented by the owner or trainer, or his or her duly licensed representative at a retention facility at the track where the horse is racing on that occasion at least four hours and fifteen minutes prior to the post time as published on the overnight sheet of the race in question and shall remain there until medicated with the correct dosage of Furosemide. Any certified horse that does not receive Furosemide no earlier than four hours and fifteen minutes and no later than three hours and forty-five minutes before the published post time for the race in which it is entered to compete shall be automatically scratched.
(13) All racing associations shall provide a secure retention facility for the administration of the EIPH program.
(14) The certified horse must be medicated with the correct dosage of Furosemide intravenously by the designated veterinarian or technician acting under the supervision of the designated veterinarian, or by a veterinarian licensed by the Commission who shall use only Furosemide, syringes and needles supplied by the designated veterinarian or technician.
(15) The veterinarian or his or her designate shall intravenously administer to the horse a dosage of Furosemide which is no less than 150 mg. and no more than 250 mg.
(16) The trainer, or his or her authorized representative with a valid licence, shall remain with the certified horse from the time of its arrival in the retention facility until it is removed there from after having been medicated or scratched. During the time that the horse is in the retention facility the trainer or a duly licensed representative, is responsible to give such assistance as is required by the veterinarian or his designate or such other person involved in the EIPH Program in identifying the horse and guarding the horse from the administration of any other substance. Any horse left unattended for any time during the period when it is in the retention barn shall be automatically scratched and the trainer thereof shall be deemed to have violated this rule and may be subject to discipline by the Judges in accordance with Rule 352.
(17) In the event that the trainer, or his or her authorized representative with a valid licence, has failed to assure that the certified horse was medicated, the trainer and/or his duly authorized licensed representative shall be in violation of these rules and may be subject to discipline by the Judges in accordance with Rule 352.
(18) Any trainer of a horse that has been certified to receive Furosemide in accordance with the provisions of the EIPH Program, who fails or refuses, without reasonable justification, to bring the certified horse, or to have the certified horse brought to the retention facility within the time prescribed by the provisions of the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations under the Criminal Code (Canada) and these Rules for any race in which that horse is programmed to start shall be deemed to have violated these rules and shall be subject to a monetary penalty and/or suspension being imposed by the Judges in accordance with Rule 352.
(with files from the APHRC)