Total project value: $330,000 Each year, thousands of Australian thoroughbreds compete in racing. Illness and training injuries are common, but there is still uncertainty about treatment regimes, excretion and detection periods for many important therapeutic drugs. Furthermore, there is a growing problem of the off-label use of registered drugs. These can place in peril the horse’s welfare, the reputation of the trainer and/or owner, and the integrity of racing.
This project builds on previous work by producing reliable blood and urinary excretion data for important equine drugs not previously assessed. The project will be expanded to investigate drugs administered off-label including those registered for use in other species (e.g. ibruprofen). The purpose is not to condone such practices but demonstrate the presence of a drug is not due to accidental exposure. There is also the potential to develop new methods of drug detection.