Furosemide is a diuretic used in horses to increase urine production and decrease the amount of fluid in tissues and organs. It relieves fluid retention and excessive swelling, and, when used with race horses, it is thought to prevent or diminish the severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, although not all veterinarians agree with this use.
Furosemide is used to treat pulmonary edema, some allergic reactions, and congestive heart failure. Some veterinarians prescribe furosemide for racehorses because it is thought to prevent or diminish the severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage or bleeding from the lungs.
The United States is one of the last places in the world where horse trainers can treat their horses with the anti-bleeding medication Furosemide, known by its brand-name Lasix, on race-day.
Recent actions taken by both the Breeders Cup and American Graded Stakes Committee have moved the United States closer to most of the world.
On July 17, the Breeders Cup announced that the drug cannot be used on race-day in five races for juvenile horses in 2012.
The American Graded Stakes Committee has now voted to grade only races of 2-year-old horses where use of furosemide on race day has been banned.
The decision by the American Graded Stakes Commitee has upset some horse trainers who state the drug is a valuable treatment for horses that tend to bleed with strenuous exercise.
One of the driving forces cited behind the Breeders’ Cup ban and the RCI’s plan to eliminate all race-day medication within the next five years is public perception of the sport.
Trainers counter that Furosemide isn’t the reason bettors are holding back their dollars, and the fact that fewer horses would be racing under the ban would cause problems for the racing industry.
Other trainers point out that some of the best horses in racing have been bleeders and taking away the medication on race day could increase problems for some excellent horses.
In June, Steve Zorn, whose Business of Racing blog is widely read, concluded that if bans occur in the United States, "Trainers will need to develop new methods of dealing with bleeding, owners will have to adjust to new patterns for a horse’s career."