Iowa Code § 99D.25A - Administration of furosemide or phenylbutazone

1. As used in this section unless the context otherwise requires: a. “Bleeder” means, according to its context, any of the following: (1) A horse which, during a race or exercise, is observed by the commission veterinarian or a licensed practicing veterinarian to be shedding blood from one or both nostrils and in which no upper airway injury is noted during an examination by the commission veterinarian or a licensed practicing veterinarian immediately following such a race or exercise. (2) A horse which, within one and one-half hours of such a race or exercise, is observed by the commission veterinarian or a licensed practicing veterinarian, through visual or endoscopic examination, to be shedding blood from the lower airway. (3) A horse which has been certified as a bleeder in another state. (4) A horse which has furosemide listed on its most recent past performance. (5) A horse which, by recommendation of a licensed practicing veterinarian, is prescribed furosemide to control or prevent bleeding from the lungs. b. “Bleeder list” means a tabulation of all bleeders maintained by the commission veterinarian. c. “Detention barn” means a secured structure designated by the commission. 2. Phenylbutazone may be administered to a horse in dosage amounts as set by rule by the commission. 3. If a horse is to race with phenylbutazone in its system, the trainer, or trainer’s designee, shall be responsible for marking the information on the entry blank for each race in which the horse shall use phenylbutazone. Changes made after the time of entry must be submitted on the prescribed form to the commission veterinarian no later than scratch time. 4. If a test detects concentrations of phenylbutazone in the system of a horse in excess of the level permitted in this section, the commission shall assess a civil penalty against the trainer of at least two hundred dollars for the first offense and at least five hundred dollars for a second offense. The penalty for a third or subsequent offense shall be in the discretion of the commission. 5. Furosemide may be administered to certified bleeders. Upon request, any horse placed on the bleeder list shall, in its next race, be permitted the use of furosemide. Once a horse has raced with furosemide, it must continue to race with furosemide in all subsequent races unless a request is made to discontinue the use. If the use of furosemide is discontinued, the horse shall be prohibited from again racing with furosemide unless it is later observed to be bleeding. Requests for the use of or discontinuance of furosemide must be made to the commission veterinarian by the horse’s trainer or assistant trainer on a form prescribed by the commission on or before the day of entry into the race for which the request is made. 6. Once a horse has been permitted the use of furosemide, the horse must be treated with furosemide in the horse’s stall, unless the commission provides that a horse must be brought to the detention barn for treatment. After the furosemide treatment, the commission, by rule, may authorize the release of the horse from the horse’s stall or detention barn before the scheduled post time. If a horse is brought to the detention barn late, the commission shall assess a civil penalty of one hundred dollars against the trainer. 7. A horse entered to race with furosemide must be treated at least four hours prior to post time. The furosemide shall be administered intravenously by a veterinarian issued a current occupational license by the commission. The commission shall adopt rules to ensure that furosemide is administered as provided in this section. The commission shall require that the veterinarian deliver an affidavit signed by the veterinarian which certifies information regarding the treatment of the horse. The affidavit must be delivered to a commission veterinarian following the treatment. The affidavit must at least include the name of the veterinarian, the tattoo number of the horse, the location of the barn and stall where the treatment occurred, the race number of the horse, the name of the trainer, and the time that the furosemide was administered. Furosemide shall only be administered in a dose level of no less than one hundred fifty milligrams and no more than five hundred milligrams. 8. A person found within or in the immediate vicinity of the detention barn or horse stall who is in possession of unauthorized drugs or hypodermic needles or who is not authorized to possess drugs or hypodermic needles shall, in addition to any other penalties, be barred from entry into any racetrack in Iowa and any occupational license the person holds shall be revoked. 88 Acts, ch 1137, §13; 92 Acts, ch 1203, §11; 94 Acts, ch 1100, §5; 97 Acts, ch 23, §12; 98 Acts, ch 1006, §1, 2; 98 Acts, ch 1217, §10; 2004 Acts, ch 1136, §23; 2007 Acts, ch 48, §2 – 5, 7; 2014 Acts, ch 1033, §3; 2017 Acts, ch 73, §2, 4 Referred to in §99D.25