EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL
21
Equine vet. J. (1977), 9 (I), 27-28
Refresher Article
Veterinary Aspects of Doping E. G . C . CLARKE Racecourse Security Services, Ltd., 42 Portman Square, London W7 M. S. MOSS Racecourse Security Services Laboratories. Soham House, Snailwell Road, Newmarket, Suffolk
SUMMARY Doping can improve or impair performance and can be done either deliberately or accidentally. Accidental doping to win is the offence which most concerns the veterinary surgeon. The distinction between legitimate therapy and assisting an unfit horse to win a race by giving it a drug is a fine one. General guidelines are presented for the veterinary surgeon in practice.
I OPI JG is defined as the administration of any substance which can affect the performance of a horse at the time of racing; that is to say, anything that can alter its speed, stamina, courage, or conduct in the race. Rule 200 of the Rules of Racing states that “Anyperson who administers or allows or causes to be administered or connives at the administration to a horse of any amount of any substance (other than a normal nutrient) being a substance which by its nature could afect the racing performance of a horse, shall be guilty of a breach of the Rules and may be declared a disqualified person or otherwise penalised by the Stewards of the Jockey Club in accordance with their powers under Rule 2 of these Rules”. Several points should be noted in the wording of this Rule. Firstly that the substance must be something other than a normal constituent of a horse’s diet. Secondly, that it can alter the racing performance of the horse; it need not actually do so. Thirdly, that it must not be administered in any quantity, no matter how small. Doping may be divided into 3 categories: doping with intent to win, doping with intent to lose, and accidental doping. The first of these may be again sub-divided into (i) “stimulant” doping, in which a single dose of a stimulant such as caffeine or amphetamine is administered shortly before the race (ii) “tonic” doping, in which a drug such as a vitamin or hormone is administered continuously with the object of building up a better, stronger animal (iii) “therapeutic” doping, in which a drug is administered in order to restore a horse to normal performance, temporarily diminished by accident or illness. The use of a local anaesthetic to mask lameness, or of an analgesic to ameliorate an arthritic condition, are examples of this. It is with this type of doping that the veterinary surgeon is most particularly concerned. Doping to lose consists of the administration of a sedative or a noxious or injurious substance in order to impair a horse’s performance. Accidental doping consists of the unintentional inclusion
in the horse’s feed of some substance which, if given deliberately, would be classed as a dope. Examples would be the inadvertent feeding of a cattle food containing cocoa husk, or of grain contaminated with ergot. The distinction between doping and legitimate veterinary therapy is a fine one, and the criterion to be applied varies in different countries. In some, where medication is permitted, certain drugs such as phenylbutazone may be given provided that the administration is openly declared. In others there is a time limit, the administration of any drug being prohibited within 2 (or 3, or 6 ) days prior to the race. In Britain the criterion is the finding of the drug in the body fluid of the horse. If a single microgram (pg) of, say, procaine, is found in the sample of urine taken after the race, then that horse is considered to have been doped, no matter for what purpose the drug was administered, or when it was given. A single drug may have more than one action, depending on the purpose for which it is given and the dose in which it is administered. Thus a large dose of a tranquilliser would sedate a horse and act as a “stopper”, but a small dose, given to an obstreperous horse, might calm it down and enable it to get away to a better start, thus improving its performance. A very small dose, given to a steeplechaser, might interfere with its sense of balance and its ability to negotiate obstacles. Procaine is the drug most widely used in doping. It is normally employed as a local anaesthetic to mask lameness, but it also acts as a stimulant in the horse; its effect being greater than in any other species (Jones, 1951) and 20 times as great as in man (Tobin and Blake, 1976). When used as procaine penicillin it merely functions as an organic base and forms a slightly soluble salt with penicillin from which the free antibiotic is slowly released. However, neither analytical chemistry nor the Rules of Racing distinguish between these uses, and either acetylpromazine or procaine found in a horse’s urine are just classified as “dope”.
EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL
28
“3 days”. This was a period mentioned by the Norfolk Committee, but which was never actually incorporated in the Rules of Racing. If the answer to both the above questions is “yes” then the trainer must be warned not to run the horse for at least a week. It must be pointed out that if he does so he will stand a very good chance of facing a Stewards’ Enquiry, and of being disqualified or heavily fined. If he insists that he must run the horse, then consideration must be given to the adoption of some conservative therapy not calling for the use of a drug. For further information on the general, historical and technical aspects of doping the reader is referred to various papers by the present authors (Clarke, 1962, 1969; Moss, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974; Clarke and Moss, 1976).
Before administering any drug to a horse in training a veterinary surgeon should ask himself 2 questions. The first, is this drug one which would be considered a “dope”? The second, will it still be present in the body fluids of the horse the next time it races? Let us consider these questions in turn. The answer to the first of these questions would be much simpler if there were a list of prohibited drugs. Although certain countries (for example, Japan) publish such a list the racing authorities in this country have steadfastly refused to do so. The advantages of such a list, particularly to the trainer and the veterinary surgeon are obvious, but there are certain drawbacks. It would be difficult to make the list comprehensive, as there are said to be 1,000 drugs that might be used as “dope”, and if one were omitted it might be considered that its use was permitted; the list would have to be reviewed REFERENCES constantly to include new drugs; and it must be realised that many more drugs are known that are included in Clarke, E. G . C. (1962). The doping of racehorses. Medicolegal J . 30, 180-194. the pharmacopoeias (e.g. over 2,000 analogues of pethidine have been synthesised, of which fewer than a Clarke, E. G. C. (1969). Dope and doping. Medicine, Sci. Law 9, 218-223. dozen have received formal recognition). In addition, it is feared that the publication of a list would put new Clarke, E. G . C. and Moss, M. S. (1976). A brief history of dope detection in racehorses. Brit. J. Sports Med. 10, 100-102. ideas into the heads of the villains who dope horses. L. M. (1951). Miscellaneous observations on the clinical Jones, Recently the Federation Equestre Internationale has effects of injecting solutions and suspensions of procaine made an ingenious attempt to overcome these objections hydrochloride into domestic animals. Vet. Med. 46, 435-439. by publishing a list based on classes rather than individual Moss, M. S. (1970). The doping of racing animals. Vet. Ann. drugs, each class being particularized by its main 11, 149-160. pharmacological property and illustrated by one or two Moss, M. S . (1972). Uses and misuses of anti-inflammatory well known examples, the classification of drugs being drugs in racehorses-11. Equine vet. J . 4, 69-73. that used by the Extra Pharmacopoeia. Although the Moss, M. S. (1973). Horse doping: laboratory and forensic list does not comply with the Rules of Racing-for aspects. Criminologist 28, 39-49. example, it permits phenylbutazone, indomethacin, and Moss, M. S. (1974). Dope testing in racing animals. Vet. Rec. 94, 389-394. the sex hormones, but forbids polyethylene glycol and thiamine-it serves as a useful guide to the substances Tobin, T. and Blake, J. W. (1976). The pharmacokinetics and behavioural effects of procaine in Thoroughbred horses. Brit. which might affect racing performance. In the absence J. Sports Med. 10, 109-116. of a list the only really safe attitude to adopt is to regard any drug as a potential dope. RESUME The question of clearance time, that is, the time after Le doping peut amkliorer ou dktkriorer les performances ; administration when the drug or its metabolites will no longer be detectable in the body fluid under test is a il peut &trepratiquk sciemment ouaccidentellement. C’est more difficult one. It will depend on the dose, the route le doping involontaire ou accidentel qui concerne plus of administration, the diet, the presence of other drugs, spkcialement le vktkrinaire. La distinction entre une and the idiosyncrasies of the individual animals. In thkrapeutique lkgitime et l’aide a un cheval insuffisamment addition, the method of analysis must be considered as prkpark pour qu’il puisse gagner une course en lui obviously a technique capable of detecting a microgram administrant un mkdicament est parfois subtile. Des indications pouvant servir de guide au vktkrinaire (pg) will show the presence of a given drug for a longer praticien sont donnkes. period than one that can detect only a milligram (mg). All these variables mean that it is not possible to give ZUSAMMENFASSUNG an accurate retention time for any drug; but, if one Doping vermag die Leistung eines Pferdes zu verbesstakes average values, and assumes that the laboratory is using a screening method chosen to cover as wide a ern oder herabzusetzen. Es ist zu unterscheiden zwischen spectrum of drugs as possible without being particularly vorsatzlichem und akzidentellem Doping. Das akzidensensitive for any one of them, then it is fairly safe to telle Doping mit Leistungssteigerung ist das fur den assume that there are few drugs that are likely to be Tierarzt wichtigste Problem. Die Grenze zwischen einer found in urine for more than a week although some, legitimen Therapie und der medikamentell erzeugten for example acetylpromazine, may persist for longer Leistungssteigerung bei einem nicht-fiten Pferd ist than this. Certainly many drugs will be cleared in schwer zu ziehen. Allgemeine Richtlinien fur den less than a week, but there is nothing magic about praktischen Tierarzt werden vorgeschlagen. Accepted for publication 19.10.76
21
Equine vet. J. (1977), 9 (I), 27-28
Refresher Article
Veterinary Aspects of Doping E. G . C . CLARKE Racecourse Security Services, Ltd., 42 Portman Square, London W7 M. S. MOSS Racecourse Security Services Laboratories. Soham House, Snailwell Road, Newmarket, Suffolk
SUMMARY Doping can improve or impair performance and can be done either deliberately or accidentally. Accidental doping to win is the offence which most concerns the veterinary surgeon. The distinction between legitimate therapy and assisting an unfit horse to win a race by giving it a drug is a fine one. General guidelines are presented for the veterinary surgeon in practice.
I OPI JG is defined as the administration of any substance which can affect the performance of a horse at the time of racing; that is to say, anything that can alter its speed, stamina, courage, or conduct in the race. Rule 200 of the Rules of Racing states that “Anyperson who administers or allows or causes to be administered or connives at the administration to a horse of any amount of any substance (other than a normal nutrient) being a substance which by its nature could afect the racing performance of a horse, shall be guilty of a breach of the Rules and may be declared a disqualified person or otherwise penalised by the Stewards of the Jockey Club in accordance with their powers under Rule 2 of these Rules”. Several points should be noted in the wording of this Rule. Firstly that the substance must be something other than a normal constituent of a horse’s diet. Secondly, that it can alter the racing performance of the horse; it need not actually do so. Thirdly, that it must not be administered in any quantity, no matter how small. Doping may be divided into 3 categories: doping with intent to win, doping with intent to lose, and accidental doping. The first of these may be again sub-divided into (i) “stimulant” doping, in which a single dose of a stimulant such as caffeine or amphetamine is administered shortly before the race (ii) “tonic” doping, in which a drug such as a vitamin or hormone is administered continuously with the object of building up a better, stronger animal (iii) “therapeutic” doping, in which a drug is administered in order to restore a horse to normal performance, temporarily diminished by accident or illness. The use of a local anaesthetic to mask lameness, or of an analgesic to ameliorate an arthritic condition, are examples of this. It is with this type of doping that the veterinary surgeon is most particularly concerned. Doping to lose consists of the administration of a sedative or a noxious or injurious substance in order to impair a horse’s performance. Accidental doping consists of the unintentional inclusion
in the horse’s feed of some substance which, if given deliberately, would be classed as a dope. Examples would be the inadvertent feeding of a cattle food containing cocoa husk, or of grain contaminated with ergot. The distinction between doping and legitimate veterinary therapy is a fine one, and the criterion to be applied varies in different countries. In some, where medication is permitted, certain drugs such as phenylbutazone may be given provided that the administration is openly declared. In others there is a time limit, the administration of any drug being prohibited within 2 (or 3, or 6 ) days prior to the race. In Britain the criterion is the finding of the drug in the body fluid of the horse. If a single microgram (pg) of, say, procaine, is found in the sample of urine taken after the race, then that horse is considered to have been doped, no matter for what purpose the drug was administered, or when it was given. A single drug may have more than one action, depending on the purpose for which it is given and the dose in which it is administered. Thus a large dose of a tranquilliser would sedate a horse and act as a “stopper”, but a small dose, given to an obstreperous horse, might calm it down and enable it to get away to a better start, thus improving its performance. A very small dose, given to a steeplechaser, might interfere with its sense of balance and its ability to negotiate obstacles. Procaine is the drug most widely used in doping. It is normally employed as a local anaesthetic to mask lameness, but it also acts as a stimulant in the horse; its effect being greater than in any other species (Jones, 1951) and 20 times as great as in man (Tobin and Blake, 1976). When used as procaine penicillin it merely functions as an organic base and forms a slightly soluble salt with penicillin from which the free antibiotic is slowly released. However, neither analytical chemistry nor the Rules of Racing distinguish between these uses, and either acetylpromazine or procaine found in a horse’s urine are just classified as “dope”.
EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL
28
“3 days”. This was a period mentioned by the Norfolk Committee, but which was never actually incorporated in the Rules of Racing. If the answer to both the above questions is “yes” then the trainer must be warned not to run the horse for at least a week. It must be pointed out that if he does so he will stand a very good chance of facing a Stewards’ Enquiry, and of being disqualified or heavily fined. If he insists that he must run the horse, then consideration must be given to the adoption of some conservative therapy not calling for the use of a drug. For further information on the general, historical and technical aspects of doping the reader is referred to various papers by the present authors (Clarke, 1962, 1969; Moss, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974; Clarke and Moss, 1976).
Before administering any drug to a horse in training a veterinary surgeon should ask himself 2 questions. The first, is this drug one which would be considered a “dope”? The second, will it still be present in the body fluids of the horse the next time it races? Let us consider these questions in turn. The answer to the first of these questions would be much simpler if there were a list of prohibited drugs. Although certain countries (for example, Japan) publish such a list the racing authorities in this country have steadfastly refused to do so. The advantages of such a list, particularly to the trainer and the veterinary surgeon are obvious, but there are certain drawbacks. It would be difficult to make the list comprehensive, as there are said to be 1,000 drugs that might be used as “dope”, and if one were omitted it might be considered that its use was permitted; the list would have to be reviewed REFERENCES constantly to include new drugs; and it must be realised that many more drugs are known that are included in Clarke, E. G . C. (1962). The doping of racehorses. Medicolegal J . 30, 180-194. the pharmacopoeias (e.g. over 2,000 analogues of pethidine have been synthesised, of which fewer than a Clarke, E. G. C. (1969). Dope and doping. Medicine, Sci. Law 9, 218-223. dozen have received formal recognition). In addition, it is feared that the publication of a list would put new Clarke, E. G . C. and Moss, M. S. (1976). A brief history of dope detection in racehorses. Brit. J. Sports Med. 10, 100-102. ideas into the heads of the villains who dope horses. L. M. (1951). Miscellaneous observations on the clinical Jones, Recently the Federation Equestre Internationale has effects of injecting solutions and suspensions of procaine made an ingenious attempt to overcome these objections hydrochloride into domestic animals. Vet. Med. 46, 435-439. by publishing a list based on classes rather than individual Moss, M. S. (1970). The doping of racing animals. Vet. Ann. drugs, each class being particularized by its main 11, 149-160. pharmacological property and illustrated by one or two Moss, M. S . (1972). Uses and misuses of anti-inflammatory well known examples, the classification of drugs being drugs in racehorses-11. Equine vet. J . 4, 69-73. that used by the Extra Pharmacopoeia. Although the Moss, M. S. (1973). Horse doping: laboratory and forensic list does not comply with the Rules of Racing-for aspects. Criminologist 28, 39-49. example, it permits phenylbutazone, indomethacin, and Moss, M. S. (1974). Dope testing in racing animals. Vet. Rec. 94, 389-394. the sex hormones, but forbids polyethylene glycol and thiamine-it serves as a useful guide to the substances Tobin, T. and Blake, J. W. (1976). The pharmacokinetics and behavioural effects of procaine in Thoroughbred horses. Brit. which might affect racing performance. In the absence J. Sports Med. 10, 109-116. of a list the only really safe attitude to adopt is to regard any drug as a potential dope. RESUME The question of clearance time, that is, the time after Le doping peut amkliorer ou dktkriorer les performances ; administration when the drug or its metabolites will no longer be detectable in the body fluid under test is a il peut &trepratiquk sciemment ouaccidentellement. C’est more difficult one. It will depend on the dose, the route le doping involontaire ou accidentel qui concerne plus of administration, the diet, the presence of other drugs, spkcialement le vktkrinaire. La distinction entre une and the idiosyncrasies of the individual animals. In thkrapeutique lkgitime et l’aide a un cheval insuffisamment addition, the method of analysis must be considered as prkpark pour qu’il puisse gagner une course en lui obviously a technique capable of detecting a microgram administrant un mkdicament est parfois subtile. Des indications pouvant servir de guide au vktkrinaire (pg) will show the presence of a given drug for a longer praticien sont donnkes. period than one that can detect only a milligram (mg). All these variables mean that it is not possible to give ZUSAMMENFASSUNG an accurate retention time for any drug; but, if one Doping vermag die Leistung eines Pferdes zu verbesstakes average values, and assumes that the laboratory is using a screening method chosen to cover as wide a ern oder herabzusetzen. Es ist zu unterscheiden zwischen spectrum of drugs as possible without being particularly vorsatzlichem und akzidentellem Doping. Das akzidensensitive for any one of them, then it is fairly safe to telle Doping mit Leistungssteigerung ist das fur den assume that there are few drugs that are likely to be Tierarzt wichtigste Problem. Die Grenze zwischen einer found in urine for more than a week although some, legitimen Therapie und der medikamentell erzeugten for example acetylpromazine, may persist for longer Leistungssteigerung bei einem nicht-fiten Pferd ist than this. Certainly many drugs will be cleared in schwer zu ziehen. Allgemeine Richtlinien fur den less than a week, but there is nothing magic about praktischen Tierarzt werden vorgeschlagen. Accepted for publication 19.10.76
