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Drugs & MedicationsClassic Company Launches the Adequan Pre Green Sweepstakes for 2012
Bob Bell, President of Classic Company, said, “We’ve created a new series of Pre Green Hunter Classics to be held at all our events in 2012, dubbed the Adequan Pre Green Classics. They will run as normal, held each week as two round events with the second ride of the second day counting as the first round of the Classic. The Adequan Pre Green Championship Classic will be a standalone two round event.” One of the key differences in these Pre Green Hunter Classics will be the entry fees. Bell explained, “All the entry fees will be collected just as in the past, but these monies will be set aside to build the Sweepstakes bank, which will be offered at the Atlanta Fall Classic II, November 16th. The Classic Company will host the Adequan Pre Green Hunter Championship Sweepstakes for the top 20 horses, based on accumulated Championship points, to compete for the total Sweepstakes money.” FEI Invites Submissions for 2013 Equine Prohibited List
As part of the Prohibited Substances List review process, any person involved in equestrian sport, or otherwise, who wishes to make suggestions for consideration by the List Advisory Group during preparation of the 2013 Equine Prohibited Substances List is invited to do so by filling in the downloadable online form. The deadline for submissions to the FEI Veterinary Department is 30 March 2012. 2012 FEI Equine Prohibited Substance List in Effect from 1 January
These changes, which will be included in the 2012 List and will come into effect on 1 January, are summarised here and below: • There are two additions to the Prohibited List: Magnesium Sulphate injections and any use of ACTH. “We are constantly reviewing our Prohibited Lists in line with the latest scientific evidence,” said Graeme Cooke, Director of the FEI Veterinary Department. “National Federations are now familiarising themselves and their athletes with these changes well in advance of the 2012 Equine Prohibited Substances List coming into force on 1 January 2012. Children at Risk from Slaughter of US Horses
An Irish Veterinary Journal white paper, released in December of 2010, has recently come to light. The paper gives an inside account of the EU (European Union) deliberations that are leading to tough new restrictions on drug residues in animals, including horses, intended for human consumption. The new EU regulations clearly define food animals and the risk to humans, particularly children, of ingesting horse meat containing banned substances. Focusing on one such banned substance, phenylbutazone, the paper outlines the extreme dangers to children and warns veterinarians, “It is a statement of fact that if the European Commission on its audit of this country find evidence of bute use in animals not excluded from the food chain, then the product will immediately lose its license Europe-wide. If samples prove positive for phenylbutazone or its metabolite in equine meat of Irish origin, it will be traced back, and the prescribing veterinary practitioner will be in the firing line of prosecution.” The paper states “The difficulty with phenylbutazone is that it, or its metabolite, can cause aplastic anemia in children. If a child were to consume an animal-based product containing even the minutest amount of bute or its metabolite then the child may develop aplastic anemia.” Tip of the Week – Platelet Rich Plasma = PRP
PRP stands for Platelet Rich Plasma, or blood plasma with concentrated platelet content. Platelets are derived from stem cells in the patient’s bone marrow. As platelets come into contact with the damaged collagen and endothelial cells, a fibrin clot forms and growth factors are recruited and released. Two growth factors are of particular interest in dealing with orthopedic injuries. Platelets release transforming growth factor beta and platelet derived growth factor upon activation at an injured site. These growth factors and others act synergistically to enhance access of healthy inflammatory cells to the area of tissue injury, formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), formation of new connective tissue (fibroplasia) and regeneration of injured tissues. Injection of PRP is a recommended treatment option for both sub-acute and chronic tendon and ligament injuries. Certain arthroscopic procedures are also incorporating the use of PRP in equine surgery. Tip of the Week – Horses May Benefit from Adult Derived Stem Cells
Equine tendon, ligament, and joint injuries are some of the most frequently seen problems in clinical veterinary practice. These lead to joint instability, degenerative joint disease, and reduced performance. Osteoarthritis is one of the main causes of lameness in horses and involves the deterioration of joint cartilage leading to pain and inflammation. Conventional therapies involve intra-articular medications such as hyaluronic acid and/or steroids, rest, shockwave therapy, Polysulfated glycosaminoglycans, hyaluronic acid, IRAP and PRP. Adult derived stem cells are a relatively new means of treating acute and chronic tendon injuries, suspensory and collateral ligament injuries and osteoarthritis in horses. Adult derived stem cells are concentrated and autologous to the patients in which they are used. Research is ongoing pertaining to how stem cells offer regeneration of injured tissues. The process begins either by the collection and storage of umbilical cord blood in a foal or by harvesting 50 grams of adipose tissue (fat) or 20-40 cc of bone marrow from the sternum or hip under standing sedation in adults. These samples are in turn sent overnight to commercial laboratories where they are processed for pleuripotent stem cells. These initial cells are then cultured in a lab and expanded to produce 5 to 30 million cells for injection back into the patient depending on the injury being treated and patient’s age and relative health. Stem cells are injected back into an injured joint or ligament or tendon with ultrasound guidance when needed or after arthroscopy if appropriate. Additional stem cells can be cryo-preserved dependent on the initial cell yield and used for subsequent regenerative therapy treatments. Get more info at www.alpinehospital.com. This tip was brought to you by Chuck Maker, DVM (www.alpinehospital.com) and KAM Animal Services, home of KAM’s “Equine Learning Circle” FREE webinars, which take place monthly. These webinars are an expansion of KAM’s weekly tips. Go to www.kamanimalservices.com to sign up for the next webinar. The FREE webinars will conclude with a question and answer session, so be ready with your questions. Tip of the Week – To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate
Why is there so much controversy regarding vaccines and possible reactions in the news these days? That is because in some cases the cons outweigh the pros; because medicine is not an exact science; and because not all pathogens and not all immune systems are the same. It is true that vaccinations have helped eliminate, or at least minimize, some fatal diseases in people and animals. However, it is also true that vaccination reactions can cause harm, both short term and long term, and even result in the death of the patient. Fortunately, most vaccine reactions are transitory and not life threatening; such as fever, swelling, and pain at the injection site. Unfortunately, some vaccine reactions can worsen an existing condition, trigger a pre-existing condition, create a permanent problem, or result in the death of the horse. If your horse has a history of vaccine reactions or other medical conditions (laminitis, allergies, auto-immune conditions, Cushing’s/IR, kidney or liver dysfunction), you may consider doing a titer test before vaccinating. A titer test requires taking a blood sample and sending it to a laboratory to measure the level of anti-bodies for a specific disease in that patient’s blood. The titer indicates the level of anti-bodies either from exposure to that disease or as the result of a previous vaccination. If the titer is high enough, one would assume the horse has protection against that disease and doesn’t need to be vaccinated at that time. If the titer is low, a “booster” vaccination may be indicated. The only disadvantage to tittering is the cost and the time to have the test done. The advantage of not over vaccinating may be preventing your horse’s death. This tip was brought to you by KAM Animal Services, home of KAM’s “Equine Learning Circle” FREE webinars, which take place monthly. These webinars are an expansion of KAM’s weekly tips. Go to www.kamanimalservices.com to sign up for the next webinar and the weekly tips. News from the 5th Annual StemTech ConventionMerritt Island, FL (August 11, 2011) – It was a very informative annual convention in sunny Irvine, California this past weekend. Because of the importance, I will start off with the best news of the entire convention! REGULATORY SUCCESS! It finally happened … the FDA came knocking on StemTech’s doors this year via the Electronic Retailer’s Association, and we passed with flying colors! StemTech’s Products, including our favorite – STEMEQUINE – actually do what they say they do by stimulating the release of the minimum of 3 to 4 million additional adult stem cells from the bone marrow that go out and repair the body. StemTech products are processed by Vita-Tech, the nutritional manufacturing company founded and pharmaceutically licensed since 1954. Vita-Tech is known for providing a level of quality and attention to detail that exceeds the requirements of many regulatory agencies, including the FDA. Every ingredient and step of the production process is validated and verified in Vita-Tech’s on-site laboratories, with historical samples and complete documentation archived for each batch. Having been to the plant myself, I am very impressed with their extensive operation. The hairnets we were required to wear while touring the plant were very flattering! As horse owners, we take care of our horses, making sure they are well-groomed, well-feed and have a nice pasture and stall to call home. What about you? Being out in the hot sun all day, driving throughout the state or flying to get from one place to another can cause your skin to bear the brunt of all those free radicals and elements out there. Now’s the time to take care of you! Ontario Racing Commission Expands Clenbuterol TestingQ-Racing Journal, July 15, 2011 – Starting August 15, testing for clenbuterol in Ontario Quarter Horse racing is expanding to include a 30-day withdrawal period and lower threshold levels, according to a release by Ontario Racing Commission Deputy Director Rob McKinney. The goal of the initiative is to eliminate any abuse, overuse, or non-therapeutic use of this drug, and when used, to confirm that the drug has been legally obtained and correctly administered. Clenbuterol is a bronchial dilator sold under the name Ventipulmin (trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica) as an injectable suspension and oral syrup to treat breathing disorders. This expansion by the Ontario Racing Commission will complement the existing efforts of the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency, which has included clenbuterol in its testing protocol for over 20 years. This new initiative is a result of concerns brought forward by the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc. regarding alleged misuse of this therapeutic drug and the health and safety of the horse. On June 16th, the ORC announced the first phase of this project involving random out-of-competition testing for the presence of the drug. ORC investigators will continue to inquire as to the use of clenbuterol and then examine the records of the trainer and veterinarian. Under this new phase, a 30-day clenbuterol withdrawal period for a horse competing in a race and minimum threshold are: 200 picograms per milliliter (pg/ml) or less in urine and 1-2 picograms per milliliter (pg/ml) in blood. A directive authorizing this phase of the project is under development, but it is anticipated that the regulatory action for confirmed presence of clenbuterol will include: American Quarter Horse Association Tip of the Week – IRAP Joint Treatment for Your Horse
Degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis is one of the main causes of lameness in horses. DJD occurs when the joint cartilage is destroyed producing pain and inflammation. Typically therapy involves a combination of intra-articular medications such as hyaluronic acid and/or steroids, rest, oral pain medications, shockwave therapy, polysulfated glycosaminoglycans, intravenous hyaluronic acid, and oral supplements that contain glucosamine, avocado soy extracts, MSM and/or chondrotin sulfate. Joint treatments with IRAP (Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein) utilize progressive gene therapy to combat osteoarthritis. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a cellular protein that is secreted by many types of inflamed cells. These proteins signal the immune system to attack infected, damaged or dying cells. In the arthritic joint IL-1 plays an important role and accelerates the deterioration of tissues like joint cartilage. IRAP blocks IL-1 from binding to tissues and inhibits the damaging consequences of IL-1. The process begins with 60 cc of blood from your horse in a special syringe. The syringe is specially prepared with glass beads that stimulate production of the antagonist protein (Il-1a) and an anticoagulant. The process of harvesting, incubating and centrifuging the blood to separate the IRAP abundant plasma from blood takes 24 hours. Thereafter, IRAP joint treatments are administered every 8-10 days for three treatments depending on the condition being treated. This tip was brought to you by Chuck Maker, DVM (www.alpinehospital.com) and KAM Animal Services, home of KAM’s “Equine Learning Circle” FREE webinars, which take place monthly. These webinars are an expansion of KAM’s weekly tips. Go to www.kamanimalservices.com to sign up for the next webinar. The FREE webinars will conclude with a question and answer session, so be ready with your nutrition questions. |
January 21, 2012 – St Johns Island, SC – Classic Company and the Gulf Coast Classic Company in partnership with Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. makers of Adequan i.m. (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), announce the formation of the Adequan Pre Green Classics and year end Adequan Pre Green Sweepstakes.
Lausanne (SUI), 20 December 2011 – The FEI has set up a new system to allow external parties to submit suggestions for consideration for the 2013 Equine Prohibited Substances List. The move has come about following substantial feedback from veterinarians, athletes and horse owners requesting that substances are removed or added to the List, switched from the Controlled Medication Substances section to the Banned Substances section of the List, or vice versa.
Lausanne (SUI), 5 October 2011 – The FEI, following approval by the FEI Bureau, has announced a small number of changes to its 2011 Equine Prohibited Substance List.
September 19, 2011 – Chicago (EWA) – As Senator Max Baucus and the horse slaughter lobby make a concentrated effort to persuade Congress to reverse the 2007 defunding of USDA horse slaughter inspections, evidence is growing that the main consumers of US horse meat are not likely to welcome the move.
