Association between exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage and performance in Thoroughbred racehorses

Abstract

Objective - To determine whether exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) was associated with racing performance in Thoroughbred horses not medicated with furosemide and not using nasal dilator strips. Design - Observational cross-sectional study. Animals - 744 two- to 10-year-old Thoroughbred horses racing in Melbourne, Australia. Procedure - Horses were enrolled prior to racing, and a tracheobronchoscopic examination was performed after 1 race. Examinations were recorded on video-tape, and presence and severity (grade 0 to 4) of EIPH were subsequently determined by 3 observers blinded to the horses' identity. Race records were abstracted for each horse examined. Results - Overall, 52.1..