Pre Purchase Drug Screen - what to test for??

[eventreiter]

New to COTH, so maybe this is on here, but I can’t really find any good answers out there. I am doing a PPE on an eventing prospect and will be ordering blood work. This is what will be tested by the lab, but should I look for any other drugs? I am going to have to do research on these to find out what the drug is for some because I haven’t heard of several: (thanks in advance!)

Albuterol
Acepromazine
Betamethasone
Butorphanol
Carprofen
Clenbuterol
Detomidine
Dexamthasone
Diclofenac
Eltenac
Flumethasone
Flunixin
Fluphenazine
Isoxsuprine
Ketoprofen
Lidocaine
Meclofenamic Acid
Meloxicam
Mepivacaine
Methocarbamol
Methyl Prednisolone
Pentazocine
Phenylbutazone
Promazine
Reserpine
Romifidine
Xylazine

[joiedevie99]

That looks pretty standard. I’d ask about firocoxib (Previcox). In addition to a drug screen, I always run a CBC/Chem panel.

[eventreiter]

does anyone have any thoughts on what joints (and in what order) to look at? I have 10 sites I can pick. Current plan is to do:

Full set on all feet (starting with front)
Hocks
Stifles

Where else should I look for the last 2?

[RacetrackReject]

[QUOTE=eventreiter;7958067]
does anyone have any thoughts on what joints (and in what order) to look at? I have 10 sites I can pick. Current plan is to do:

Full set on all feet (starting with front)
Hocks
Stifles

Where else should I look for the last 2?[/QUOTE]

I might consider doing the back, but only due to a recent incident of vetting a sound horse where the vet x-rayed the back. The x-rays showed kissing spine with at least 6 vertebrae involved. The horse is completely asymptomatic, but he was going to be a move up horse and it wasn’t worth taking the chance with so much involvement.

[Lord_Helpus]

How old is this horse and how far do you want him to go in Eventing?

What kind of history has the seller given you? Are there prior x-rays to use for comparison purposes?

What kind of maintenance is the horse on?

What did the seller tell you about “getting him to the ring”?

How was his temperament the day you tried him? How recently had he been ridden/worked?

Do you have any reason to doubt the seller’s representations?

Without answers to these questions, it is hard to determine how thoroughly you need to vet him.

Suggestion for the blood work: Have the CBC run so you know that all of his bodily functions are operating well. But have the vet save (refrigerate) the blood he pulled for all the drug tests. After several weeks (2 - 3), if the horse is still the same good guy he was when you tried him, then there is really no reason to spend all the money on having the drug tests performed.

Vets are used to doing this, and your vet might well ask you if you want the blood sent to the lab or saved. I know that my vet asks that question.

[eventreiter]

The horse is 3, coming 4 warmblood and is just starting to go under saddle. No prior xrays. The horse is coming from the breeder. There are no concerns with the reputation of the breeder. I met the sire, dam, and siblings. All of the horses had sweet dispositions. He is on no maintenance and is barefoot. Biggest concern is finding OCD’s (and if present, are they ones that could become problems).

I saw him while he was in the cross ties, saw him lounged, tacked, rode, and then I rode. He was very good about everything for being so young/green. His temperament was extremely calm, and he was very willing, and it was his second ride ever.

I am looking to get up to Training level, if not Prelim at some point with this horse.

I know the vet can save the blood, but the sale is determined by the findings on the PPE, and the drug test and lymes are a part of that, so I don’t know that I would have much recourse if something came up later if I saved the blood. I do trust the owner and the farm, from the reviews that I have found. The seller’s seem to be in good standing in the eventing community, and have a great crop of horses. I am torn on whether to hold the blood because I had a questionable issue with my last horse and I did *not pull blood.

[GotSpots]

I always do what LH suggested: pull blood and hold it, but don’t run it unless we see a change in the horse once it’s home and settled in. I’ve always been comfortable that I would have recourse under my sales contract if the horse turned out to have something in its system. However, I’d be very surprised if a horse under the circumstances you’re talking about would have much in its system anyway. I think you tend to see potential drug issues if someone’s trying to mask something in a going horse or make it a bit more calm/rideable, as opposed to a youngster.

As for films, I take front feet, ankles all around, hocks, and knees (if it raced). Occasionally stifles, but not usually. I’ve only shot a film of other stuff if something comes up that my vet thinks makes it worth looking at. Plus, realistically, with one as green as you’re looking at, you’re only looking for absolute deal-breaker stuff - you’re not going to have much of a sense of how it lives up to regular wear-and-tear. Think of these films as baseline.

[joiedevie99]

Absolutely do not pull blood and hold it. If you want to run it, do. I know it is common practice in the industry, but it is a legal nightmare. The type of person who would drug and horse and not disclose it isn’t the type of person that will be easy to deal with when confronted weeks later with a positive drug test - and lawyers are expensive.

[Stacie]

I used to use a vet who would always pull a vial for drug testing whether the owner asked for it or not (he would not charge for it). Apparently the vial for drug testing is a specific color (green?). He said on more than one occasion the PPE was stopped by the owner or trainer when the the owner or trainer saw that blood for drug testing was being pulled.

[Peggy]

The one time I had a vet pull blood he turned to the seller and asked, “is this horse on any medications?” and then pulled the blood. He seemed to think that asking first somehow would make it easier for the buyer if there was an issue down the road.

After what I’ve been through with two horses I would be seriously temped to radiograph the neck.