Texas Equine Veterinary Association

www.texasequineva.com • Page 16 screens can be found on our website at tvmdl.tamu.edu by searching for the test name, or by searching "drug test." The most commonly requested drug test by equine practitioners is our Equine Pre-Purchase Drug Screen. This screen includes a variety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), as well as three long-acting tranquilizers, Fluphenazine, Reserpine and Fluoxetine. Many veterinarians encourage their clients to consider drug testing when purchasing a horse. This screen can provide buyers with the added assurance of knowing that the animal was not under the influence of these types of masking drugs at the time of examination. A minimum of 5cc of serum is required for this test. If the buyer is uncertain about drug testing the animal, we recommend collecting blood at the time of the examination, centrifuging and transferring the serum off the clot into a new tube, and freezing the sample. This frozen sample will still be acceptable for testing up to three weeks after collection. In addition to the Equine Pre-Purchase Drug Screen, we also offer an NSAID Screen, Corticosteroid Screen, Anabolic Steroid Screen, and Beta-Agonist Screen. We also have the ability to test for many other drugs that aren't included in the aforementioned screens. Veterinarians interested in testing for these additional drugs should contact the Drug Testing Lab directly for testing information. Occasionally we receive inquiries about screening for unknowns. We offer a General Drug Screen test for this purpose. It is important to note that we cannot pre-screen horses for unknowns prior to a competition, such as a race or horse show. We also recommend that veterinarians interested in testing for unknowns contact the Drug Testing Lab to discuss the case prior to submitting the sample. The primary sample matrices that we routinely test in horses include serum and urine. Testing serum is becoming more common Drug testing is an ever-changing field that has been well documented and publicized in human athletes for quite some time. However, drug testing in equine athletes is less discussed and can be enigmatic at times. While most veterinarians are aware drug testing is available, confusion occurs with regards to testing capabilities, how to collect and submit samples for testing, how testing is conducted, and what limitations exist. The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) routinely handles equine drug testing for pre-purchase exams and event qualification. Quality of Testing Quality of testing is vital in providing reliable and accurate results with regards to drug testing. TVMDL's quality assurance program exists to provide the assurance to the client that the results received are the best possible completed by trained personnel who use standardized, validated reagents and methods. TVMDL has invested considerable resources in its Drug Testing Lab over the last two years to provide state-of-the-art, quality diagnostic testing concentrated on maximum testing accuracy, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness. The Drug Testing Lab is an ISO 17025 accredited lab that strives to provide accurate and reliable results. The ISO 17025 accreditation is conducted through the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). ISO 17025 is an international standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. In addition to ISO 17025 accreditation, the A2LA program includes accreditation that is designed specifically for competition animal drug-testing laboratories. With this accreditation, clients can be assured they are receiving accurate testing with state-of-the-art instrumentation and an experienced staff. Testing Capabilities The Drug Testing Lab at TVMDL offers a variety of drug screens to assist the equine veterinarian. Detailed information about these T H E F A C T ON EQUINE DRUG TESTING TRAVIS MAYS, MS Assistant Section Head, Drug Testing Laboratory Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

• Cover