No lasix needed here

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

This is not a modern problem; this is the problem of the equine. Vigorous exercise is a high risk for bleeding in the lungs. It's why it's called EIPH. Exercise Induced. For whatever reason, evolution in all its messiness brought about an animal that often bleeds in the lungs during taxing exercise, and for some reason, mild dehydration reduces the chances that will happen. We could stop all horse racing for several dozen millennia while we attempt to selectively evolve the horse past this, because right now, the majority of them do bleed, or we can give them a diuretic before vigorous exercise. One of these two gives us a better chance of seeing a Triple Crown winner again in our lifetimes.

There may eventually come along something better than Lasix, but it's still going to have to be something that takes water away from the lungs. Ultimately, we are asking equine athletes to fight against their own evolution, which was to walk slowly with their heads down for very long periods of time.

Wow, I finally read something that makes sense, I understand and agree with regarding Lasix and the real reason behind its necessary use. Great post, thank you . . . and unfortunately it's the horse not the Lasix. The Lasix or any medication would be easy to fix but the horse as you say would take as long to fix for the good as it took for the current state of turning into the bad.