Ethical Issues for Racetrack Practitioners (AAEP 2012)

Many difficult decisions racetrack practitioners encounter are out of their control, one veterinarian says.
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

Extra scrutiny has been focused this year on the responsibilities and ethical standards expected from veterinarians who dispense medication to racehorses.

The daily decisions veterinarians face was addressed recently by Jeff A. Blea, DVM, during a presentation at the 2012 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Anaheim, Calif. Blea is a private racetrack practitioner from Von Bluecher, Blea, Hunkin, Inc. Equine Medicine and Surgery, in Sierra Madre, Calif.

No decisions on the backside of racetracks are black and white, and many of the most difficult decisions practitioners encounter are out of their control, Blea said. Still, he said these situations don’t absolve racetrack veterinarians who must "explore and employ the highest ethics in practice."

One way veterinarians can facilitate change and promote ethical behavior is by charging for services, rather than only for dispensing medication–a common practice among racetrack veterinarians. Such a change eliminates the perception that a veterinarian is simply out to sell a medication without regard for its necessity. He called on racetrack practitioners to use and distribute medications responsibly in their practice and to review the AAEP’s "Clinical Guidelines for Veterinarians Practicing in a Pari-Mutuel Environment," which was approved by the AAEP board of directors in August 2010

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Where do you primarily feed your horse?
287 votes · 287 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!