Page 37 - August/September 2007 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper The Game, August/September 2007 37 TTRC Awards at the Fort
patients. For another, alleviating the mysterious symptoms of “dummy” or “barker” foals. And many practitioners believe in its ability to speed healing of slab fractures, bone chips, bucked shins, and similar hard-tissue injuries.
Somewhat more controversial is HBOT’s alleged ability to fight infection and augment the effects of antibiotics – though one of its most successful uses has been with foals suffering septicaemia, or “joint ill”, who often respond favourably to hyperbaric oxygen therapy when all conventional treatments have failed. There have also been claims that HBOT has improved the conception rate in problem broodmares, and boosted the fertility of marginal stallions, such as the noted Thoroughbred stud Kris S, who spent some time in a hyperbar- ic chamber at Kentucky’s Winstar Farms and afterwards experi- enced an increase in sperm count as well as an improvement in morphology and libido.
HBOT’s reputed effect of improving blood circulation also makes it an appealing choice for laminitic horses and those with lymphangitis. The University of Tennessee has been investigating the therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen on both laminitis and navicular syndrome, with its chamber in Knoxville. Large wounds and pressure sores also seem to respond positively to HBOT, healing faster and more completely than they would otherwise. And researchers are beginning to explore its potential in treating exercise-induce pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in racehorses.
But as harmless as oxygen sounds, it’s just as possible to be poisoned by too much as it is to suffer water toxicity. Essentially, as it’s being used in a hyperbaric chamber, oxygen is a drug. So short daily treatments are thought to be safer than prolonged sessions. And there’s another risk involved with a 100% oxygen environment: flammability. Any static electricity in the hyperbaric chamber could spark a major fire. Horses need to be “grounded” when inside the chamber, usually by standing on a rubber mat.
Finally, there’s the issue of cost. With only a handful of hyperbaric chambers available across the continent at present, an individual treatment might cost up to $500 US (with possibly dozens of treatments pre- scribed), to say nothing of the cost of transport to get to one.
But as HBOT gains acceptance in veterinary circles and the chambers become more popular and commonplace, it’s likely we’ll be hearing more and more about the applications of concentrated oxygen.
The Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club (TTRC) made award presentations to this year’s Fort Erie Award winners on Prince of Wales Day on July 15 in between races at the track: Leading Jockey, Robert King Jr.; Leading Trainer, Nick Gonzalez; and Claiming Horse of the Year, Cold War.
Seen here from left to right: TTRC Director Fern Chretien; Daily Racing Form’s Bill Tallon; Trainer Nick Gonzalez; TTRC President Sam Lima; Scott Lane, agent for Robbie King Jr.; Vern & Pat Fernandes (owners of Cold War) who flank TTRC Director Patrick DeCaires.
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