Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 9, May 7, 2024
Section 15.2.6.8 - VETERINARY PRACTICESA.Veterinarians under authority of official veterinarian: Veterinarians licensed by the commission and practicing at any location under the jurisdiction of the commission are under the authority of the official veterinarian and the stewards.B.Treatment restrictions:(1) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, no person other than a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this jurisdiction and licensed by the commission may administer a prescription or controlled medication, drug, chemical or other substance (including any medication, drug, chemical or other substance by injection) to a horse at any location under the jurisdiction of the commission.(2) Use of physical or veterinary procedures to mask the effects or signs of injury so as to allow training or racing to the detriment of the horses health and welfare are prohibited.(3) This subsection does not apply to the administration of the following substances pursuant to the restrictions set forth in 15.2.6.9 NMAC or as they may interfere with post-race testing:(a) a recognized non-injectable nutritional supplement or other substance approved by the official veterinarian;(b) a non-injectable substance on the direction or by prescription of a licensed veterinarian;(c) a non-injectable non-prescription medication or substance.(4) No person other than a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this jurisdiction and licensed by the commission, or a veterinary assistant licensed by the commission acting under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, shall possess on any location under the jurisdiction of the commission any of the following unless approved by the commission:(a) any drug which is a narcotic, stimulant, or depressant, or any other substance or medication that has been prepared or packaged for injection by a hypodermic syringe, or hypodermic needle;(b) any hypodermic syringe, hypodermic needle or any equipment associated with the aid of intravenous administration.(c) No veterinary assistant licensed by the commission shall be allowed to administer a prohibited item pursuant to Subsection B of 15.2.6.8 NMAC.(5) At any location under the jurisdiction of the commission, veterinarians may use only onetime disposable needles, and shall dispose of them in a manner approved by the commission.(6) If a licensee has a medical condition which makes it necessary to possess or use a prohibited substance, prescribed, or controlled substance pursuant to Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of 15.2.6.8 NMAC, that person shall provide to the stewards: (a) A letter signed by a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner certifying that the consumption of the prohibited, prescribed, or controlled substances will not adversely affect the divided attention, psychophysical abilities of the licensee, to include but not limited to reaction time and the ability to judge time and distance. The letter must certify that the prohibited, prescribed, or controlled substance will not affect a licensees ability to carry out their responsibilities properly and safely while in the performance of their duties which includes being in actual physical control of a large equine animal or operating mechanical equipment on the grounds of the association and will not jeopardize the health, safety and welfare of the other individuals participating.(b) A licensee must comply with any conditions and restrictions set by the stewards or the commission.(7) The recommended penalty (in absence of mitigating circumstances) for a violation of Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of 15.2.6.8 NMAC is a $1,500 fine and a six month suspension. Additionally, the commission may order all horses under the trainers care that are entered to race to be tested with the cost of testing borne by the trainer.(8) Veterinarians shall not have contact with an entered horse on race day except for the administration of furosemide under the guidelines set forth in Subsection D of 15.2.6.9 NMAC unless approved by the official veterinarian or in an emergency situation. Should an emergency occur during evening hours, the veterinarian shall notify the official veterinarian as soon as possible the following morning.(9) Veterinarians may employ persons licensed by the commission as veterinary assistants to work under their direct supervision. Veterinary assistants shall not inject, directly treat, or diagnose any animal. The practicing veterinarian must be present on the grounds if a veterinary assistant has access to injection devices or injectable substances. The practicing veterinarian shall assume all financial and regulatory responsibility for the actions of their licensed veterinary assistant.(10) Veterinarians who possess any pre-drawn injectable syringes containing any substance must also possess the partially filled or empty labeled source container from which the injectable substance was drawn. Pre-drawn syringes and the labeled source container from which it was drawn are subject to confiscation by the commission and are subject to testing by the official laboratory. The injectable substance must be clearly identified on each pre-drawn syringe.(11) Veterinarians may possess and dispense compounded medications on association grounds under the following conditions:(a) The medication is prepared and prescribed in a manner that meets the criteria for compounding established by the federal Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 ( 21 CFR 530 ) and any current food and drug administration compliance policy guides.(b) The medication is prepared and prescribed in a manner that meets the criteria established in 16.19.30 NMAC by the New Mexico board of pharmacy.(c) The medication is labeled in accordance with Subsection H of 15.2.6.9 NMAC.C.Extracorporeal shock wave therapy or radial pulse wave therapy: The use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy or radial pulse wave therapy shall not be permitted unless the following conditions are met: (1) Any extracorporeal shock wave therapy or radial pulse wave therapy machine, whether in operating condition or not, must be registered with and approved by the commission or its designee before such machine is brought to or possessed on any racetrack or training center within the jurisdiction of the commission.(2) The use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy or radial pulse wave therapy within the jurisdiction shall be limited to veterinarians licensed to practice by the commission. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy or radial pulse wave therapy may only be performed with machines that are registered and approved for use by the commission; used at a previously-disclosed location that is approved by the commission; and must be reported within 24 hours prior to treatment on a prescribed form to the official veterinarian.(3) Any treated horse shall not be permitted to race or breeze for a minimum of 10 days following treatment.(4) Any horse treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy or radial pulse wave therapy shall be added to a list of ineligible horses. This list shall be kept in the race office and accessible to the jockeys and their agents during normal business hours and be made available to other regulatory jurisdictions.(5) A horse that receives any such treatment without full compliance with this section and similar rules in any other jurisdiction in which the horse was treated shall be placed on the stewards list.(6) Any person participating in the use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy or the possession of extracorporeal shock wave therapy machines in violation of this rule shall be considered to have committed a prohibited practice and is subject to a class A penalty.D.Veterinarians reports:(1) Every veterinarian who treats a race horse at any location under the jurisdiction of the commission shall, in writing on a form approved by the commission, report to the official veterinarian the name of the horse treated, any medication, drug or substance administered or prescribed or administered, the name of the trainer of the horse, the date and time of treatment and any other information requested by the official veterinarian.(2) The report shall be signed by the practicing veterinarian.(3) The report will be made available to racing officials on request within a 48-hour period. Any such report is confidential and its content shall not be disclosed except in the course of an investigation of a possible violation of these rules or in a proceeding before the stewards or the commission, or to the trainer or owner of record at the time of treatment.E.Veterinary compliance: The official veterinarian, racing veterinarian, and each practicing veterinarian shall comply with all federal and state statutes and applicable rules regulating veterinary practices as may be promulgated by the New Mexico board of veterinary medicine and the New Mexico board of pharmacy.15.2.6.8 NMAC - Rp, 15 NMAC 2.6.8, 4/13/2001; A, 7/15/2002; A, 2/15/2012; A, 7/31/2012, A, 5/16/2014, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVII, Issue 23, December 15, 2016, eff. 12/16/2016, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXIX, Issue 18, September 25, 2018, eff. 9/26/2018, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXX, Issue 08, April 23, 2019, eff. 5/1/2019, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXII, Issue 24, December 28, 2021, eff. 12/28/2021, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 07, April 9, 2024, eff. 4/9/2024