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The Ethical Burden of Performance: Balancing Veterinary Care and Welfare Standards in the US Equine Healthcare Market
Description: The US Equine Healthcare Market operates under a deep non-market tension: balancing the intensive medical demands of high-value performance horses with the fundamental ethical mandate of animal welfare, particularly concerning pain management and injury prevention.
In the US, the high economic stakes associated with horse racing and equestrian sports often lead to intense training regimens that place considerable stress on equine physiology. This creates an ethical dilemma for veterinarians, who must ensure that diagnostic and therapeutic interventions—such as advanced joint injections or imaging—are used strictly for the horse's health and not solely to mask pain or circumvent regulatory anti-doping rules to maintain competitive performance. Non-market oversight from bodies like the USDA and state racing commissions is essential to prevent the abuse of medications and ensure that treatment protocols prioritize the long-term well-being of the…