GHRRA Give Theobromine The “Green Light”
In a press release yesterday, the NSW GHRRA have announced they will no longer conduct inquiries in to positive swabs to the drug Theobromine, specifically where they appear to be the result of ingestion of a product containing chocolate or cocoa .
Theobromine has the capacity cause similar effects to that of caffeine, but on a much smaller scale. Theobromine is mildly diuretic (increases urine production), is a mild stimulant, and relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi in the lungs.
For dogs however, 100-200 mg of theobromine per kg of a dogs body weight can cause cardiac and central nervous system distress.
A recent spate of positive swabs from NSWM was sourced back to a kibble that is routinely fed to many racing greyhounds, Winning Edge Platinum.
The Great Australian Petfood Company which manufactures Winning Edge Platinum, have since claimed that “All Winning Edge Platinum samples submitted for analysis…..show conclusively that Winning Edge Kibble, Winning Edge Platinum and Winning Edge Baked Biscuits do not contain Theobromine or Caffeine”.
Despite these claims, yesterday Mr John Coughlan, NSW GHRRA CEO; announced that from 1st May 2008, there weould be no further inquiries conducted when a routine swab showed the presence of Theobromine.
“The Authority advises that, effective immediately, there will be no Inquiry when a Greyhound returns a Positive Swab to Theobromine, specifically from a chocolate/cocoa based product, as determined by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory.”
Hi i just read up GHRRA Give Theobromine The “Green Light” your article on Theobromine i want to know Sustagen Sport is have any effect on a racing greyhound as it has some trace’s of cocoa will it show up in a swab
Geoff and every trainer should read the following link, very informative.
It’s called “Human foods that poison pets”