State regulators are seeking sanctions against the license of a southern Utah veterinarian accused of misusing a prescription stimulant to train horses for racing, a petition said.
According to the petition filed last week with the state Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, veterinarian James Peter Reilly, St. George, purchased 200 doses of Methylphenidate but didn't keep any records to account for disposing of the drug.Reilly told investigators he hadn't kept records but claimed he had administered it to horses or dispensed it to horse trainers to assist in training race horses or to stimulate the horses to run faster, the petition said.
The division said that a major manufacturer of the drug told investigators that no studies support the effectiveness of Methylphenidate to treat horses. The drug is a mild central-nervous-system stimulant commonly used to treat hyperactivity in children.
For using a prescribed stimulant for non-medical purposes and not keeping records of it, the state has charged Reilly with five counts of violating state laws governing either licensing, controlled substances, pharmacy practice and veterinary practice.